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The Hindu
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Maalik' movie review: Rajkummar Rao rules in this rambling action drama
Rajkummar Rao is going through a purple patch. Taking a break from his comic capers, this week, the actor dons the cape of an outlaw, a product of social injustice who ends up becoming the mirror image of what he sets out to wipe off. Maalik sounds like a spiritual cousin of Manoj Bajpayee's Bhaiyya Ji, which was released last year. Both films posit masters of understatement who revel in realistic space in a bombastic, mainstream atmosphere. While Bhaiyya Ji went completely off-key after setting up the conflict, Maalik has its moments as writer-director Pulkit manages to create the mood that we associate with Tigmanshu Dhulia's kind of cinema. The film is set in the feudal Allahabad of the late 1980s, where Deepak (Rajkummar), the son of a farm worker (a solid Rajendra Gupta), rebels against the landlords to become a ganglord and assumes the title of 'Maalik.' The police stations of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are full of case files of history sheeters like Deepak, who picked up a gun because of caste or class struggle, and were adopted by politicians to maintain the balance of power. Raj lends the flawed character flesh and blood, and adds sparks to the predictable character arc. Maalik (Hindi) Director: Pulkit Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Manushi Chhillar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Saurabh Shukla, Rajendra Gupta, Saurabh Sachdeva Runtime: 152 minutes Storyline: It is the tale of the rise of a gangster in the socio-politically charged fields of Uttar Pradesh in the 1980s. The locations are not decorative, dialogues have traces of dynamite, and the posturing of the politicians, led by Saurabh Shukla and Swanand Kirkire, sounds realistic. The politician-criminal nexus laced with episodes of revenge and betrayal has been told numerous times before. In such stories, the leader becomes a liability after a point, and the love interest of the gangster assumes the moral centre of the story. Here, Manushi Chhillar plays that predictable part well. The surprise package is Prosenjit Chatterjee as the ageing encounter specialist brought in to hunt down Maalik. With his Bengali touch and stylish demeanour, the seasoned performer brings freshness to a stock character. Anshuman Pushkar and Saurabh Sachdeva match Raj's magical mundanity to generate the grime and grind that we associate with the region, but the screenplay doesn't allow them to flex their muscles beyond a point. The pacing is problematic, the editing is uneven, and the narrative contrivances are left uncovered. The set pieces are gripping, but their tails sag. The catchy item number composed by Sachin Jigar — and suitably performed by Huma Qureshi — is also lazily accommodated into the story. So does the background score that assumes its own life at crucial junctures and is not integrated into the narrative. The scenes and language that have won the film an adult certificate are avoidable. Overall, it feels like the makers are under the impression that they are telling something novel when, perhaps, the effort should have been to hide the obvious. At 152 minutes, the picture gets pixellated, and one gets piqued. However, the climax featuring a dancing Prosenjit and a scowling Raj once again injects adrenaline. Maalik is currently running in theatres
News18
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Warner Bros. Teams Up With Bhanushali Studios For 5 Indian Adaptations
Last Updated: Warner Bros. signed a five-film deal with Bhanushali Studios Limited and JOAT Films to create Indian adaptations of WB titles. Read details below. Warner Bros. has signed an exclusive five-film deal with Bhanushali Studios Limited (BSL), which is known for making movies such as 'Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai" and 'Bhaiyya Ji" along with JOAT Films to develop Indian adaptations of Warner Bros. Pictures titles. According to the deal aims to reimagine classic WB properties through an Indian cultural lens while preserving the universal themes that made them global hits. Warner Bros. Pictures will handle worldwide distribution. Headlined by founder and producer Vinod Bhanushali, Bhanushali Studios recently struck a three-film deal with Hansal Mehta's True Story Films. Its slate includes 'Janhit Mein Jaari," 'Main Atal Hoon," 'Costao," 'Bhaiyya Ji," and 'Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam," reports 'India represents one of the world's most vibrant and sophisticated film markets, with audiences who deeply appreciate authentic, locally rooted narratives," said Denzil Dias, VP and managing director, India, Warner Bros. Pictures. Dias added: 'This partnership allows us to combine our storytelling heritage with exceptional local talent to create films that will resonate profoundly with Indian audiences while maintaining the universal appeal that defines great cinema." 'We're incredibly excited to partner with Warner Bros. Pictures, a studio that has shaped cinematic history across generations," Bhanushali added. 'This collaboration represents a unique opportunity to reimagine the stories by Warner Bros. Pictures through an Indian creative lens, blending emotion, scale, and culture for audiences both at home and internationally." Adding production firepower to the venture is Jack Nguyen of JOAT Films, who brings three decades of industry experience and an existing first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, which will kick off with a Korean remake of 'The Intern." 'I'm excited to partner with BSL to adapt Warner Bros. Pictures on titles that will resonate with Indian audiences," Nguyen said. 'Warner Bros. Pictures has an unparalleled library from which we will carefully curate select titles for the vibrant Indian market." Development on the first title is already underway, with creative teams and production timelines to be unveiled imminently, reports First Published:
