Following its premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival last year, the critically acclaimed Superboys of Malegaon is now officially streaming on Prime Video, and ahead of its debut, we were able to catch up with producer Zoya Akhtar (Gully Boy; Dahaad; Kho Gaye Hum Kahan) and stars Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger; Extrapolations; Hostel Daze) and Vineet Kumar Singh (Mukkabaaz; Gangs of Wasseypur; Betaal) to talk about the incredible film, which is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, that adapts the true life story of filmmaker Nasir Shaikh and his friends.
In our conversation, Akhtar talks me through the magic of filmmaking and why this kind of story will always resonate, while Gourav and Singh elaborate on their different approaches for their respective characters, and how they were able to play proper homage to the real-life people while also leaving their own mark on the parts.
The synopsis reads, "Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. The residents of the town look to Bollywood cinema for a much-needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh lease of life into the town. The film is a poignant yet uplifting take on both filmmaking and friendship - and what happens when those two worlds collide."
Reema Kagti (Dahaad; Gold; Talaash: The Answer Lies Within) helmed the feature, with a screenplay from Varun Grover (Sandeep Aur Pink Faraar; Masaan; All India Rank), and an exceptional cast consisting of Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger; Extrapolations; Hostel Daze), Vineet Kumar Singh (Mukkabaaz; Gangs of Wasseypur; Betaal), Shashank Arora (Made in Heaven; Titli; Moothon), Anuj Singh Duhan (The Fame Game; Commando; Panchayat), and Riddhi Kumar (Human; Crash Course; Candy).
Superboys of Malegaon is now streaming on Prime Video!
Watch our full video interview with stars producer Zoya Akhtar, and stars Adarsh Gourav (“Nasir Shaikh”), and Vineet Kumar Singh (“Farogh Jaferi”) below and/or keep scrolling to read the transcription. Plus, please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content!
ROHAN: Zoya, I'd say there's a certain magic to movies and the art of filmmaking - what was it about Nasir's story that really resonated with you as a filmmaker?
ZOYA: I think the fact that in his story, he followed what he wanted to do. He loved making films. There was no way he's going to go out and become a director in Mumbai. He's like, I'm going to do it with what I have here. I'm going to get my friends who love the movies to collaborate on this, and we're going to make stories about ourselves. We're going to see ourselves on screen, and I just love that he just represented himself and his town. And, today, we are here talking about it.
ROHAN: Adarsh, you’re so good in this movie, and I can’t imagine it was the easiest role to play, especially with what you're being asked to do recreating these real moments from Nasir’s life. What sort of prep did you do, were you consulting with Nasir about some of the more difficult scenes in the film? Or just staying true to the script?
ADARSH: I think I was very fortunate to have met Nasir before the film. I spent a lot of time with him, and I bored the shit out of him by asking him all kinds of questions about his life, the whole time, I was just asking questions. I met people from his past. We actually ended up making a short film that Nasir directed after many years, that I got to produce, and the whole experience of it was so magical. I think that what was most important for me was that Nasir and I could trust each other before the film, that we could be transparent with each other about what his inner politics in life are, what are the things that motivate him, what are the things that he loves the most? And, I think that he was 100% able to do that, and then the material in itself, what Varun Bhai wrote, the screenplay was such an amazing piece of art, it was so well researched and so well written, and then, to be directed by someone like Reema, it's just a dream come true for an actor like me.
ROHAN: Vineet, you’re also presented with a unique challenge playing a character that so badly wants something that he can’t quite have. As an actor, could you feel his frustration ow was there something about him that you learned that you really wanted to convey on screen?
VINEET: Yes, thanks to the writer, Varun Grover, and thanks to the director, they gave me the idea in detail, and the script was very well written. So, that was one thing, and there was so much material on YouTube when they released the film. There was a documentary also, and apart from that, there's so much material, long footage, like one hour footage, two hour footage, when they released the film. So, I was that also, and I was aware about the Malegaon world, and I was aware about this bunch of boys, they made films, and that was really fascinating for me and with Farogh, I felt so many things in common, like in my past, there were so many things that I went through just like him and yeah, an actor’s job is easy when the director is very clear about the things they expect from that particular character. So, I'm fortunate enough that Reema, she was always clear about what she wanted.
Superboys of Malegaon is a film based on the life of Nasir Shaikh, an amateur filmmaker from the town of Malegaon. The residents of the town look to Bollywood cinema for a much-needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh lease of life into the town. The film is a poignant yet uplifting take on both filmmaking and friendship - and what happens when those two worlds collide.