In Netflix’s “Mai,” directed by the debuting Atul Mongia and only one old Anshai Lal, a mother’s retribution is delivered cold and without any visible garnishing. The six-episode series featuring Sakshi Tanwar as the central figure, a 40-something woman, is part of a typical culture that is typically male-dominated and ageist. Mai is neither of these things. As a result, it differs significantly from other vengeance stories.

The thriller, written by Mongia, Amita Vyas, and Tamal Sen for Clean Slate Filmz, is an elevated, persistently interesting, and low-heat crime drama about a middle-aged woman drawn into the Lucknow mafia when her mute daughter (Wamiqa Gabbi) is killed in an accident. As the main witness, the mother detects wrongdoings and vows to uncover the uh truth.

Similar subject but different story

Vengeful mothers are nothing new. In the films like ‘Mom’ and ‘Maatra,’ Sridevi and Raveena Tandon has taken that route. But, Sakshi Tanwar’s Mai’ is related only in terms of the subject; she deviates from the direct and straightforward vengeful path by becoming involved in shady dealings involving medical frauds, dirty money, and very dirty mafia bosses.

Even as she dives deeper into the dirt, inching further to the reality regarding her daughter’s accident. Sure, a mourning mother may be enraged by the unfortunate incident, but the ease with which she can express her feelings is remarkable.

Star cast of the series

Mai is directed by two directors Anshai Lal and Atul Mongia.  The writers of this series are Atul Mongia, Tamal Sen and Amita Vyas.

Because of the director of cinematography Ravi Kiran Ayyagari’s lensing and lighting, Mai has a powerful ambiance. The nooks and corners of a city and the alleyways and tenements come to life in this drama set in places where darkness and light collide. The backdrop score by Sagar Desai is amazingly quiet and flawlessly integrated with the story’s heart and spirit.

Sakshi Tanwar is the driving force behind Mai, a web series that gradually unfolds on you. Raima Sen, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Seema Pahwa, as different women who refuse to accept the boundaries that men have made for them, provide spirit and dimension to the story. Some other actors, including Vivek Mushran, Prashan Narayanan, and Ankur Ratan, add life to the series.