Superboys of Malegaon is a heartfelt tribute to small-town dreamers who defy all odds to make movies with passion, humor, and ingenuity. The film celebrates the magic of storytelling despite limited resources with strong performances and a charming underdog spirit.
- Director: Reema Kagti
- Writers: Reema Kagti, Varun Grover
- Cast:
- Adarsh Gourav as Nasir
- Shashank Arora as Shafique
- Vineet Kumar Singh as Farogh
- Sheeba Chaddha in a special role
In a world dominated by big-budget spectacles, Superboys of Malegaon (2025) is a rare gem—an ode to the scrappy, feverish passion of filmmaking against all odds. Directed by Reema Kagti, this film takes us deep into the heart of Malegaon, a small town in Maharashtra where cinema isn’t just entertainment; it’s an obsession, a lifeline, a rebellion against reality. Think Cinema Paradiso meets Ed Wood, but with the dusty charm of India’s heartland and the wit of The Fabelmans.
At the center of this whirlwind is Nasir (Adarsh Gourav), a wedding videographer with Spielbergian ambition and a budget that would make even Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi look extravagant. When his video parlour business starts fading, he sets out to make Malegaon’s own version of Sholay, roping in his eccentric but devoted friends—Shafique (Shashank Arora), who lives for the magic of moviemaking, and Farogh (Vineet Kumar Singh), a poet with a love for dialogue as grand as Bollywood itself.
The film brims with the joyous anarchy of guerrilla filmmaking—reminiscent of Bowfinger or Be Kind Rewind—where creativity thrives on constraints. A rickety bridge becomes their Ramgarh, a local tailor doubles as the costume designer, and dialogues are rewritten on the fly to match the actors’ unpredictable schedules. But beneath the laughter and chaos lies something deeper—a portrait of relentless dreamers who refuse to let reality crush their cinematic fantasies.
Kagti directs with a light touch but never trivializes the struggles of her characters. The humor is razor-sharp, thanks to a screenplay co-written by Varun Grover, but the film also carries an emotional weight that sneaks up on you—like the moment Nasir wonders if his dreams are too big for the world he lives in. Adarsh Gourav delivers a career-best performance, channeling both the wide-eyed ambition of a young Kamal Haasan in Nayakan and the exasperated determination of Amir Khan in Lagaan. Arora and Singh provide impeccable support, making the camaraderie feel lived-in and effortless.
Visually, the film captures the gritty beauty of Malegaon with the same affection that City of God had for Rio’s favelas. The cinematography revels in the contrast between makeshift sets and the untamed spirit of its creators, while the music pulsates with a rustic energy, blending folk sounds with Bollywood nostalgia.
But what makes Superboys of Malegaon truly special is its heart. It’s a film about underdogs, about people who don’t have the luxury of big budgets or formal training but possess something even more valuable—an unshakable belief in the power of stories. It’s about every dreamer who ever picked up a camera, who ever tried to turn the impossible into a scene worth watching.
Releasing on February 28, 2025, Superboys of Malegaon is not just a film; it’s an experience—a celebration of the unbreakable bond between movies and the people who live for them.
Final Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)
