Supermen of Malegaon

This movie is so funny, moving, charming, intelligent - such a totally engaging illustration of the never-old truth that wit, ambition, creativity, and ingenuity can turn up anyplace at any time.

In a poor and, to most of the rest of the world, not-known part of India, some people make, screen, and enjoy their own low-budget, high-effort versions of famous movies, from Bollywood and, in the adventure narrated here, Hollywood - in this one they're filming the story of Superman, re-presented as a local superhero, retaining of course his distinctive caped costume. Highlights include an interruption for the (very skinny) actor to attend his own wedding, and the wonderful story of the crew solving the problem of making Superman fly.

Malegao is small town of maharastraand people love watching cinema after hectic shedule one person from there start to make movies by local jugad.. And everyone would love to see it #amustwatch

Not hollywood, not bollywood just great writing, great setting, great acting and a great story. Definitely surprised me which proves you dont need "fluff" to make a great film. 9/10.

Film had zero of what we see in modern films the location and simplicity added a lot for the authenticity you felt like you were there. The regular actors " regular people" also made the film relatable.

Had zero profanity, violence or nudity and kept the viewers attention. Would love to see more of these types of films made where the writing is great and it isn't driven by violence, sex or special effects etc. Most films nowadays are so dummed down yet people support them. #foodforthought.

Supermen of Malegaon. I thought this title to be misleading as why is it Supermen and not Superman? Obviously I had to be wrong. And how I was convinced to believe the title is the matter.

Malegaon is a small town in Maharashtra known for one of a kind film-making. No less than Hollywood. Due to the prevailing communal tension, Hindus and Muslims reside on the two other side of the town divided by a river. Though mainly Muslims are involved in the film-making, entertainment in the form of video theaters comes to all irrespective of the caste. Though the old orthodox Muslims consider it as a sin watching a film, it is amusing to see how these young cine goers of Malegaon enters a video theater that could give a winning competition to hundreds of crazy bulls left to kill. No wonder why even the gatekeepers fear opening the doors for them. This is the firing passion. Passion to watch cinema and to make them. Where dreams never compromise for big budgets. This is Mollywood.

Shaikh Nasir is the Ramesh Sippy of Malegaon. And to be Richard Donner. After his magnum opus Malegaon Ka Sholay and Shaan, he covets Hollywood as he worshiped its master style of camera angles, lights, and also it was untouched in Malegaon. Comedy has an eternal soul, he believes. And that's the reason he loves making parody films, with his upcoming Malegaon Ka Superman being one. But this time he aspires to be technically more sound and advanced. He needs to use Chroma (read Karoma) to shoot Superman flying. And you find yourself cheering for him when he succeeds in his attempt.

"What I do is known as editing," realizes Nasir after learning it from newspaper ads of Bollywood films. "Why do Bollywood films need so many people to make a single film? How do they connect themselves with the film which only the director visions?" Nasir reasons with passion. Yes, he does an entire film single-handedly. He's the cinematographer, editor and the director himself.

Farogh Jafri is their screenplay writer with his Urdu language and diction perfect (Believe me, I was stunned to see him ripping apart a pseudo journalist on his misuse of language, later the press screening). He had made a very strong and a clap-worthy point in this documentary: "Be it a film as grand as Titanic or as cheap as Malegaon Ka Superman, the real pain is suffered by the writer as he is the only one who lives with the characters. Only 20% of the writer's imagination finds way into the film, the rest 80% stays with him as a pain which no money can compensate." Mr. Jafri: RESPECT.

Like every film, Nasir says, this too has a hero (our superman Shafique), a villain (Akram Khan) and a heroine (Trupti). Where the villain wants to spread filth everywhere and wants every child to spit around, the match-stick thin Superman fights every odd, from bursting into a rickshaw to getting dragged into a gutter by the school bus, to save his heroine. Superman Shafique while shooting also does other odd jobs but aspire to make it as big as Amitabh Bachhan one day. Sad that he died the next day when Malegaon Ka Superman was screened. May his soul rest in peace.

Faiza Ahmad Khan's documentary delightfully portrays the parallel kind of film-making revolving around the shoot of Malegaon Ka Superman that is so engrossing that you'll forget that you are watching a documentary. And there you learn how ordinary looking men, working at hand-looms burns a fiery passion within themselves to earn a living and live their hobbies at the same time. Indeed, they are the Supermen of Malegaon.

I never knew of low budget movies are made in towns like Malegaon in India, so this documentary comes as a surprise. Shaikh Nasir has been making low budget movies in so called Mollywood and is popular after his recent hit Malegaon ka Sholay. He was always interested in Hollywood and it inspires his to make Supermen of Malegaon. He doesn't try to copy Superman itself but was more interested in providing his own touch something more comedy and more of Malegaon itself. Some of the scenes are so amazing that you can't stop laughing. Superman was a bit dull, I feel he could have chosen somebody else but villain was amazing and more of a real bollywood movie. The story of how he gets everything to work for with budget constraints that he has, excitement of people playing role and watching it happening in the city is just exhilarating to watch.

When I meet people from small town, I always feel that they have so much of talent but they never get what it deserve as they don't get the right opportunity. Hats off to Shaikh Nasir's commitment to make these movies and provide entertainment to the people of their city. I found documentary to be quiet entertaining. I am sure movie will turn out to be much more amazing and would be a treat to watch.