Superboys of Malegaon reminded me of many other Hindi movies I love: its feelgood, small-town charm and situational comedy made me think of Laapataa Ladies; its central narrative of a Muslim man whose artistic dreams transcend his circumstances is reminiscent of Gully Boy; it captures the irresistible magnetism of the Hindi film industry like Luck by Chance; and—if I’m not already referencing too many other Excel-Tiger Baby productions—its deeply affecting climax evokes that of Rock On!! A still from Superboys of Malegaon. (Photo Courtesy: YouTube) However, for all its resemblances, Superboys of Malegaon , written by Varun Grover, doesn’t feel derivative. It stands as its own hilarious and heartfelt self; a love letter to the craft, appeal, and inherent jugaad of filmmaking.
It’s also a warm exploration of male friendship, which is, of course, not uncharted territory for its producers. Directed by Reema Kagti, Superboys of Malegaon is most directly inspired by Faiza Ahmad Khan’s 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon, which follows the real-life Nasir Sheikh and his friends in the small town of Malegaon in North Maharashtra as they make their own DIY parodies of famous Hindi films, most prominently Malegaon Ke Sholay. ADVERTISEMENT REMOVE AD “At times funny, tragic, contemplative,” the YouTube description of the documentary’s trailer tells us that it explores the bootstrapped production’s “schemes and approaches that are sublimely ingenious, simply bizarr.