Director - Rahi Anil Barve 
Cast -  Jaaved Jaaferi, Mohammad Samad, Veena Jamkar, Deepak Damle 
Duration – 104 Minutes
 
Mayasabha – The Hall of Illusion is the kind of film that doesn’t just ask for your attention, it demands your patience, your imagination, and a generous suspension of logic. Directed by Rahi Anil Barve, the mind behind Tumbbad, this surreal thriller once again dives into human greed, buried trauma, and psychological games, all wrapped in heavy symbolism and arthouse ambition. It’s intriguing, frustrating, and oddly compelling—sometimes all at once.
 
The story centers on Parmeshwar Khanna, played brilliantly by Jaaved Jaaferi, a once-successful filmmaker now living like a recluse inside a decaying cinema hall with his son Vasu. Abandoned by his actress wife years ago, Parmeshwar survives on memories, obsession, and the illusion of a past that refuses to fade. The theatre becomes both a shelter and a prison, mirroring his fractured mental state and his suffocating relationship with his son.
 
Vasu, portrayed with touching innocence by Mohammad Samad, has grown up cut off from the world, knowing only his father and the crumbling corridors of the theatre. Despite his isolation, he dreams big—especially after hearing whispers about 40 kilos of gold allegedly hidden somewhere in the property. When he invites Zeenat and Ravrana for a meal, what begins as innocent companionship quickly turns into a ruthless hunt driven by greed and deception.
 
Over the next 24 hours, the film peels back layers of manipulation, desire, and long-buried secrets. The line between reality and illusion keeps blurring, not just for the characters but for the audience as well. Barve clearly wants the viewer to question what is real and what is imagined, but in doing so, the narrative often stretches believability to its breaking point. Everyday realities—food, money, electricity, survival—exist in a convenient cinematic vacuum that the film never bothers to explain.
 
Performances, however, keep the film afloat. Jaaved Jaaferi is outstanding in a complete image makeover, making Parmeshwar both repulsive and oddly endearing. Mohammad Samad brings emotional depth to Vasu’s childlike devotion, while Veena Jamkar is deliciously sharp as the scheming Zeenat. Deepak Damle complements her well as Ravrana, delivering a restrained yet effective performance as her partner in deceit.
Technically, Mayasabha is striking. The cinematography paints the ruined theatre as a haunting, living entity, while the production design and background score elevate the film’s eerie atmosphere. Rahi Anil Barve’s visual storytelling is rich and deliberate, extracting strong work from every department behind the camera.
 
Where the film falters is in its self-indulgence. The desire to be “hatke” often overshadows the need to engage. Much like Tumbbad, the film leans heavily on mood and metaphor, sometimes at the cost of narrative clarity and entertainment value. It feels tailor-made for festival audiences who enjoy decoding symbolism rather than being swept away by story.
 
Mayasabha – The Hall of Illusion is a visually arresting, well-acted film that fascinates as much as it frustrates. It’s a cinematic puzzle that doesn’t always care if the pieces fit, but invites you to admire the picture anyway. For some, it will be a bold, thought-provoking experience. For others, it may feel like an illusion that promises gold but delivers more questions than answers.