Directed by: Rehan Ansari
Based on the original 2008 documentary by: Faiza Ahmad Khan
Produced by: Films Division of India & Global Reel Collective
OTT Platform: JioCinema / Amazon Prime (co-distributed)
Runtime: 114 minutes
Genre: Documentary / Mockumentary / Social Satire
Language: Hindi, Marathi, Urdu (with subtitles)
The Return to Malegaon
Some places aren't merely towns—they are metaphors. Malegaon, a dusty textile town in Maharashtra, has long stood for more than its soot-covered looms and congested lanes. It has symbolized the aspirations of India's lower middle class, the escapism of cinema, and the undying urge to create—even in the face of poverty, political neglect, and daily drudgery.
Back in 2008, Faiza Ahmad Khan’s Supermen of Malegaon became a surprise hit among documentary lovers, capturing the lives of working-class men who shot absurdly low-budget parodies of Bollywood blockbusters in their free time. That film was funny, heartfelt, and quietly revolutionary.
Fast forward to 2025, and Rehan Ansari’s Superboys of Malegaon isn’t a remake—it’s a spiritual sequel, retrospective, and sociopolitical commentary all rolled into one. It’s a film about memory, myth-making, and the very nature of storytelling itself. And it might just be one of the most moving and meta Indian documentaries in recent years.
Structure: Between Then and Now
Unlike the 2008 original, which was linear and observational, Superboys of Malegaon adopts a meta-documentary format. It blends archival footage, present-day interviews, dramatic reenactments, and even mockumentary elements to tell the story of how the Supermen legacy shaped a generation of small-town filmmakers.
The central arc follows Nasir Sheikh (played by himself), the original creator of Malegaon’s parodic film industry, as he embarks on a new mission—to make a science fiction film titled Malegaon Ke Antariksh Veer (“Space Warriors of Malegaon”). He assembles a ragtag team of loyalists, new dreamers, and reluctant actors—none of whom have ever even seen a sci-fi movie in a theater.
But layered within this goofy tale of filmmaking under Rs. 25,000 is a poignant examination of Malegaon’s struggles—communal tensions, joblessness, post-pandemic trauma, and digital alienation. The film cleverly uses cinema as both a mirror and a mask.
Characters: The Real Superheroes
🎬 Nasir Sheikh – The Auteur of the People
A cross between Chaplin, Ed Wood, and a political satirist, Nasir is the heart and soul of Superboys. He has grown older and perhaps more cynical, but the gleam in his eyes remains. His dream of creating India’s first “superhero space opera with climate change awareness” is at once hilarious and heartbreaking.
There’s a scene where he tries to explain the concept of wormholes to his cinematographer, who has only shot wedding videos. You laugh, but you also admire the man’s conviction.
🎭 Shabbir, the reluctant hero
Played by local mechanic-turned-actor Shabbir Miyan, this character brings unexpected emotional depth. Shabbir, once a poster-boy of Supermen, now lives with the trauma of being mocked online for his “funny face.” His journey toward rediscovering joy in performance becomes a subplot that will make many misty-eyed.
👩 Saira Bano – The New Female Lens
A welcome addition is Saira, a 21-year-old YouTuber from Malegaon, who becomes the team's editor and social media strategist. She represents the digital generation—ambitious, sharp, and unafraid. But she’s also conflicted about how the outside world exoticizes Malegaon.
Her on-camera commentary is some of the most insightful in the film:
“We’re not content. We’re creators. Don’t reduce us to hashtags.”
Direction: Rehan Ansari’s Balancing Act
Rehan Ansari approaches the material with deep affection but also a critical eye. He doesn’t romanticize poverty or turn Malegaon’s chaos into quirk for urban audiences. Instead, he humanizes his subjects while highlighting the absurd contradictions of their lives.
The tone shifts between playful and painful, often within the same scene. One moment you’re watching Nasir juggle bottle rockets for VFX, and the next, a character discusses how a riot destroyed his family’s studio.
