The Overlooked Heart of India

Close to a third of India lives in 'Tier-2' cities. Cities that never used to be in limelight except for natural/man-made calamities, political maneuvers by celebrated netas or rare one-off events deemed suitable for coverage by the media or filmdom of yesteryears. 

I first heard about Malegaon when I was growing up, thanks to the unfortunate 2006 bombings that targeted the city. But I wasn't aware of its hidden facet until I watched this flick. Movies like these make you thank your stars for the privilege that some of us have been born with or have managed to earn courtesy the opportunities that came our way. 

Dreams on a Shoestring

Superboys of Malegaon is a yet another real-life story of how people in India manage to achieve so much with so little at disposal (remember Manjhi?). And also the leap that our society has taken in the last decade or so, with content creation now morphing into a career choice in its own right.

Nasir (Adarsh Gourav) refuses to live in the shadow of his elder brother Nihal (Gyanendra Tripathi) running a small, shabby single-screen movie theater (guess where?). He's industrious and eager to make a mark - a fact that pushes him towards a risky shortcut leading to a run-in with the law.

Hit by introspection, Nasir decides to try his hand at film direction, much to the chagrin of the ever-practical Nihal. Working on a shoestring budget, no industry-grade equipment or a know-how of any sort, he charts his own course and starts off making humble parodies of Bollywood classics, his audience being the locals. 

The Crew Behind the Camera

Backing Nasir in his celluloid dream are his friends - Farogh (Vineet Kumar Singh), Shafique (Shashank Arora), Akram (Anuj Singh Duhan), Irfan (Saqib Ayub) and to an extent, Nadeem (Anmol Kajani). They are his entire crew, and wholeheartedly do whatever is asked of them, without asking for much in return. In doing so they make his vision their own.

Fractures and Redemption

But as so happens, commercial success blindsides Nasir and he ends up falling out with a few of his mates - the 'band of brothers' eventually shrinks into a one-many army. Nasir is left primarily on his own to navigate through setbacks in his personal and occupational life. His triumph in creating a masterpiece forms the crux of this story. 

The recurring element of this movie is Nasir's love-hate relationship with Farogh, and Shafique's unwavering loyalty towards him despite a constant indifference. The idealist in Farogh detests selling out his 'art' for money, something that Nasir chooses not to believe in. On the other hand, Shafique is a yes-man who refuses to set boundaries for himself and silently shoulders the burden of standing with Nasir when things fall apart.

Cast Performances 

Coming to specifics, Adarsh Gourav is pretty impactful and his acting feels effortless to the eyes and the brain. Multi-talented that he is, would have been nice if he had lent his voice to a song, although the limited soundtrack features just a solitary number. 

Vineet Kumar Singh and Shashank Arora ably support the plot, although I would quite like to see a bit more versatility from them in terms of role selection. Rest of the cast do a decent job but do not really stand out. 

Set direction is on point for most parts barring a few minor bloopers here and there. Cinematography could have been better, especially in a few close-up shots. This movie doesn't really need a hoo-ha when it comes to screenplay, but you do observe flashes of good improvs and personal brilliance. 

Life Beyond the Mainstream

All in all, watch this film if you like knowing about how a part of India lives with its simplicity and frugality intact. And how life can be beyond appraisals and EMIs should one opt for the road not taken.