Maa ending explained: Did Kajol's Ambika truly stop Amsaja? Here’s what happened

Summary:

• Maa follows Ambika’s mission to rescue her daughter Shweta from the demon Aamsaja, rooted in a centuries-old curse.

• The film combines mythology, horror, and social commentary, critiquing patriarchy and generational abuse.

• Ambika defeats Joydeep/Aamsaja with divine power, ending the cycle of bloodshed, though mid-credits hint at future threats.

The mythological horror Maa by Vishal Furia is currently available on Netflix, and people are still trying to make sense of its complex and powerful climax. The plot revolves around Ambika's (Kajol) heroic quest to rescue her daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma) from the evil Aamsaja.

Aamsaja’s curse and Maa Kali’s intervention

The conflict has its roots in events that occurred thousands of years ago. Aamsaja was born from a drop of blood that fell in Chandrapur after Maa Kali decapitated an asur named Raktabeej. The demon perpetuated a vicious cycle of cruelty by preying on the girls of the town. An obeisance to Maa Kali granted the power to stop him, but the curse on Aamsaja's lineage made it so that the devotee and his descendants had no choice except to let their daughters have Aamsaja's children or die.

Attempting to escape this rut, Shubhankar's (Indraneil Sengupta) family relocated from Chandrapur to Kolkata a few centuries later. But Joydeep (Ronit Roy), the village sarpanch who was actually working for Aamsaja, managed to get them to return, and he kidnapped Shweta with the intention of carrying on the demon's work. Joydeep, who was once human, got possessed by the spirit of Aamsaja over the course of decades, absorbing the demon's abilities and carrying on his terrifying rule.

ALSO READ: Maa review: Kajol takes on the daitya in a mythological horror tale that forgets to be scary

Ambika vs. Joydeep

The climax occurs when Ambika confronts Joydeep. Ambika exhibited ceremonial devotion to Maa Kali in preparation for his plot to employ Shweta to advance Aamsaja's bloodline. Because of this, she was bestowed divine power, which she used to liberate the girls held captive by Joydeep, wipe out the demon's forest, and ultimately kill him. But the fact that Aamsaja's seed was still in Shweta's womb meant that Ambika would face the same old problem that her family had dealt with for generations. A twist of fate saved Shweta and ended the cycle of bloodshed when the blessing of Maa Kali mysteriously ended Aamsaja's seed, thanks to the souls of the newborns killed across generations.

The war is far from ended in the mid-credits scene, when Vanraj (R. Madhavan) from Shaitaan finds Aamsaja's ashes, implying future clashes.

Patriarchy and abuse in Maa

In addition to its supernatural aspects, Maa critiques patriarchy and the culture of rape. Sexual abuse in the plot serves as a weapon of power rather than desire, and the film reveals how patriarchal understandings of religious dogma upheld violence and control over women. In contrast to Ambika's bravery and moral clarity, Furia's story highlights the cultural and generational effects of this abuse.

Maa presents a hopeful vision of a world where mythology, horror, and social commentary come together to challenge power, violence, and justice cycles via the story of Ambika's victory. The film is available for streaming on Netflix starting today.

FAQs:

Q: Is there a mid-credits scene in Maa?

A: Yes, the mid-credits scene shows Vanraj from Shaitaan discovering Amshaja’s ashes, suggesting that while Ambika ended the immediate threat, the larger battle against evil is not over.

Q: Where can I watch Maa online?

A: Maa is available for streaming on Netflix starting August 22, 2025.

Q: Is there a sequel to Maa planned?

A: While the film hints at future conflicts with the discovery of Amshaja’s ashes in the mid-credits scene, no official announcement about a sequel has been made as of August 22, 2025.