In the small town of Malegaon, a group of passionate filmmakers turned their love for cinema into something extraordinary. Their journey was first captured in the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon, and now, in 2024, director Reema Kagti and producer Zoya Akhtar have brought that story to the big screen with Superboys of Malegaon.
The film, set for release on 28 February, is a fictionalised retelling of how amateur director Nasir Shaikh and his friends used their hometown as a backdrop to recreate Bollywood hits. Their DIY filmmaking style, filled with heart and ingenuity, turned them into local legends and inspired a generation of grassroots filmmakers.
In an exclusive interview, Kagti and Akhtar open up about their filmmaking challenges, the magic of cinema, and why this story resonated with them.
In the film, a standout scene depicts Nasir’s anxious wait for the audience’s reaction to his first film Malegaon Ke Sholay. We asked the directors if they experience similar nerves before their own films are released.
“Definitely,” Reema Kagti admits. “I put a lot of personal experience into that scene.”
Zoya Akhtar echoes the sentiment. “The first screening can honestly be sickening. Putting your first film out there was frightening. Of course, now it might seem a little easier, but those early days were nerve-wracking.”
The film highlights the struggles of aspiring filmmakers in small towns, from budget constraints to location scouting. Did the directors find the story relatable to their own experiences?
“I think I did the film because Nasir is an incredibly inspirational character,” Reema explains. “The story has so many layers there’s friendship, community, the magic of cinema, and the idea of who gets to decide what’s art. And of course, the underdog achieving his dream.”
Zoya chimes in, “We’re very clear that as artists, you want to be somewhat immortalised. Our movies will outlive us. You can see that in the film Shafeeq lives on, as does Farooq. They’re both no more, and that was very moving for us.”
When it comes to their own biggest filmmaking challenges, Reema quips, “Getting my first film made… then the second… then the third! The thing about filmmaking is that once you release a film, you’re back to zero. Each film comes with its own challenges.”
Both filmmakers have built reputations for pushing the boundaries of Bollywood storytelling. How do they balance creative ambition with commercial viability?
“For me, it’s organic,” says Zoya. “I grew up in the lap of the industry, exposed to all kinds of films. Somewhere along the way, my sensibilities were shaped by both world cinema and mainstream Hindi cinema. I naturally land somewhere in the middle-a hybrid.”
Reema adds, “When you’re writing, you put a lot of yourself in there. The vision is to connect with a wide audience without being boxed into a niche. Filmmaking is an expensive process, so the starting point is always to create something viable that still pushes boundaries.”
Malegaon’s homegrown film industry is unlike any other, with its own rules, limitations, and freedoms. Zoya acknowledges that comparisons to Bollywood are unfair.
“It’s its own industry with its own ecosystem. You can’t compare the two.”
Reema highlights the idealism behind Malegaon’s film scene. “Nasir was just a regular guy in a small town who dreamt of making a film out of pure love. He inadvertently kickstarted a wave of local filmmakers whose work is distributed in video parlours. It’s very unique I don’t know if that’s ever happened anywhere else.”
What advice would they give to aspiring filmmakers from small towns like Malegaon?
“Do what Nasir did,” Reema says. “He made films with extremely limited resources in the late 90s no phones, no laptops just sheer passion. Today, with smartphones, it’s easier than ever, but people are more focused on making reels than films. Write your stories down and keep making films. Practice makes perfect.”
As female filmmakers, their decision to tell male-centric stories stands out but both shake their heads in disagreement on that being a conscious choice
“We pick the stories that move and excite us,” says Zoya. “Some will be about men, some will be about women some will be both.”
Reema adds, “There’s no deliberate decision to tell male or female-centric stories. It’s about the core idea and how you want to direct it.”
When asked if there’s pressure on women in the industry to create female-centric content, Zoya dismisses the notion. “People can place expectations, but you don’t have to hold them.”
Reema agrees. “When someone creates something, it’s coming from within not from peer pressure.”
Finally, we asked what advice they wish they had received when starting out.
“That it’s going to take time and I should hang in there I’m going to land on my feet,” says Zoya.
Reema’s response is succinct: “Keep calm and make films.”
Superboys of Malegaon is set for release on 28 February
