Rajkummar Rao is back, but this time with an action thriller. Maalik, directed and written by Pulkit, has been creating a lot of hype since its trailer release. The movie brings Rajkummar Rao in a never-seen-before avatar of a gangster and offers a fresh pairing of Rao and Manushi Chhillar. But is this movie as good as the hype makes us believe? Read our Maalik movie review to know how Rajkummar Rao’s latest film is.

Maalik movie review: The plot

The movie follows the life of Deepak (Rajkummar Rao) aka Maalik, a common man turned gangster. Deepak is a farmer’s son, but as you’d expect, when life’s misfortune and injustice knock on his door, he enters the murky world of crime. The story is an amalgamation of how politics, power, and money decide your fate. As Maalik rises to become not only the most feared but also the most respected gangster in 1980s Allahabad, his enemies also rise. To stay safe, he lives away from his wife, Shalini (Manushi Chhillar). He technically spends every other night at a different place, never leaving a trace of what his real adda is. This movie is the story of Maalik’s power and survival.

What we didn’t love about Maalik

Maalik isn’t an extraordinary story at all. It follows the same line: a common man, when faced with injustice and brutality, turns to crime to seek revenge. But even then, it starts strong with how a man takes his destiny in his hands to become a maalik or master when he’s not born as one. Maalik‘s obsession with becoming powerful by running for the elections is quite palpable and rightly placed. But as the second half approaches, the movie loses its grip and becomes rather slow. What started as Maalik’s rise to power soon goes into many directions and loses its pace. The movie, running for 2 hours and 29 minutes, becomes a little stretched and boring when there’s one unnecessary thing happening after another.

We also wish a stronger antagonist had been cast who could hold his ground against Rajkummar Rao. Prosenjit Chatterjee, as Inspector Prabhu Das, is cunning and vile, but he still lacks the enigma and bravery needed to take down a gangster like Maalik. Sadly, Chatterjee seems weak in front of Rao.

What we loved about Rajkummar Rao’s Maalik

Starting with the obvious, it’s Rajkummar Rao. With a cigarette pinched between his lips, AK-56 in his hands, Maalik marches with an aura so real, you’d believe Rajkummar Rao is actually a gangster. Add to that a background score that suits his personality and the vibe of the movie, and every frame he is in is fabulous. The rest of the cast, including Saurabh Shukla, Saurabh Sachdeva, Swanand Kirkire, and Anshuman Pushkar, have done a brilliant job. Manushi Chhillar is pleasing to watch; however, she wasn’t given much of a chance to showcase her acting prowess. Even though Maalik’s story isn’t new, the way the film is directed and performed is powerful and quite delightful to watch. The action is believable, there’s no hero single-handedly killing six people at once.

Overall, Maalik is less about the plot and more about Rajkummar Rao and the commendable actor he is. It’s his craft and the way he has carried the role of a gangster that will keep you in your seat.

Can you watch Maalik with your family? There are no intimate scenes, but there is intermittent use of abusive language.

Featured Image Source

Related: Behind The Scenes Of ‘Border 2’ With Diljit Dosanjh: Watch His Video From The Film Set