SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON

TIFF 24 REVIEW BY: DARREN ZAKUS

DATE: SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Superboys of Malegaon wears its heart on its sleeve with a moving story and love of filmmaking, armed with a strong ensemble cast and good direction, creates an experience that is sure to have audiences walking out of the cinema with a big smile on their face.

Filmmaking and the art of cinema, while being an integral part of movies, has always fascinated viewers and led to some truly memorable films. Whether it be the classics like Cinema Paradiso or Singing in the Rain, watching personal stories of how some of the business’s most influential directors developed their love of films and filmmaking like The Fablemans, or even genre films like The Disaster Artist and Scream, audiences have always loved movies about movies. Joining these memorable films is Superboys of Malegaon, which tells the story of Indian filmmaker Nasir Shaikh and his beginnings making spoof films with his friends on the streets of Malegaon. The film itself follows a well tested and proven narrative template that is bursting with heart, artistic expression and some mild conflict to build up the emotional stakes for viewers, that despite being formulaic in its execution, results in one charming film that is easy for any viewer to fall for.

There is something truly crowd pleasing about the story of Superboys of Malegaon that ensures its an enjoyable film that everyone will have fun watching. Based on a true story, the film follows an aspiring young filmmaker who along with his friends, sets out to make his own films in his hometown of Malegaon, India, in an effort to save his family’s picture house. The themes of friendship, artistic expression and love of filmmaking are displayed with an earnest warmth that is reminiscent of other films about filmmaking that audiences have fallen in love with over the years. Sprinkled throughout are truly hilarious moments of humour as we watch these young filmmakers make their film with little budget, audition actors, and premiere the final result, ensuring there is levity in the film while the more personal themes are explored. The conflict that comes with fame and success, and the hardships of making it big in the film industry that are explored in the film is nothing new for audiences, and they are overcome easily due to the time jumps in the story and more time spent in the first time era that makes the last two feel more rushed. 

Tugging on the right amount of heart strings as the story navigates its more personal and challenging moments, the screenplay sets up a final act that becomes a triumphant conclusion to the story given everything the characters have previously gone through and are currently dealing with at that point in their lives. Even though the way the story unfolds and is told is done so in a formulaic manner, it’s impossible not to have a big smile on your face watching this film and to be moved by its beautiful ending and seeing the joy of a shared experience of watching a film in cinemas together, reminding audiences why the art of filmmaking is still one of the most singular aspects of society. It’s only bolstered by the lively performances of the ensemble cast, that despite not having any standouts that come to mind, Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, Shashank Arora, Anuj Singh Duhan, Ali Abbas, Saqib Ayub, Pallav Singgh, Manjiri Pupala and Muskkaan Jaferi all deliver great performances.

Being an Indian production, culture plays If you’re looking for a heart warming, funny film based on a true story, you need look no further than Superboys of Malegaon. Displaying Malegaon pride at every turn as it explores the city’s love of cinema and filmmaking, the screenplay finds that sweet balance of humour and personal struggle to allow that film’s concluding scene to guarantee your spirit will soar watching it. With a talented cast that possesses a great chemistry to bring to life the joy, pain and perseverance of filmmaking, Superboys of Malegaon quickly becomes an important part in the film. The city of Malegaon becomes a vibrant atmosphere on screen as the residents' love of films and filmmaking takes flight, as the spoof films of our main characters produce becomes an escape from the city’s communal tensions, poverty and hardships. There is a feeling of community woven in throughout the film, which is enhanced by the musical score that captures an effortless Hindi soundscape that makes the film even more charming. While the cinematography is nothing too flashy, the costumes and set design help to immerse audiences around the world in the hustle and bustle of Malegaon.

If you’re looking for a heart warming, funny film based on a true story, you need look no further than Superboys of Malegaon. Displaying Malegaon pride at every turn as it explores the city’s love of cinema and filmmaking, the screenplay finds that sweet balance of humour and personal struggle to allow that film’s concluding scene to guarantee your spirit will soar watching it. With a talented cast that possesses a great chemistry to bring to life the joy, pain and perseverance of filmmaking, Superboys of Malegaon quickly becomes a crowd pleasing effort that is completely irresistible even if it is formulaic at its core.