Key Points

This is not the first time Kajol’s playing a mother on screen. The actress first played a mother in “Kabhi Kushi Khabhie Gham…” in 2001, she was then seen essaying the characters in projects such as “We Are Family,” “Helicopter Eela”, “Tribhanga” and “Salaam Venky”.

However, playing a mother in “Maa” was different for Kajol and it did take more from her emotionally than the other roles she played before.

“It took a lot from me because of the fact that it's a horror film.”

She shared that she is not a horror fan herself, which made her unprepared for the emotional demands of the genre.

“I didn't realise that when I would be doing a horror film, there would be such a pitch to the entire film because I am not a horror watcher. So I didn't realise that there was this certain pitch to every horror film that's there. That there's an emotional pitch and especially when it's so tight, you know, there's so much happening.”

Kajol said that as an actor, “you always have to be at almost like a really high alert level.”

Kajol said: “And yes, it was very, very draining as an actor also. Very emotionally draining as an actor to constantly keep that pitch 24x7 all the time in every shot.”

“Maa” is a mythological horror film directed by Vishal Furia. The film stars Kajol in the title role, alongside Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, and Kherin Sharma.

It tells the story about Ambika, and how after her husband dies due to a supernatural cause, she and her daughter visit his hometown, only to discover a demonic curse that puts their lives at risk. The film is slated to release on June 27.

- IANS