Film-study of Maharaja 2024

Hello everyone,

This blog is a part of film-studies, or responding to a thinking activity task assigned by Dr.Dilip.Barad. which is about Film-Studies worksheet: Analysing Editing & Non-Liner Narrative in Maharaja (2024) For that we have to follow this worksheet: Click Here

Part A: Before watching the film

1. What is non-linear narration in cinema?

Non-linear narration refers to a storytelling structure where events are not presented in chronological order. Instead, the timeline is fragmented or shuffled to reveal information selectively, build suspense, or reflect characters’ mental states. For instance, Memento (2000) where scenes play in reverse to mirror memory loss, and I (2015), Mardaani 2 (2019).

2. How can editing alter or manipulate the perception of time in film?

Editing allows filmmakers to compress, expand, or reorder time. Techniques like flashbacks help reveal backstory, ellipses skip over mundane moments, parallel editing shows simultaneous events, and cross-cutting connects multiple threads. These tools affect pacing, suspense, and emotional engagement by shaping how time unfolds on screen.

Part B: while watching the film

This tabular format is based upon my notes and the narrative purpose is up to my view regarding this film.

Scene/Sequence	Approx. Time- stamp	Time Period	Visual/ Editing Clues	Narrative Purpose
Antakshari in barber's shop	00:02:30	Past	Light tone	Establishes Maharaja’s peaceful life and close community
Scene of Truck accident	00:06:24	Past	Wide shorts and closeup scenes	Builds mystery
Introduction of Jothi at sports ground	00:08:14	Present	Natural light & handheld camera scene	Introduces Jothi’s innocence and bond between father & daughter
At police-station Fir for missing ‘Lakshmi’	00:25:33	Present	Formal tone	Begins main mystery, viewer misled into thinking Lakshmi is a person
Maharaja follows Dhana and Murdered him	01:04:13	Present	Shoulder shots,wide shots, editing clues	Detective aspect of maharaja’s reval and Revenge killings unfold
Selvam buying gold locket for his daughter	01:16:24	Past	Soft focus and closeup scenes	Clue into Anurag’s involvement
Phone talk between Selvam and Sabari	01:24:50	Past	Hidden cameras	Symbol of selvam’s direct connection to crime
Selvam forget locket at barber shop, Maharaja comes to give him back to Selvam, that time police comes to arrest Selvam	01:29:21	Present	Closeups scenes, editing,	Turning point of the mystery/film story but yet it wasn’t solves
Duplicate dustbin is ready,Nallasivam is ready to do acting of Theft of a dustbin	01:35:55	Present	Editing clues and shots shoot different place	Triggers confusion and escalation
Police ask Maharaja for full story of ‘Lakshmi’	01:40:29	Past- Present	Crossfade to flashback	Key reveal sequence begins
Daughter’s rape & trauma revealed,  Maharaja takes daughter to hospital	01:52:36	Past	Warm light, emotional close-ups	Shows psychological fallout of trauma
False behavior continues (culprit)	01:56:00	Present	Fast-cut reaction shots	Continues tension of vengeance mission
Fight with Anurag; daughter & teacher enter	02:06:02	Present	Quick cuts, dramatic lighting	Final physical and emotional confrontation
Daughter wants to speak to Maharaja	02:10:44	Present	Close-up, silence before speech	Emotional catharsis begins
Reveal: Daughter is Anurag’s	02:12:20	Past- Present	Intercut flashbacks	Deepens emotional complexity; story comes full circle

Part C: Narrative Mapping Task

1. Construct a Timeline of events as they occur chronologically ( Story time)

2. CREATE A SECOND TIMELINE OF HOW EVENTS ARE REVEALED TO THE AUDIENCE (SCREEN TIME)

Screen Order	Event (as revealed to audience)	Narrative Effect / Editorial Purpose
1	Maharaja enters police station to file FIR for stolen dustbin “Lakshmi”	Creates mystery audience assumes Lakshmi is a person
2	Flashbacks of peaceful barber life, Antakshari, daughter Jyoti	Lulls audience into thinking it's a slice-of-life drama
3	Maharaja shows signs of instability; vague talk about “Lakshmi”	Builds intrigue: is he mentally unstable or grieving?
4	Police interrogation scenes; Maharaja appears mysterious	Viewers suspect him  unreliable narrator effect
5	Maharaja attacks men violently (revenge scenes begin)	Shocks audience  violence seems disproportionate
6	Maharaja visits Selvam’s house with daughter’s lost locket	Raises questions about relationship between them
7	Barber shop scene  phone call revealing Anurag’s link	Adds new suspect; viewer’s suspicion redirected
8	Maharaja quietly observes suspects no full explanation yet	Increases suspense: who are they and what did they do?
9	Duplicate dustbin drama; police scheme to trap thief	Comic irony and misdirection  metaphor still unclear
10	Flashbacks show happy moments with wife and daughter	Emotional investment deepens — but trauma not yet shown
11	Major twist: flashback of daughter’s assault revealed	Emotional climax — redefines all previous scenes
12	Cross-cut to daughter in hospital; trauma confirmed	Justifies Maharaja’s anger — viewer empathy shifts
13	Nallasivam caught faking remorse; audience anger rises	Heightens tension before final confrontation
14	Final fight between Maharaja and Selvam	Physical resolution of vengeance arc
15	Jyoti enters with teacher to talk to Selvam	Calm after storm — builds toward final emotional twist
16	Final reveal: Jyoti is Selvam’s daughter	Complex moral layering — victim and perpetrator connected
17	Selvam commits suicide	Cathartic closure; justice takes psychological toll

Editor Strategy:

• The filmmaker delays critical events (especially the daughter’s assault) to manipulate viewer assumptions.