Ansari is also savvy about form. He occasionally breaks the fourth wall, letting characters comment on how they’re being filmed. He includes bloopers, technical failures, and arguments—making the filmmaking process itself the drama.
It’s a brilliant evolution from the original, which was about making films; Superboys is about why we make them.
Cinematography: Beauty in the Mundane
Despite being a documentary, Superboys looks stunning. Cinematographer Anees Tanha (also a Malegaon native) uses handheld shots and drone footage to capture the town’s crumbling grandeur. Rooftops turn into stages. Sewage canals become spaceports. A torn green curtain serves as a chroma wall.
There’s a sublime sequence where the entire crew is reflected in the broken mirror of a scooter—editing, acting, arguing—all within one frame. It’s filmmaking as metaphor, and it’s glorious.
Editing & Rhythm
Edited by Tanushree Gupta, the film maintains a pace that mimics the rhythm of life in small towns—unhurried but filled with sudden, explosive moments.
There are stretches of silence that allow the emotion to seep in, and chaotic montages of shooting misadventures—tripods falling, cows walking into shots, boom mics catching azaan calls mid-dialogue. The editing embraces the chaos rather than sanitizing it.
Music: The Soul of Malegaon
The background score by Achint Thakkar is equal parts whimsical and soulful. He incorporates local qawwalis, retro synths, and old Bollywood melodies into the soundtrack.
The musical highlight is a reworking of “Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli”—sung by Malegaon’s street musicians, intercut with shots of the crew testing smoke machines made from pressure cookers.
It's not just music. It’s memory made manifest.
Themes: More Than Just A Documentary
1. The Right to Dream
The film is a sharp, often hilarious commentary on how the “privilege of dreaming” is unevenly distributed. While big-budget directors get national awards, Malegaon’s creators struggle for camera batteries.
2. Post-Truth and Parody
There’s a smart meta-thread about how satire itself is evolving. As one character notes:
“In today’s world, even our parody feels more truthful than news channels.”
3. Digital Colonialism
Saira’s subplot raises big questions: Who gets to tell Malegaon’s story? How do viral videos affect local lives? Does the internet liberate or commodify?
4. Art as Resistance
The film reminds us that creation, especially in oppressive or neglected spaces, is an act of rebellion. Every spoof, every improvised prop, is a stand against invisibility.
Memorable Scenes
The Spacewalk – Shot in a junkyard with wires, sparklers, and a GoPro, it’s one of the most endearing “sci-fi” sequences ever filmed.
The Riot Aftermath – Quiet, chilling, and heartbreaking. We see a half-burnt script among ashes. Nasir breaks down—not because of property loss, but because “the story is gone.”
The Film Festival Screening – The entire town watches Malegaon Ke Antariksh Veer projected on a factory wall. Laughter, tears, popcorn made in a steel bucket—cinema in its purest form.
Flaws, if any?
At times, the documentary leans heavily into sentimentality. Some might find the nostalgic tone too curated, especially toward the end. There are also moments where the camera seems to intrude too deeply into personal pain.
Yet these are minor quibbles in an otherwise remarkable work.
Final Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Superboys of Malegaon is a film about films, yes. But more than that, it’s about resilience, identity, and the cathartic power of imagination. It captures the sacred absurdity of people who dare to dream beyond their limits, and the quiet revolution of storytelling from the margins.
This is not just a follow-up to Supermen of Malegaon. It’s a rebirth—funnier, sadder, wiser, and more politically urgent.
Rehan Ansari has crafted not only a tribute to Malegaon’s legacy but a reminder that every forgotten town is bursting with superboys and supergirls—waiting, just waiting, to tell their stories.
✅ Must Watch For:
Documentary lovers
Filmmakers and cinephiles
Students of cultural studies and digital media
Anyone who has ever made a film with a broken phone and a big dream
🚫 May Not Be For:
Viewers looking for traditional narratives or a neat “plot”
Those unfamiliar with the original may miss some meta-jokes