NDTV
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Nawazuddin Siddiqui On Big Films Not Being Offered To Irrfan Khan And Om Puri: " Jab Zinda The Tab Toh Qadr Ki Nahi"
New Delhi: Nawazuddin Siddiqui is currently in the news for his latest release Costao. The actor got candid about how legends like Om Puri and Irrfan Khan did not get the kind of big-budget films they deserved while they were alive. Nawazuddin told Pinkvilla, "From Naseer Sahab (Naseeruddin Shah) to Om Puri, then Pankaj Kapur and Irrfan Khan and Manoj Bajpayee; these are the greatest actors of our film industry. But unfortunately, nobody thought about making a big-budget film with them as leads. Nobody thought about this, even though people in India were crazy about watching them on screen. They were wonderful actors, but their cinema could never reach the masses. They say there are public actors and industry actors. But the films of these public actors are not reaching the public. It saddens me." Furthermore, Nawazuddin mentioned that while Om Puri and Irrfan Khan were alive, no one valued them as much as they should have. Despite audiences loving their work and wanting to see more of it on the big screen. He said, " Aaj sab Irrfan Khan Irrfan karte hain. Jab zinda the tab to qadr ki nahi (Today everyone talks about Irrfan Khan. Nobody paid heed to them when they were alive). Did anyone make a Rs 20-25 crore film with him? No!" Veteran actors like Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Pankaj Kapur were regarded as the most respected names during the 80s parallel cinema phase. An actor like Manoj Bajpayee, even to date, is considered to be the lead in small-budget films like Bhaiyya Ji, and previously the acclaimed Gangs of Wasseypur. But they have never been the first names to be picked for out-and-out commercial films. Nawazuddin Siddiqui expressed his disappointment on the same. On the work front, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Costao is a biographical crime drama helmed by Sejal Shah. It had Priya Bapat, Kishore, Hussain Dalal, and Mahika Sharma in key roles. The film dropped on Zee5 on May 1, 2025.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Harness UP's rich cultural backdrop in films: IMPPA head
1 2 Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh's diverse array of religious landmarks and heritage locations serve as excellent filming destinations. The state's rich cultural backdrop presents valuable opportunities that cinema producers should consider utilising for their productions, said Abhay Sinha, the president of Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association ( IMPPA ), on Saturday. Visiting the Film Bandhu Uttar Pradesh's pavilion stall at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, Sinha said: "I have made several movies in the picturesque locations of Uttar Pradesh... I appeal to all filmmakers to visit the state for film shoots." "In fact, Lord Shiva's abode Kashi holds significant potential for film shootings due to its rich history, spiritual significance and architectural beauty. The holy city features numerous sacred locations that have been captured on celluloid. These religious destinations have served as filming locations for various cinematic productions," he added. During the day, Prasar Bharati chairman Navneet Sehgal, Manoj Bajpayee-starrer 'Bhaiyya Ji' producer Vinod Bhanushali and 'Neem ka Ped' serial producer Nawman Malik, among other directors and producers visited the pavilion. Actor Rajkummar Rao also visited the stall on Friday. Sehgal, former Film Bandhu UP chairman, said: "My sincere appeal to directors, producers and actors to explore Uttar Pradesh for film shoots and avail the benefit of film subsidy offered by the state govt." He said Uttar Pradesh has become a hub of film shoots under the Yogi govt, which is gaining much traction from filmmakers. In 2024-25, a grant of about Rs 17.6 crore was distributed to 48 films by Film Bandhu to lure filmmakers to the state. The Film Bandhu Uttar Pradesh's pavilion stall is making heads turn at Jio World Convention Centre at Bandra in Mumbai that is hosting Waves 2025 from May 1-4. The event has brought together officials from 33 countries, industry leaders and eminent filmmakers. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's lucrative film subsidy policy is the spotlight at the inaugural summit that aims to position India as a global media, entertainment and creative innovation hub. Talking to TOI, Gyan Arya, head assistant, Film Bandhu, said: "Visitors are stopping at the stall and enquiring about the beautiful locations of Uttar Pradesh displayed on the wall."
