<p>When Rahi Anil Barve’s ‘Tumbbad’ (2018) released, it barely made a ripple, only to be rediscovered years later as a cult classic. Around the same time, he directed ‘Mayasabha’ (yes, eight years ago), another eerie thriller circling the same obsession: what greed does to the human mind. Only this time, it is not cursed gold coins but <br>40 kg of gold biscuits hidden inside a crumbling theatre.</p>.<p>Jaaved Jaaferi plays Parmeshwar Khanna, a broke and a broken movie producer living with his son Vasu inside the decaying theatre that allegedly holds the gold. Enter Zeenat and Ravrana, the only other players in this claustrophobic drama, who arrive with plans of their own. What begins as a friendly dinner on a stormy night spirals into paranoia, suspicion, guilt, and secrets. Everyone wants something. No one is entirely honest.</p>.'Gandhi Talks' movie review: The loudness of silence .<p>Jaaferi is the film’s anchor, balancing madness and vulnerability as a man undone by grief and financial ruin. The supporting cast complements him, but the real win is the atmosphere. ‘Mayasabha’ nails its eerie tone without spoon-feeding psychology. The visuals mirror Parmeshwar’s fractured mind, and the writing keeps things contained, letting tension simmer through dialogue and silences. But the slow-burn approach is also its biggest hurdle. The narrative plateaus, the emotional graph flattens, and the tension rarely escalates. The film sits in limbo, never fully committing to being a psychological drama or a thriller.</p>.<p>In the end, ‘Mayasabha’ has flashes of intrigue, but for a dish cooked for eight years, it needed more spice.</p>
<p>When Rahi Anil Barve’s ‘Tumbbad’ (2018) released, it barely made a ripple, only to be rediscovered years later as a cult classic. Around the same time, he directed ‘Mayasabha’ (yes, eight years ago), another eerie thriller circling the same obsession: what greed does to the human mind. Only this time, it is not cursed gold coins but <br>40 kg of gold biscuits hidden inside a crumbling theatre.</p>.<p>Jaaved Jaaferi plays Parmeshwar Khanna, a broke and a broken movie producer living with his son Vasu inside the decaying theatre that allegedly holds the gold. Enter Zeenat and Ravrana, the only other players in this claustrophobic drama, who arrive with plans of their own. What begins as a friendly dinner on a stormy night spirals into paranoia, suspicion, guilt, and secrets. Everyone wants something. No one is entirely honest.</p>.'Gandhi Talks' movie review: The loudness of silence .<p>Jaaferi is the film’s anchor, balancing madness and vulnerability as a man undone by grief and financial ruin. The supporting cast complements him, but the real win is the atmosphere. ‘Mayasabha’ nails its eerie tone without spoon-feeding psychology. The visuals mirror Parmeshwar’s fractured mind, and the writing keeps things contained, letting tension simmer through dialogue and silences. But the slow-burn approach is also its biggest hurdle. The narrative plateaus, the emotional graph flattens, and the tension rarely escalates. The film sits in limbo, never fully committing to being a psychological drama or a thriller.</p>.<p>In the end, ‘Mayasabha’ has flashes of intrigue, but for a dish cooked for eight years, it needed more spice.</p>