🎬 Maalik Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao’s Gangster Turn Falls Flat in This Predictable Crime Drama

Rating: ★½ (1.5/5)

In Maalik, director Pulkit attempts to steer Rajkummar Rao away from his usual boy-next-door persona into the dark alleys of 1980s-90s Allahabad as a hardened gangster. It’s a bold move, and one that piques curiosity—can the actor known for his realism and restraint embody a ruthless crime lord?

❌ The Verdict: Not Quite.

Despite Rao’s earnest transformation—complete with gruff styling, grim expressions, and a gold-chain-clad persona—the film itself is a tepid and overlong rehash of every gangster trope we’ve seen before. From the rise of the underdog to the inevitable betrayal and downfall, Maalik offers little in the way of novelty or engagement.

🧊 What Doesn’t Work

• By-the-numbers Plot:
  Maalik sticks too closely to the gangster movie rulebook. There’s the loyal lieutenant (Anshumaan Pushkar), corrupt politicians (Saurabh Shukla, Swanand Kirkire), compromised cops (Prosenjit Chatterjee), and a predictable death here and betrayal there.
• Lack of Tension or Surprise:
  The story is so familiar that it becomes easy to guess what’s around every corner—whether it’s a lover’s parting scene or a suspicious glance between allies, you know what’s coming.
• Tonally Flat:
  Despite flashes of intensity—such as a disturbing early scene where Maalik humiliates a man—those moments are too isolated to create a lasting impact. The film quickly settles into a monotonous rhythm of shootouts, betrayals, and brooding monologues.

✅ What Slightly Works

• Rajkummar Rao’s Commitment:
  Rao is always watchable, and here too, he gives it everything. But the role simply doesn’t give him enough depth or development. His scenes with Manushi Chhillar (playing his moral-compass wife) bring some emotional texture, but it’s fleeting.
• Atmosphere & Setting:
  The Allahabad of the 80s and 90s feels gritty and grounded, offering a decent backdrop for a gangster tale, though it’s not enough to salvage the film.

🎭 Cast Highlights:

• Rajkummar Rao: Game for reinvention, but stuck in a formulaic role.
• Manushi Chhillar: Poised and effective in a limited role.
• Prosenjit Chatterjee & Saurabh Shukla: Solid, though their characters lack freshness.

📝 Final Word:

Maalik tries to rebrand Rajkummar Rao as a larger-than-life anti-hero, but the effort is let down by uninspired writing and excessive length. What could’ve been a bold genre switch for Rao ends up being a forgettable detour.

Skip it unless you’re a die-hard Rajkummar Rao fan.