Maaman Movie Review: Aishwarya Lekshmi Outshines in a Melodrama Stuck in the Past

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5)
Director: Prasanth Pandiyaraj
Cast: Soori, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Swasika, Rajkiran, Prageeth Sivan

Introduction: When Old-School Family Drama Meets Modern Discomfort

Maaman, the latest Tamil family drama directed by Prasanth Pandiyaraj, attempts to rekindle the charm of 90s and early 2000s blockbusters. Fronted by Soori in a serious avatar and featuring a brilliant Aishwarya Lekshmi, the film tries hard to walk the line between nostalgia and relevance — but ends up dragging with its outdated tropes and a convoluted screenplay.

Plot Summary: A Web of Family Ties and Misplaced Priorities

Soori plays Inba, a doting uncle whose bond with his sister’s son, Nilan (Prageeth Sivan), is so strong that it overshadows everything — even his own marriage. Inba’s relationship with his nephew is the emotional anchor of the story, but it quickly becomes a suffocating thread that unravels the peace in his marriage to Dr. Rekha (Aishwarya Lekshmi).

Meanwhile, Girija (Swasika) and her husband Ravi (Baba Bhaskar) are battling societal scorn for being childless — a struggle resolved predictably by a long-awaited baby. But the story strangely sidelines this couple’s journey, focusing instead on Inba’s overbearing attachment to Nilan, which strains every other relationship.

What could have been a tight, emotionally resonant story quickly turns into an overcooked stew of misplaced priorities, unnecessary subplots, and tired cliches from the past.

Performances: Aishwarya Lekshmi Steals the Show

Aishwarya Lekshmi is undoubtedly the film’s strongest pillar. As Dr. Rekha, she is the lone voice of reason in a sea of irrational emotionalism. Her portrayal reflects frustration, vulnerability, and justified anger, and she balances these shades with grace. However, the film never allows her character the depth or space she deserves — a missed opportunity, considering how much she elevates every scene she is in.

Soori, though commendable for stepping into a dramatic lead role, is stuck in a poorly written part that offers little growth or insight. His strengths in comedy and relatability are oddly wasted in a role that traps him in one-dimensional sentimentality.

Veterans like Rajkiran and Viji Chandrasekhar do their parts with ease, but their arcs are predictable and serve more as fillers than drivers of the plot.

Direction & Writing: A Messy Blend of Old and New

Prasanth Pandiyaraj’s direction shows potential in parts — especially the tender moments between mother and daughter or glimpses of marital strain — but the script never fully commits to its ideas. After a genuinely surprising mid-film twist, the story loses momentum, trying to juggle too many themes: family bonds, marriage woes, masculinity, and generational conflicts.

Unfortunately, the film chooses convenient storytelling shortcuts and outdated stereotypes, making the plot predictable and tiring. Characters are introduced only to crowd the screen, adding noise rather than nuance. A tighter, more focused narrative could have saved Maaman from its self-inflicted chaos.

What Works in Maaman?

✅ Aishwarya Lekshmi’s powerful performance
✅ A few emotionally impactful scenes, especially the mother-daughter moment
✅ Nostalgic family drama feel for old-school viewers

What Fails in Maaman?

❌ Outdated storytelling full of 90s clichés
❌ Predictable and convenient plot turns
❌ Underdeveloped characters apart from Dr. Rekha
❌ Lost momentum after a promising first half twist
❌ Too many side characters with no real purpose

Final Verdict: A Wasted Opportunity for a Modern Family Drama

Maaman is a film that could have spoken powerfully about family dynamics, parenting pressures, and personal boundaries — but instead, it drowns in a sea of melodrama and tired tropes. While Aishwarya Lekshmi rises above the weak writing with her stellar performance, even she cannot save the film from feeling like a relic of a bygone cinematic era.

If you’re nostalgic for old Tamil family dramas, you might find some charm here. Otherwise, this is a film that struggles to make a strong emotional or social impact in today’s times.

Should You Watch It?

Watch it only if you are a fan of Aishwarya Lekshmi or enjoy family melodramas with an old-school touch. Otherwise, Maaman is likely to feel repetitive and frustrating.