UA2 hrs 14 minsReleased: 28 Aug, 2026
BengaliDrama, Thriller & Psychological
Set in Kolkata, Maya Satya Bhram unravels after the baffling disappearances of a police officer’s young son and a Swedish researcher studying shamanism. As sub inspector Sanjay Konar investigates, the case shifts from a standard police procedural into a surreal exploration of grief and mysticism centered around a mysterious spiritual figure named Trilokadarshi Baba
Cast & Crew
Maya Satya Bhram Movie Review: A thought-provoking mystery of faith, belief and the unknown
Raima Ganguly
TNN, Aug 29, 2026, 4:41 PM IST
At first glance, Maya Satya Bhram appears to be a fairly straightforward mystery thriller. A child goes missing from a crowded fair, his parents search desperately for him, and another disappearance – that of a Swedish researcher in Kolkata – adds another layer to the intrigue. But director Samik Roy Choudhury’s film gradually reveals itself to be more than a mystery, delving into what we choose to believe when confronted with the inexplicable.The story follows Urmila, a homemaker and Sanjay (Soham Majumdar), a police officer whose young son Totoro goes missing. As the investigation progresses, Sanjay is removed from the case and assigned another one revolving around Trilokdarshi Babaji (Sanat Chatterjee), a mystic who claims to be able to see a person’s past, present and future through touch. The disappearance of Swedish researcher Sara, who had been documenting the Babaji before she vanished, brings the two cases closer together.From here, Maya Satya Bhram walks a remarkably fine line between blind belief, fanaticism and the possibility that there may be things beyond rational explanation. The film neither rushes to validate the supernatural nor dismisses it outright. Instead, it allows its central mystery to exist in that uncomfortable space between faith and scepticism – a space that keeps the audience questioning what is real and what may merely be an illusion.The most interesting thread is Trilokdarshi Babaji’s backstory. The film travels back to his childhood, when he was an orphan named Tilu, and traces the experiences that shaped him through adolescence and young adulthood. This could easily have become unwieldy, particularly with the narrative simultaneously juggling Totoro’s disappearance and Sara’s mysterious case. Yet the film manages to bring these seemingly disparate strands together with considerable control. Not every question receives a neat answer, but the unanswered questions do not feel like loose ends. By the time the pieces begin falling into place, the film has earned its ambiguity.That is perhaps the biggest achievement of Samik’s direction. The film could have become a confused exercise in mysticism, trying too hard to explain its own mythology. Instead, there is a maturity to the storytelling. The narrative remains focused even when it moves across timelines and characters, and the mystery is sustained without constantly resorting to obvious twists or dramatic distractions.At the centre of it all is Sanat Chatterjee, who is a revelation as Trilokdarshi Babaji. His restrained performance gives the character an enigmatic quality without turning him into a stereotypical mystic. There is an unsettling calmness to him, and Sanat understands that the character becomes more compelling when he is not constantly trying to appear mysterious. He anchors the film with a quiet authority and holds the audience’s attention whenever he is on screen.Soham Majumdar brings an appropriate intensity to Sanjay, particularly as a father caught between professional scepticism and personal desperation. Priyanka Sarkar, as Totoro’s mother Urmila, brings emotional weight to the story without overplaying her grief. Sreya Bhattacharya and the young actor playing Tilu are also particularly effective, adding depth to the film’s emotional and psychological layers.What works best about the film is that it never really lets the audience switch off. Even when the story moves away from the immediate mystery, there is always another question waiting to be answered. It keeps shifting the viewer’s understanding of its characters and its world, without losing sight of the larger narrative.The film may not offer the kind of easy resolution one expects from a conventional mystery thriller. Instead, it leaves you with questions about belief, perception and the limits of what we understand. And perhaps that is precisely the point. Maya Satya Bhram is not a film that demands an immediate reaction. It is one that stays with you after the credits, asking you to reconsider what you thought you knew – and what you were willing to believe.
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Maya Satya Bhram – Official Teaser
11 days ago
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