Real life journey behind 'Superboys of Malegaon'

At a time when indie filmmaking is being celebrated on global stages - Sean Baker's Anora triumphing at the Oscars, and his Film Independent Spirit Awards speech echoing the struggles of small-budget cinema — the arrival of Superboys of Malegaon feels timely.

On the BBC's Asian Network Bollywood, Haroon Rashid sat down with the film's cast — Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora - to discuss their roles as filmmaker friends chasing impossible dreams. The conversation explored the film's real-life inspiration, the magic of grassroots cinema, and personal anecdotes that had both Rashid and the actors in fits of laughter.

Gourav, known for his role in The White Tiger, steps into the shoes of Nasir Shaikh — one of Malegaon's most relentless dreamers, a filmmaker who, armed with passion and borrowed equipment, crafted makeshift blockbusters such as Khulay Asmaan Kay Neechay (2008), Yeh Hai Malegaon Ka Superman (2009) and Laal Paree (1991), that became the heartbeat of his small town.

Reflecting on his involvement in the project, Gourav spoke with deep admiration for the Malegaon film community, saying, "(I am) in awe of this world not very far away from Mumbai, where people, who are revolutionaries in their own right, were, and are making films for the people, by the people. Thus capturing the town, and its culture, and its language." He added, "It's genuinely been such a great opportunity for me to be able to portray the character of Nasir Shaikh."

Endless passion of youth

Musing over the reckless abandon and ambition marked by the young protagonists in the film, Rashid asked the actors what one thing they'd done simply out of the naivety of their youth. In response, Gourav shared his perspective on creativity and reality: "You have to have a certain sense of delusion and not be rooted in complete reality to be an artist." In doing so, Gourav also harkened back the passion and determination driving the filmmakers of Malegaon, who, despite limited resources, pursued their cinematic dreams, and whose passion drove the actor to play Nasir in the film.

Responding to the same question, Singh, who plays the real-life editor and right-hand man of Malegaon's indie film movement, Farogh Jaffery, in the film, quipped, "Haroon, I studied medicine!" Before turning to acting, the Chhaava star pursued a medical degree. Reflecting on his unconventional journey, he spoke about the many directions young people place their confidence in and how his diverse experiences ultimately shaped his artistic pursuits.

In a lighthearted moment, the host recalled how his father once banned him from watching Raja Hindustani due to its steamy Aamir Khan – Karisma Kapoor moment. This sparked a discussion on childhood movie restrictions, leading to a hilarious anecdote about Titanic. One of the actors shared how, when the film first released, its infamous sex scene was already well-known. Forced to watch it with extended family, alongside his older brother — who was painfully aware of what was coming - they endured an excruciating moment of silence.

In many ways, Superboys of Malegaon is as much about the magic of filmmaking as it is about the resilience of dreamers. This spirit of ingenuity and passion is what drew director Reema Kagti to the project. In a conversation with Urban Asia, Kagti talked about how she was inspired by Nasir's journey into low-budget amateur filmmaking, noting that despite having very little to work with, he eventually created a thriving video film industry in Malegaon. She aimed to dramatise his story to inspire audiences to pursue their dreams, stating, "The film conveys a strong message to follow your dreams and not be daunted by adversity or a lack of resources."

Superboys of Malegaon is a heartwarming Indian comedy directed by Kagti and written by Varun Grover. The film features a talented ensemble cast, including Gourav, Singh, Arora, and Anuj Singh Duhan in lead roles. Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Kagti under the banners of Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby, the film is inspired by real events in Malegaon, Maharashtra. It follows Nasir, a wedding videographer who, along with his friends, creates low-budget parodies of Bollywood classics, bringing hope and creativity to their community. The film premiered in Indian cinemas on February 28, and is available for streaming on Prime Video.