Jun. 02, 2017|India
Genre: Bollywood;Drama
Description: The film “Dear Maya” (2017) follows the lives of two teenage girls, Anna and Ira, who are students at a Catholic convent school in Shimla. The girls are inseparable, spending their days between school, romance novels, and boys, with occasional sleepovers. They become deeply curious about their reclusive middle-aged neighbor, Maya Devi, who lives alone in a large house with her two dogs. Maya rarely ventures out, and the girls learn from Anna’s mother that Maya’s life has been marked by tragedy. Maya lost her father early and lived with her uncle and mother. Despite her beauty, her uncle sabotaged her chances of marriage to inherit her estate. After his death, Maya resigned herself to a lonely existence.
In an attempt to bring some joy to Maya’s life, Ira hatches a plan to send her fake love letters, pretending to be a former suitor from Delhi who still pines for her. The girls craft vivid, heartfelt, and even steamy letters, which seem to lift Maya’s spirits. However, the prank escalates when Ira breaks into Maya’s house to steal a photograph, resulting in accidents and reprimands. Anna is forced to help as Maya’s maid temporarily, and during this time, she grows closer to Maya.
The situation takes a drastic turn when Maya, inspired by one of the letters, decides to sell her house and move to Delhi to find the mysterious letter writer. Anna is horrified to discover that the final letter, written by Ira, contained an explicit invitation. Despite Anna’s efforts to stop her, Maya remains determined. Anna confides in her mother, leading to her being sent away to boarding school and cut off from Ira. The two never speak again, leaving Ira heartbroken.
Cast director: Sunaina Bhatnagar
Cast actor: Manisha Koirala, Vikas Kumar, Madiha Imam, Shreya Chaudhary
Original name: Dear Maya