🎬 Overview
- Title: Maalik
- Genre: Action-thriller / Crime drama
- Director: Pulkit
- Writers: Pulkit & Jyotsana Nath
- Producers: Kumar Taurani, Jay Shewakramani (Tips Industries × Northern Lights Films) Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15India Today+15
- Runtime: ~152 minutes (~2h32m) Wikipedia
👥 Cast
- Rajkummar Rao as Deepak / “Maalik” – a farmer’s son-turned-gangster in 1980s Allahabad The Times of India+4India Today+4Filmfare+4
- Prosenjit Chatterjee as SP Prabhu Das, the police officer on a mission Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15Midgard Times+15
- Manushi Chhillar as Shalini, Maalik’s wife with minimal screen time Wikipedia+15Wikipedia+15Midgard Times+15
- Supporting cast includes Saurabh Shukla, Swanand Kirkire, Saurabh Sachdeva, Huma Qureshi India Today+7Filmfare+7The Times of India+7
📖 Plot Summary
Set against the gritty backdrop of late‑1980s Allahabad (now Prayagraj), the film chronicles Deepak’s transformation into a ruthless underworld kingpin, overturning local power players through ambition and violence. Along the way, he clashes with corrupt politicians and faces betrayal from trusted allies. Meanwhile, SP Prabhu Das is appointed to bring him down, setting up a classic cat-and-mouse conflict. Midgard Times+5India Today+5India Today+5
🎭 Strengths & Weaknesses
✅ Highlights
- Rajkummar Rao’s performance: Praised for embracing a raw, gritty persona—fans describe it as one of his strongest mass-lead roles yet The Times of India+6www.ndtv.com+6India Today+6
- Visual & Technical Craft: The film authentically evokes UP’s heat and moral desolation; cinematography (Anuj Rakesh Dhawan) and background score (Ketan Sodha) elevate key scenes www.ndtv.com+4Filmfare+4Wikipedia+4
- Supporting Cast: Prosenjit, Swanand Kirkire, and Saurabh Shukla deliver effective character work despite limited depth in the script Indiatimes+8reviewswithrinku.blogspot.com+8Moneycontrol+8
⚠️ Criticisms
- Predictable screenplay: Critics and viewers felt the plot was derivative—relying heavily on clichés familiar from earlier Indian crime classics like Satya or Vaastav India Today+1Filmfare+1
- Second half drag: While the first half builds momentum, the latter part reportedly loses direction and emotional resonance Filmfare+1The Times of India+1
- Underwritten characters: Many relationships—including Maalik’s marriage and friendships—are sidelined, leaving emotional arcs unearned The Times of India+11Midgard Times+11The Times of India+11
- Dialogue & tone issues: Over-stylized scenes, slow pacing, and heavy-handed narration lead to audience fatigue The Times of India+10popcornreviewss.com+10Midgard Times+10
📊 Reception & Box Office
🎬 Critical Scores
- Times of India: 2.0 / 5 — “uninspired and clichéd gangster drama” despite Rao’s performance The Times of India+8Midgard Times+8The Times of India+8
- Moneycontrol: 2.0 / 5 — “fails to leave real impact,” predictable plot despite gritty tone Moneycontrol
- Filmfare: 3.0 / 5 — Commended for ambition and visuals but noted excessive runtime and formulaic structure Filmfare
📈 Box Office
- Theatrical release: July 11, 2025 Moneycontrol+9Wikipedia+9Indiatimes+9
- Opening day collections: ₹3.35 crore; advance bookings were weak (~6,500 tickets) The Times of India+4The Times of India+4The Times of India+4
- Middle run: Sluggish weekday drops—collections fell below ₹1 crore by Day 8 The Times of India+2The Times of India+2The Times of India+2
- Total gross: ₹24–25 crore in India by Day 11; final worldwide approx ₹33 crore—ranked as Rajkummar Rao’s 9th highest grosser The Times of India+4Wikipedia+4The Times of India+4
✅ Final Verdict
Maalik offers a gritty performance by Rajkummar Rao and an immersive heartland ambivalence. But it ultimately falters because of uninspired storytelling, pacing issues, and underdeveloped characters. If you appreciate atmospheric gangster dramas powered by a strong lead, Maalik might hold your attention—though don’t expect anything groundbreaking beyond that.
📋 Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Genre / Tone | Gritty gangster action drama |
| Strengths | Rajkummar Rao’s transformation, rough realism, atmospheric tone |
| Weaknesses | Clichéd plot, weak emotional stakes, pacing dips in second half |
| Box Office (India) | ~₹25 crore (₹33 crore globally) |
| Critical Reception | Mostly 2–3 / 5; performances appreciated, but execution seen as outdated |
| Noteworthy | Rao’s mass look and swagger aim for a new image beyond his usual roles |
Would you like to see the trailer, familiar scenes, or where it’s streaming once available?
Recent news on Maalik box office & fan reaction
Maalik OTT release: Where to watch Rajkummar Rao’s film after theatrical run
Sources
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