By Admin 
Andhar Maya, ZEE5’s first original Marathi horror web series, has arrived as a landmark in regional streaming content, blending supernatural chills with the raw complexities of family drama. Helmed by National Award-winning director Bhimrao Mude, the series reinvents familiar tropes of the haunted house genre through a distinctly Konkan lens, offering viewers a suspenseful, atmospheric experience.
A Haunting in the Konkan
The story centers on the Khatu family, who return to their ancestral mansion—an imposing wada nestled in the lush, mysterious Konkan region—to perform final rites for the late patriarch, Dinu Seth. What begins as a routine family gathering quickly spirals into a nightmare, as the family’s old wounds, greed, and secrets are exposed by a series of inexplicable and sinister events.
The mansion itself becomes a character, its shadowy corridors and decaying grandeur amplifying the sense of dread. As the Khatus attempt to settle old disputes and decide the fate of the property, they find themselves trapped by forces that seem determined to keep them from ever leaving.
Characters and Performances
The ensemble cast features Kishor Kadam as Gonya, the enigmatic caretaker whose loyalty to the house is as unsettling as it is touching. Rutuja Bagwe, Shubhankar Tawde, Swapnalee Patil, Shubhangi Bhujbal, and others portray family members whose motivations and relationships unravel under supernatural pressure.
Each character is drawn with nuance:
- Keshav, torn between shame for his father’s unconventional past and his own attachment to the house.
- Nayana, obsessed with family jewels and her own security.
- Madhav and Shalaka, a couple on the brink of divorce.
- Kartik, eager to escape, and his pregnant wife Madhavi, who feels an inexplicable connection to the mansion.
Themes: Greed, Guilt, and the Supernatural
While Andhar Maya delivers jump scares and ghostly apparitions, its true horror lies in the interplay of greed, guilt, and unresolved trauma. The narrative draws on classic motifs—a mysterious child, vanishing family members, and a loyal servant with secrets—while using the horror genre to probe deeper themes of inheritance, neglect, and the inescapable grip of the past.
The series is structured as a seven-episode mini-series, with the tension mounting as family members disappear and the true nature of the mansion’s curse is revealed. The final episodes deliver a gripping, Christie-esque unraveling of the mystery, as the family’s darkest secrets come to light.
Visuals and Atmosphere
Director Bhimrao Mude’s use of the Konkan landscape—its beaches, orchards, and monsoon gloom—creates a unique setting rarely explored in Indian horror. The cinematography plays with shadow and space, turning the ancestral home into a labyrinth of fear and memory.
Reception and Impact
Andhar Maya has been praised for its ambition and its fresh approach to Marathi horror, though some critics note uneven pacing and execution in early episodes. Nevertheless, its willingness to blend psychological suspense, social commentary, and supernatural thrills marks it as a bold step for regional web series.
Conclusion
With Andhar Maya, ZEE5 and director Bhimrao Mude have set a new standard for Marathi horror, proving that local stories, when told with craft and conviction, can deliver both chills and emotional resonance. For fans of horror and family sagas alike, this is a series that lingers long after the final credits roll.