• By showing Maharaja as mysterious and violent early on, the audience is misled into judging him.

• The emotional payload is delivered mid-way through the film (rape revelation), which completely reframes the audience's understanding of Maharaja’s motives.

• The final reveal (Selvam as Jyoti’s biological father) adds a moral twist that complicates the closure.
  
  

3.BRIEF REFLECTION (150-200 WORDS)

The editing in Maharaja (2024) plays a pivotal role in shaping the audience’s understanding of both character and narrative. By employing a non-linear structure, the film deliberately withholds crucial information especially the trauma endured by Maharaja’s daughter which significantly alters our perception of the protagonist. Initially, Maharaja appears mentally unstable, perhaps even delusional, particularly in the way he obsessively searches for a "missing" Lakshmi. However, as the fragmented timeline gradually reveals the truth, our judgment shifts from suspicion to deep empathy.

One of the most surprising reveals the metaphorical identity of Lakshmi as a dustbin that saved his daughter would not have had the same emotional resonance if presented in chronological order. Similarly, the revelation of Selvam being Jothi’s biological father adds a final layer of moral complexity, amplified precisely because it is delayed until the end.

Had the narrative been linear, the viewer’s emotional and intellectual engagement would have been compromised. The suspense, ambiguity, and thematic richness rely heavily on this temporal reshuffling. The editing transforms a simple revenge tale into a profound meditation on grief, justice, and moral ambiguity. Thus, editing in Maharaja is not just a stylistic choice, it is the film’s most powerful storytelling tool.

Part D: EDITING TECHNIQUES DEEP DIVE

Choose any two sequences from the film that demonstrate exceptional editing.

For each, describe:

• What is happening in the scene?

• Which editing techniques are used?

• How does the editing influence pacing, emotion, or information flow?

Scene 1: Maharaja’s Police Interrogation 

(FIR scene)

#What is happening in the scene?

In this scene the Maharaja goes to the police station to register an FIR for ‘Lakshmi’ (Dustbin), The police initially assume it’s a woman, a family member, or a pet. But after that he says it was a dustbin, and police can’t agree with him but at last or end police get an idea about the purpose of Maharaja. His aim is to find a rapist of his daughter for which he uses Lakshmi (Dustbin) as metaphor.

 

#Which Techniques are used?

• Jump cuts

• Delayed reaction shots & sound bridge

• Flat and real time passing

• The editor cuts between Maharaja's serious expression and the confusion that creates a sense of ambiguity and tension in the audience's mind. We don’t see what Lakshmi actually is. 

#How does the editing influence pacing, emotion or information flow?

The scene feels calm and ordinary at first, which makes the audience think nothing serious is happening. But this calmness actually hides something important. Since the film doesn’t explain right away what “Lakshmi” really is, it makes viewers feel curious and unsure. This is a smart trick used in the film’s non-linear storytelling, it leads the audience to wrongly assume that the missing object isn’t very important, which makes the later reveal more powerful.

Scene 2: Nallasivam as Serpent 

#What is happening in the scene?

In this key sequence, the police are interrogating suspects, and one of them, Nallasivam, pretends to be innocent. As Maharaja silently observes, the camera lingers on a cupboard, and we hear a faint serpent-like hissing sound. This sound occurs when the cupboard key is turned, and it symbolically connects to Nallasivam, who is nearby and acting deceptively. The scene hints that he is hiding something dark. This is the moment when the audience begins to sense that Nallasivam is not who he appears to be, he is the hidden threat, the “serpent” in disguise.

#Which editing techniques are used?

• Sound motif: the serpent hissing is a non-diegetic sound cue added to increase tension.

• Close-up of the cupboard: used symbolically to represent hidden truths.

• Reaction shots: showing Nallasivam’s forced innocence.

• Shadow-heavy lighting and low-angle framing: subtly villainizes his presence.

• Elliptical editing: avoids revealing the full truth, keeping suspense alive.
  
  

#How does the editing influence pacing, emotion, or information flow?

The pacing is slow and tense, building suspense instead of giving answers. The serpent sound creates an uneasy feeling, warning the viewer without showing anything directly. The editing encourages the audience to read between the lines to suspect that Nallasivam, like a serpent, is hiding venom beneath a calm surface. Emotionally, this creates discomfort and anticipation. It also helps delay the full reveal of Jyoti’s trauma, making the eventual truth more shocking. The editing uses symbolism and subtle cues, rather than explicit action, to lead the viewer toward realization making the moment more powerful and psychologically engaging.

References:

Barad, Dilip. “ANALYSING EDITING & NON-LINEAR NARRATIVE IN MAHARAJA.” ResearchGate, July 2025, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/393653801_ANALYSING_EDITING_NON-LINEAR_NARRATIVE_IN_MAHARAJA . Accessed 15 July 2025.

Maharaja. Directed by Nithilan Saminathan, The Route, Think Studios, Passion Studios, 2024.

Thank You!