Maya

Maya

Year: 2015

Runtime: 141 mins

Language: Tamil

Director: Ashwin Saravanan

ThrillerDramaHorror

An artist working on an illustration series finds himself questioning the reality of the story he's depicting—a haunting tale of a ghost who was once an asylum inmate living deep within a forest. Simultaneously, an actress seeking a breakthrough accepts a daring challenge: to watch a terrifying horror film entirely alone in a movie theater late at night. As both narratives unfold, the question arises: what is the connection between the artist's illustrations and the actress's terrifying ordeal?

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Maya (2015)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Maya (2015). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day

The events unfold in contemporary times, with modern filmmaking, promotional campaigns, and ad-film culture shaping the mystery. The narrative moves between film production scenes and supernatural occurrences, showing how the past's crimes echo in the present. The era is defined by current technology and urban cinema, creating a brisk, unsettling atmosphere.

Location

Mayavanam (haunted forest/asylum grounds), RK Studios, Apsara's home, Irul studio/theatre

Mayavanam is depicted as a bleak complex comprising a haunted forest and the former asylum grounds where Maya's spirit is said to roam. RK Studios represents the contemporary hub for ad-film production that intersects with the legend. Apsara's home and the Irul studio/theatre become central settings where fiction bleeds into reality, culminating in a climactic supernatural confrontation.

🌲 Haunted forest 🏚️ Asylum 🎬 Film studio

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:00

Main Characters – Maya (2015)

Meet the key characters of Maya (2015), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Maya Mathews / Apsara

Maya Mathews is a spectral figure whose backstory frames the Mayavanam haunting. In the present, Apsara is a struggling single mother whose life intersects with Maya's legacy. The twist reveals a deep maternal bond across time through Maya's diaries and the events that connect their fates.

🎭 Drama 👻 Horror

Ram Prasad

Ram Prasad is a boss and a key figure in the Mayavanam project, warning of the smoky form and guiding the investigation. He becomes entangled in the supernatural events surrounding Maya and the film production, the danger intensifying as the truth emerges.

🎭 Drama 👁️ Mystery

Swathi

Swathi is a friend who works at RK Studios, supporting Apsara and the advertisement project. She is connected to the promotional Irul event and the film industry world that overlaps with Mayavanam’s mystery.

🎬 Drama 🗺️ Industry

RK

RK is a figure associated with RK Studios, involved in the production environment that intersects with the Mayavanam storyline. The summary does not detail his exact role, but he appears as part of the studio circle around the characters.

🎭 Drama 🔎 Mystery

Anjali

Anjali is a member of the cast whose specific role is not described in the provided summary, but she is part of the narrative's network within the film industry and Mayavanam’s mystery. Her presence contributes to the film-world environment that frames the haunting.

🎭 Drama

Forest Officer

The Forest Officer is a law-enforcement figure connected to the Mayavanam grounds, involved in supervising the eerie events and ensuring order as the supernatural events unfold. The role anchors the investigation while the supernatural forces escalate.

👮 Police 🗺️ Authority

Madhan

Madhan is the episode writer who recounts Maya's backstory and drives the investigation into Mayavanam, providing the bridge between the forest’s legend and the present-day mystery.

🖋️ Writer 🕵️ Detective

Arjun / Vasanth

Arjun is Apsara’s husband, an actor who also plays Vasanth in the film within the film; the narrative reveals that the on-screen Vasanth is actually played by Arjun, entwining the actor’s fate with the film’s mystery.

🎭 Drama 👤 Actor

Arunachalam

Arunachalam's specific role isn't described in the summary, but he is part of the Mayavanam narrative and contributes to the film-world setting that bridges past and present.

🎭 Drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:00

Major Themes – Maya (2015)

Explore the central themes of Maya (2015), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👻 Hauntings

An unnamed vengeful spirit haunts the Mayavanam grounds, tying past crime to present peril. Chills, whispers, and spectral sightings unfold whenever Maya's legend is invoked. The haunting links the asylum's cruelty to the present danger, suggesting guilt travels across generations. The supernatural presence drives the investigation and tests the characters' resolve.

🎬 Film Within a Film

Irul is revealed to be a film within the film, turning the audience's perspective on its head. The events on screen begin to influence real people as Apsara's life mirrors the story she watches. The boundary between cinema and life blurs as Vasanth's role is played by Arjun, collapsing the line between actor and character. The twist intensifies the mystery and shows how storytelling can become a trap.

⚖️ Guilt & Retribution

Past actions—Maya's murder, the asylum's experiments, and the ring theft—set this mystery in motion. The narrative suggests that justice is not straightforward, instead arriving through dangerous revelations and spectral consequences. Guilt binds generations, forcing characters to confront their complicity even as the terror persists. The story implies that true retribution may be elusive, delivered by supernatural means.

👩‍👧 Maternal Bonds

Maternal lineage connects Maya to Apsara, revealing that Maya is Apsara's mother. Apsara's own motherhood and struggle with a moneylender frame the present danger and the emotional stakes. The diaries and a doll symbolize the ongoing link between mother and daughter across time. The revelation heightens the horror as past and present collide in a single, devastating truth.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 08:00

Unlock the Full Story of Maya

Don't stop at just watching — explore Maya in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Maya is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Maya Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Maya, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Maya Summary

Maya Timeline

Track the full timeline of Maya with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Maya Timeline

Maya Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Maya that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Maya Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Maya

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More About Maya

Explore More About Movie Maya

Maya (2015) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Maya (2015) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Maya (2015) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow