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Maharaja

Maharaja

2024141 minRMidcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Director
Nithilan Saminathan
Starring
Vijay Sethupathi, Anurag Kashyap, Natarajan Subramaniam, Abhirami

A barber seeks vengeance after his home is burglarized, cryptically telling police his "Lakshmi" has been taken, leaving them uncertain if it's a person or object, jeer at his request until they learn what they're really looking for.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Maharaja?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Maharaja streaming on Netflix.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Maharaja?

Maharaja earns 8 badges, led by Top 1% of films and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Maharaja worth watching?

Maharaja's Midcredits score is the 99th percentile of all films, from 181K ratings across 4 sources. 93% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

99th percentile

Better received than 99% of films

99th percentile among Action99th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)99th

81 /100

97th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

93% liked it

99th percentile of all films

99th percentile among Action98th percentile among 2020s
93% rated it 7–107% rated it 1–6

Critics 83% · Audience 94%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 12 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

95th percentile

181K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Action96th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget₹200M

In Indian rupee, not converted to dollars.

Worldwide gross$976K

35th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film uses a non-linear screenplay to weave a twist-laden story that keeps the audience guessing, with strong leads and a visceral emotional punch.

Fans praised

  • completely engrossing non-linear screenplay
  • exceptional performances by Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap
  • powerful, emotionally resonant climax

Detractors panned

  • incoherent story with gaping plot holes
  • over-reliance on gimmicky, cliché twist
  • gratuitous and disturbing violence

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Vijay Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap praised, minor lip-sync glitch

TensionDivisive82

engaging suspense built through fragmented narrative

Emotional impact80

lingering emotional weight, especially father-daughter bond

Plot and storyDivisive78

non-linear layering of twist-heavy narrative, polarizing climax

Sound and music75

immersive background score by Ajaneesh Loknath

CharactersDivisive70

well-developed motivation for protagonist, some underused roles

EndingDivisive70

divisive twist—satisfying for many, predictable for some

PacingDivisive60

slow first half, accelerates after midpoint

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 59 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Maharaja like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film plays its violent revenge story straight, with moments of dark humor woven into an otherwise grim narrative.
The rideThe pursuit keeps tension high, with melancholy over the lost 'lakshmi' and a climax likely carrying the heaviest emotional weight.
StructureThe plot is told out of chronological order, weaving multiple storylines and revealing information gradually.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film stays with you long after, its violence and moral questions lingering.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by the question of what 'lakshmi' is and who burgled the barber's home, with the investigation unfolding through police work and the protagonist's quest for vengeance.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRevengeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Revenge · 4% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores personal vengeance as a driving force, questioning the line between retribution and justice, with 'lakshmi' hinting at a deeper familial value.
StanceThe film questions the morality of revenge through a focused, personal lens without endorsing or condemning it outright.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · B. Ajaneesh Loknath
SettingA Tamil Nadu city, where a barber's home is burgled
MusicLikely blends modern orchestral tension with electronic elements to underscore the psychological thriller tone.

Content guide

Is Maharaja okay for kids?

R

Maharaja is rated R. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (37/100), language at mild (35/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at severe (93/100). Overall it is heavier than 71% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • UK15
  • Ireland15A
  • IndiaUA
  • Netherlands16
  • Spain16
  • TH15
  • VIR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 83% of all filmsHeavier than 71% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 33%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 8%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 97%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Maharaja have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Maharaja?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Vijay Sethupathi
as Maharaja
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Anurag Kashyap
as Selvam
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Natarajan Subramaniam
as S. Varadharajan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Abhirami
as Selvam's Wife
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Mamta Mohandas
as Aasifa
Aruldoss
as SI R. K. Perumalsamy
Best so far: Their highest-reaching film role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Manigandan
as Dhana
Divya Bharathi
as Maharaja's Wife
Singampuli
as Nallasivam
Munishkanth
as Const. Kuzhandhaivelu

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Maharaja?

Movies like Maharaja include They Call Him OG (2025), Vikram (2022) and Jawan (2023). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films with Vijay Sethupathi, and several are films about law enforcement.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: revenge. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Maharaja?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: revenge thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.