The outstanding Superboys of Malegaon, directed by Reema Kagti, is set to open on February 28th. Starring the phenomenal cast of Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora, the brilliant film is an ode to the magic of cinema.
Superboys of Malegaon is a poignant tale of filmmaking, friendship, and hope. The movie within a movie takes inspiration from the story of Nasir Sheikh, an amateur filmmaker from Malegaon. See, the town’s residents look to Bollywood for a much-needed escape, and Nasir decides he needs to make a Bollywood-inspired film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. What happens? Well, you have to experience this incredible film for yourself!
In this fantastic Q&A, the award-winning Reema Kagti talks about the journey she, the cast, and crew went on to bring this fascinating story to the big screen and what she thinks is the message of Superboys of Malegaon! Plus, so much more!
What inspired you to make Superboys of Malegaon?
Nasir’s story is a testament to the power of cinema. His journey into low-budget amateur filmmaking is incredible. He had very little to work with but eventually created a thriving video film industry in Malegaon. It was complete with their own distribution and exhibition network through video parlours. Nasir is a very inspirational man.
How is Superboys of Malegaon different from the original documentary, Faiza Ahmad Khan’s ‘Supermen of Malegaon’? What makes this film unique?
The film covers over a decade of Nasir’s life, while the documentary is primarily centered around the making of one of his films, ‘Supermen of Malegaon’. The film follows how Nasir started out and what were the catalysts that led him to filmmaking.
What kind of research and groundwork did you undertake while developing the film, and did it help to influence the film’s narrative and add depth to the story?
Screenwriter Varun Grover spent a lot of time in Malegaon extensively researching Nasir and all the people in the story, which no doubt has added a lot of depth and realism to the narrative. Apart from that, the cast and crew also spent time in Malegaon with Nasir and other characters because we wanted to be authentic to the people and place.
Given that Superboys of Malegaon highlights the passion of Malegaon’s residents for filmmaking amidst the struggle and challenges they faced, what can the audience expect in the story that is told in the film ?
Superboys of Malegaon is a story about filmmaking and friendship colliding to create a powerful end result. It’s about a bunch of guys who didn’t have much but created something stunning from that, against all odds.
Portraying real-life characters on screen is not an easy task. How did you go about casting the actors to bring a realistic feel to the film?
Casting directors Nandini Shrikent and Karan Mally made my life pretty easy. They did auditions with an exhaustive list of actors and shortlisted the ones that clicked. Once we felt an actor fit the part, we did callbacks, alone and with other actors. Then we did workshops. Aleem, who is a character in the movie, came in to train the actors with their diction. Hair, makeup, and wardrobe departments all did their own research and referencing, which went a long way in lending authenticity to the portrayal.
Is there any message you would like to convey to the audience, given that the film is about friends who come up with the idea of making their own movies without any guidance or a big budget?
The film conveys a strong message to follow your dreams and not be daunted by adversity or a lack of resources.
Photo Credit: Amazon MGM Studios
An Amazon MGM Studios, Excel Entertainment, and Tiger Baby production, Superboys of Malegaon is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti. Written by Varun Grover, the film will be released in theaters on February 28th across India, the US, Canada, the UK, UAE, Australia, and New Zealand. It is, in fact, going to open in over 250 theaters in the US alone, which is impressive for an independent movie.
Stay tuned; we have a fantastic interview with Adarsh Gourav, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Shashank Arora about the making of Superboys of Malegaon!
Also, while you are waiting please check out our rave review of the film here!
