In 'Malik,' Rajkummar Rao once again captivates audiences with his performance. As always, he portrays his character with complete sincerity, and this is why viewers are filled with anticipation whenever his name is mentioned.
- Film Review: Malik
- Star Rating: 3/5
- In Theaters: 11.07.2025
- Director: Pulkit
- Genre: Drama
Entertainment: 'Malik' (Malik Movie), Rajkummar Rao's new film, is another gangster drama that attempts to tell a story of power, crime, and the fall of a soul. Directed by Pulkit and written with Jyotsna Nath, the film depicts the journey of an ordinary man becoming a mafia don. But, does this film truly resonate with the audience, or does it succeed solely on the strength of Rajkummar Rao? Let's find out in this review.
Story: Rise of a Gangster in 1980s India
The film's story is set in 1980s Prayagraj. It is the basic plot of Malik, showing how a common young man, who dreams big, takes the path of crime due to the injustice, deceit, and social pressure present in the system. The first half depicts the protagonist's ambitions and struggles. While the second half leads towards his downfall and repentance. Although the story is based on an interesting subject, the screenplay, especially in the second part, weakens and the film loses its pace.
Direction and Writing: Style Over Substance?
Director Pulkit has worked hard to keep the atmosphere, setup, and locations realistic in the initial part. The streets, political activities, and mafia struggles of Prayagraj are well portrayed through cinematography. However, the storytelling and screenplay are not that b. The length of the film (2 hours 29 minutes) further weakens it.
In the second half, many plot points seem incomplete, and some characters like Prosenjit Chatterjee's 'Das' or Huma Qureshi's role remain without impact.
Rajkummar Rao: A Stellar Performance
The biggest strength of the film is Rajkummar Rao's performance. He dominates the entire film. His transformation from an ordinary man to a dangerous gangster is amazing. His body language, dialogue delivery, and emotional depth make the character real. In one scene, he is seen pulling four people with a rope – this scene becomes the highlight of the film.
Manushi Chhillar plays the role of the wife, she looks good in some scenes, but there is a lack of emotional depth. Co-stars like Saurabh Shukla and Anshumaan Pushkar have held the film together.
Technical Aspects: Strong Visuals, Weak Editing
Production Design and Background Score are the b points of the film. The atmosphere of the 80s feels real, but more work could have been done on editing. Especially in the second half, many scenes seem stretched. If you like content-driven cinema and like to watch a film for an actor's performance, 'Malik' will not disappoint you. This film is not a new definition of Gangster Drama, but it is definitely another memorable performance by Rajkummar Rao.
The film has script flaws, some characters are incomplete, and the length spoils its pace. But Pulkit's Visual Style, Realistic Action, and Rao's performance make the film worth watching.
