MUMBAI: The MAYA narrative universe has proven itself a cultural phenomenon in the making, achieving unprecedented success across two continents simultaneously. Following Hugo Weaving's commanding trailer reveal, MAYA by visionary filmmaker Anand Gandhi and award-winning game designer Zain Memon delivered spectacular showcases that left audiences fully immersed in its expansive new world.
IFBE Mumbai: A Houseful Triumph
MAYA's opening exhibition at The Independence Project at IFBE Mumbai (August 15) exceeded all expectations, drawing hundreds of visitors who packed the venue to capacity on its opening day. The exhibition served as audiences' first-ever invitation into the vast world of MAYA, and the response was electrifying.
Both panel discussions drew massive, deeply engaged crowds. The first panel, featuring visionary architects Shikha Parmar, Vinu Daniel, and Sameep Padora in conversation with Zain Memon, explored the vision of MAYA's speculative architecture that imagines built environments for diverse fictional species. The second panel had student architects from CEPT University, Anushree Velankar and Jihan Patel, delve deeper into the world-building process and philosophical foundations of their unique speculative pedagogy.
Visitors spent hours exploring the breathtaking concept art from celebrated global artists and the sprawling architectural visions created through Shikha Parmar's speculative pedagogy at CEPT University. The immersive experience left audiences thoroughly captivated, with many describing feeling "transported" into planet Neh and its sentient Maya trees.
Worldcon 2025: A Breakout Success
Simultaneously, MAYA commanded unprecedented attention at Worldcon 2025 in Seattle (August 13-17), the world's most important science fiction convention. Thousands of attendees were introduced to the MAYA universe through its incredible booth presence and Anand Gandhi's author signings.The MAYA booth became a destination unto itself, with convention-goers gathering to experience the universe's rich world-building, stunning visual design, and an opportunity to meet Gandhi, one of the creators.
Across both events, there was an overwhelming sense of anticipation for the upcoming release of MAYA: Book One - the first product from the MAYA Universe. Thousands of new fans will now be waiting with bated breath for MAYA: Book One, launching soon on Kickstarter. The story we didn't know we were already living has found its audience – and the anticipation for what comes next is growing around the world.
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