Mai: A web series where Sakshi Tanwar stole the show

We have been talking about a lot of web series and digital content these days. But this one is different. It is a story about a mother who can do anything to know the truth behind her daughter’s death. A disturbed family, a dead daughter, a rough patch in marriage, and circumstances make Sheel Chowdhary (Sakshi Tanwar) do unusual things and Sheel leaves the audience in a state of shock many times. This entire show revolves around Sakshi Tanwar and no wonder she stole the entire show.

Those who have watched “Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki” in their childhood with their moms, will be in complete shock after watching Sakshi’s pitch-perfect performance in this show. The feeling you must have had after watching Shefali Shah in Delhi Crime and Raveena Tondon in Aranyak you will get the same feeling after watching Mai. Simple Saree, No makeup, nothing extravaganza, Sakshi Tanwar will hold your attention only with the power of her performance and acting.

Mai is a web series that has many layers to it. It has emotions, fear, thrill, crime, and suspense. It starts with Sheel’s daughter ‘Supriya’s’ death. Initially, it looks like an accident. A truck hit her daughter while she was about to tell, her something important to her mother. After Supriya’s death while Sheel was in court the truck driver says something, that makes Sheel doubt on entire accident. Later on, she understands it wasn’t an accident, it was a preplanned murder. Now who will murder a mute girl and why? Yes, Supriya was specially-abled, she couldn’t talk.

Sheel has a husband and her Brother in law and his wife in the family along with their kids, Supriya and Archit. They have some complex issues in the family itself, you will get that while watching this show. Sheel was a nurse and caretaker at Geeta Bhawan an old age home. (Also an important place in terms of the story).

Episode after episode, Sheel is running behind the truth but is not able to reach there. On this journey, she had to do a lot of things that must never have been done otherwise. A mother who lost her daughter can do anything to get her justice. Anything means Anything.

Her character will teach you a lot of things, It will majorly teach you that, “For your loved ones, you can go to any extent.” Sheel taught us that a typical Indian woman who wears a saree and bindi can never be termed as weak or ‘Abala Nari’. She can and will do everything to protect her family or to bring justice to her children.

In Hindi cinema, or especially in Digital Content there are very few actors who can hold you for a long time only through the intense and serious acting. Especially when it comes to the joner-like crime thrillers. It has to have a strong storyline and strong acting, Thankfully Mai has both.

Along with Sakshi, Wamika Gabbi played the role of Supriya and did a fantastic job. She is having lesser screentime here, but whatever she got, she nailed it. Apart from these two Raima Sen, Saurabh Dubey, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Prashant Narayan, Vivek Mushran, Seema Pahwa, and other star cast did a fantastic job in their respective roles.

If you have watched Gullak, you must have already been in love with Character Annu Mishra played by Vaibhav Raj Singh, when you will see him here as Shankar, you will be amazed, ad both the roles are poles apart.

Atul Mongia and Anshai Lal did a beautiful job as Directors. Atul Mongia is known as one of the finest directors in the Digital Content Industry. Also, the writers Atul Mongia, Shristi Rindani Tamal Sen, Vishrut Singh, and Amita Vyas gave justice to the basic story.

In all performance-wise, story-wise, and direction wise this web series is 9.5/10. You must not miss this one, for Sakshi Tanwar’s clean and intense acting. Happy Watching.

- Niharika Pole Sarwate