Released on February 28, “Superboys of Malegaon” opened to mixed-to-positive reviews but experienced a lukewarm debut at the box office, earning only ₹1.15 crore in its first week.
However, the movie tells a fascinating story of obsessive movie enthusiasts from the small town of Malegaon who transformed themselves into the heroes of popular films.
Nasir (played by Adarsh Gourav), an ambitious dreamer with hopes of becoming a Bollywood star in Mumbai, finds himself working at the local cinema, editing and embellishing old movies with humorous twists. However, when authorities intervene over allegations of piracy, Nasir and his friends embark on an ambitious project to create their own film—a parody of Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay set in their hometown of Malegaon.
Inspired by the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon, the film delves into the grassroots filmmaking process. Directed by Reema Kagti and written by Varun Grover, with dialogues by Shoaib Nazeer, the movie captures over a decade of life in the village and its impact on Nasir and his collaborators, Farogh (Singh) and Shafique (Arora). While the film’s faithfulness to real-life events enriches its authenticity, some critics have noted that its adherence to historical accuracy slows the pacing and reduces the impact of certain conflicts.
Addressing the creative liberties, director Reema Kagti explains “We haven’t made up anything. It may not be historically accurate, or we may have combined a person or two together. We have taken those kinds of liberties, but everything we have taken is from his life.” The film remains a tribute to the creativity and determination of grassroots filmmakers.
