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Maa vs Kannappa Review: Which Film Won the Audience's Heart?

“Same release date. Two completely different stories. One big box office clash!”

June 27, 2025, gave us not one but two highly anticipated films — Maa starring Kajol, and Kannappa, a mythological epic featuring a star-studded cast including Prabhas, Vishnu Manchu, Mohanlal, and more.

Kannappa leads you on a spiritual journey based on devotion and metamorphosis, while Maa draws you into a chilling story of a mother's love tinged with mythology and horror.

But here's the real question — which movie actually won the audience’s heart? Social media is buzzing, reviews are divided, and the box office numbers are telling their own story. In this blog, we break down both films — their plots, performances, reviews, and first-day collections — to see who truly stole the spotlight on release day.

maa and kannappa review

Maa VS Kannappa

Category

Maa

Kannappa

Lead Role

Kajol and Ronit Roy

Prabhas, Kajal Aggarwal, Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Vishnu Manchu, etc.

Release Date

27 June 2025

27 June 2025

Genre

Horror

True Story Based

Language

Hindi

Telugu

Total Budget

55-60 Crore

200 Crore

Producer

Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Subbarayan

Mohan Babu

Director

Vishal Furia

Mukesh Kumar Singh

Maa Story Explained

The story of Kajol’s new movie Maa begins in Chandrapur, West Bengal, during a Kaali Pooja. A group of young men argue that only men should perform the pooja, but Joydev (Naveen Sandhu) explains that since the goddess appeared in a woman’s dream, she has the right to do it. Meanwhile, a woman gives birth to twins — a boy named Shuvankar and a girl. The family sacrifices the girl to a demon called Aamsaja in the nearby haunted forest.

Forty years later, Shuvankar, his wife Ambika (Kajol), and daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma) are living in Kolkata. Shweta wants to visit Chandrapur, but her parents avoid the topic. When Shuvankar’s father dies, he returns to Chandrapur to handle the rituals and decides to sell their ancestral home. On leaving, Shuvankar accidentally brings a cursed piece of wood from the haunted tree home, which turns out to be deadly — leading to his sudden death.

Devastated, Ambika and Shweta try to move on, but Joydev convinces Ambika to come back to Chandrapur to finalize the house sale, saying it was Shuvankar’s last wish. Ambika and Shweta visit the village, where strange and scary events start happening. Ambika quickly learns that the monster Aamsaja is posing a threat to her daughter.

Maa tackles societal concerns like toxic masculinity and a mother's intense desire to protect her kid while masterfully fusing horror with Indian mythology. Vishal Furia's film captivates you with its gripping narrative, terrifying scenes, and breathtaking images.

Maa Twitter Reviews

Maa has received a warm response from audiences, with many praising its powerful mix of horror and emotion. One user called it “gripping”, highlighting Kajol’s standout performance and the film’s emotional depth.


Another viewer described it as “simply terrific,” applauding the film’s paranormal storyline, strong visuals, background score, and especially Kajol’s brilliant acting. Ronit Bose Roy and Indraneil Sengupta also earned praise for their compelling roles.

With strong performances, impressive VFX, and a heart-touching narrative, Maa is being hailed as more than just a horror movie — it's an emotional experience.

Maa Day 1 Box Office Collection 

Supported by Ajay Devgn’s production company, Maa is anticipated to create a significant impression at the box office. According to early estimates, the film might make between Rs 4.5 crore and Rs 6.5 crore on its opening day. The makers are hopeful that Kajol's Ma would earn more than Shahid Kapoor's Deva, which opened with Rs 5.78 crore on its first day.

Kannappa Story Explained

The voyage of Thinnadu, a young tribal guy and devout atheist, is depicted by Kannappa. Brought up outside of religious traditions, his perspective is tested when he falls for a village girl (portrayed by Preity Mukhundhan). While struggling with internal conflict and societal pressures, Thinnadu embarks on a significant spiritual journey, ultimately becoming a dedicated disciple of Lord Shiva.

Kannappa Twitter Reviews

The reviews for Kannappa are creating quite a buzz online—and they’re as divided as they come. While some viewers are praising the film’s second half and calling it a blockbuster thanks to Prabhas’s powerful cameo and Vishnu Manchu’s emotional performance in the last 20 minutes, others feel the film is a missed opportunity.

One user even compared it to Kalki and Adipurush, rating it just 2 out of 5 and pointing out poor execution and underwhelming performances—even from the cameos. However, there’s a general consensus that the background score (BGM) and a few devotional moments in the second half do manage to leave an impact. Whether it's a spiritual epic or a cinematic misfire seems to depend on who you ask—but one thing’s for sure: Kannappa has sparked conversation.

Kannappa Day 1 Box Office Collection

Nationwide, the movie's Day 1 pre-sales reached Rs 4.53 crore throughout India. Considering the existing momentum and including same-day walk-ins, the initial estimate for Kannappa's Day 1 worldwide earnings is around Rs 13 crore. The international market, where the film debuted on June 26, could provide an additional boost to the worldwide total, although the final numbers will rely on the film's showing in multiplexes and theaters in tier-2 cities during the day.

While Maa wins hearts with emotion and horror, Kannappa divides the crowd with its scale and star power. In this clash of myth vs. motherhood, the audience verdict is as dramatic as the films themselves!

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