I love foreign films, but some films are like a comfy nook where you feel welcomed and connected to the culture and the people. Superboys of Malegaon is exactly what my weary soul needed.
Superboys of Malegaon
Superboys of Malegaon is an Indian Hindi-language film directed by Reema Kagti. It is based on the life of Nasir Shaikh and other amateur filmmakers in the Indian city of Malegaon. The film was inspired by Faiza Ahmad Khan’s 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon. It stars Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, Anuj Singh Duhan, and Riddhi Kumar.
Superboys of Malegaon is a clever film about filmmaking. We watch as Nasir (Adarsh Gourav), who is screening English classics in a rundown movie parlour in 1994, comes up with the idea of making his own film. Nasir and his friends are poor, and since necessity is the mother of invention, Nasir resorts to all kinds of clever ideas to create his first film, Malegaon ka Sholay.
With the help of his friends Shafique (Shashank Arora), Farogh (Vineet Kumar Singh), Akram (Anuj Singh Duhan), and Irfan (Saqib Ayub)…Nasir creates films that spoof Bollywood action films.
Conclusion
Superboys of Malegaon is a funny and often accurate tale of human perseverance. I think here in the States, we are so used to American-made films that we forget that people across this little globe of ours also enjoy movies. Without the big money and big-name stars, Nasir had to resort to imagination and BALLS! Yes, I said it—balls to face an impossible task and make it come to fruition. Life is not easy in Malegaon. Women like Mallika (Riddhi Kumar) and Shabeena (Muskaan Jaferi) are not allowed to choose the men they love or the profession they deserve if the family disagrees. Trupti (Manjiri Pupala) agrees to star in Nasir’s film, although she has a baby and is in an abusive marriage.
When you are dirt-poor, it is harder to pick the occupation you desire…but Nasir is a huge fan of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton films, and his borrowing from Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan films to create his blockbuster is downright hilarious.
I wasn’t sure how to present this review of Superboys of Malegaon to those of you who don’t particularly like foreign films. Why would you care? Right? But that is where I beg to differ. It is by watching foreign films, especially ones based on true stories, that we learn about other cultures and realize that everyone on this planet has a dream to fulfill. Maybe you will laugh out loud at the antics of Nasir and his friends. Maybe you will come to respect the hard work these men put into making a dream come true. Maybe you will realize that foreign films open the door to other countries and their people. You don’t have to do anything except watch, laugh and learn. I will guarantee that you will feel good after watching Superboys of Malegaon.
Superboys of Malegaon premiered in Canadian Theaters on February 28th and can be seen at AMC Theaters and on Prime.
