Maalik is a UP-based gangster drama. In other words, it tells a story beaten to death. There are scenes where the makers have attempted something new and that stands out. But otherwise, it fails to entice as it’s a clichéd template and narrative. Moreover, the interval comes early while the second half is very long. It might test the patience. The cliffhanger ending is very unnecessary. Rajkummar Rao, however, can never go wrong. Maalik is no exception; he rocks the show. Manushi Chhillar doesn’t have much to do initially but later she is a surprise; her track provides some freshness to this film. Anshumaan Pushkar (Badaun) of 12th Fail fame leaves a huge mark and deserves to be seen more. Prosenjit Chatterjee is decent and one wishes he had more to do in the film. Saurabh Shukla, Swanand Kirkire and Saurabh Sachdeva are dependable. Rajendra Gupta (Bindeshwar; Maalik’s father) is forgotten after a point. All in all, Maalik offers nothing new.
My rating – ** out of 5!