Maalik is an action drama film directed by Pulkit and produced by Kumar Taurani and Jay Shewakramani. The film was theatrically released on 11 July 2025.
Star Cast:
Rajkummar Rao as Deepak/Maalik
Manushi Chhillar as Shalini Pandey
Prosenjit Chatterjee as Prabhu Das
Saurabh Sachdeva as Chandrashekhar
Saurabh Shukla as Minister Shankar Singh
Anshumaan Pushkar as Badaun
Swanand Kirkire as Balhar Singh
Rajendra Gupta as Bindeshwar
Baljinder Kaur as Parvati
MOVIE REVIEW: Maalik tries to swagger into the world of gangster epics but ends up as a formulaic slog that offers nothing new beyond a strong central performance by Rajkummar Rao. With its familiar tropes, a dragged-out second half, and a total lack of narrative surprises, the film is yet another forgettable entry in the overpopulated gangster-politics crossover space. The treatment lacks freshness, and the tonality feels uneven.
There is absolutely nothing in the storyline that hasn’t been done and done better in countless gangster films before it. The screenplay has a few serviceable moments, but for the most part, it trudges along predictably. There’s little to no narrative tension, and the film leans heavily on archetypes instead of creating compelling characters. If you’re a die-hard fan of gangster dramas and can overlook predictability in favor of gritty performances, you might find some value here.
Rajkummar Rao, as always, gives it his all. He slips into the role of a hardened gangster with convincing intensity, and even when the film falters, his performance remains grounded and compelling. Manushi Chhillar, Saurabh Shukla, and Swanand Kirkire delivers decent performance. Anshumaan Pushkar is a pleasant surprise. Coming off his powerful performance in 12th Fail, he delivers another nuanced act. Saurabh Sachdeva and Prosenjit Chatterjee start strong, with menacing screen presence, but their arcs fade quickly into predictable caricatures. Huma Qureshi’s item number is as forgettable as it is unnecessary.
Maalik Movie Rating:
Direction 2/5
Acting 2.5/5
Dialogues 2/5
Story 2/5
Screenplay 1.5/5
Overall Hit ya Flop Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars (Below Average)
Not Recommended 👎🏻
