Maatr, a film by Ashtar Sayed, focuses on one of the most sensitive topic i.e. rape and revenge. This is also Raveena Tandon’s comeback film. Certainly Maatr as a women-centric film had tremendous potential but the whole effort falters. A lot of films in the past have handled this subject and that is why it becomes all the more important that how the subject is being differently handled in Maatr. The film certainly begins on a high note but 15 minutes into the film, the whole screenplay goes for a toss. It becomes very much predictable, clichéd. The whole revenge saga looks very superficial. It is appreciable that the intention of the film is to highlight and raise voice against the heinous crimes prevalent in our society, atrocities against women, but execution falters badly. The film has nothing new to offer.

Vidya Chauhan (Raveena Tandon) is a school teacher. It is a function in the school where her daughter Tia (Alisha Khan) is performing. After the programme, on their way back home, they get trapped in traffic and take different route to get rid of traffic. But a wrong turn brings their lives up and down. Apurva Malik (Madhur Mittal, Slumdog Millionaire fame) and his group of boys gang-rape Vidya and Ritu. Both of them are dumped on the road. Vidya survives but Tia gives up. Vidya’s friend Ritu (Divya Jagdale) stand with Vidya during this crisis. Ravi, Vidya’s husband (Rushad Rana), is unable to deal with Ritu’s death.

The story proceeds further to show the revenge saga, the fights against the powerful and evil elements of the society, but things are handled very superficially. Everything turns out to be in favour of Vidya when she single handedly puts up her fight against the powerful. She seems to be at the right place at right time, which is so unreal. Besides, Vidya is shown to effortlessly use revolver overnight.

As far as the cast is concerned, we have seen much better performance from Raveena Tandon. Anurag Arora as Inspector Jayant Shroff is good. Rest of the actors Rishad Rana and Divya Jagdale have given average performances. Probably the screenplay needs to be blamed.

Maatr is a film with the right intention to highlight and raise voice against the heinous crimes prevalent in our society, atrocities against women; but the execution falters badly. The film has nothing new to offer. It becomes very much predictable, clichéd. The whole revenge saga looks very superficial.