Maalik
|
| |
| Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Pulkit (director) |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Kumar Taurani, Jay Shewakramani |
| Story by | Pulkit |
| Starring | Rajkummar Rao, Prosenjit Chatterjee |
| Music by | Sachin–Jigar |
| Cinematography | Harendra Singh |
| Edited by | Pranav Mistry |
| Production company | Tips Industries |
| Distributed by | Pen Marudhar Entertainment |
| Release date | July 11, 2025 |
| Running time | 137 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | Not disclosed |
| Box office | ₹33.25 crore |
Maalik (translated as Owner) is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Pulkit. The film is produced by Kumar Taurani and Jay Shewakramani under the banners of Tips Films and Northern Lights Films.[1]
The movie features Rajkummar Rao in the lead role, portraying a powerful and intense character. He is joined by veteran actor Prosenjit Chatterjee and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, who play significant supporting roles.[2]
Set against a gritty and fast-paced backdrop, Maalik explores themes of power, justice, and revenge. The film combines gripping storytelling with high-octane action sequences.
Maalik was released theatrically on 11 July 2025 across India.[3] Upon release, it received mixed reviews from film critics, with praise for the performances and cinematography, but some criticism for its screenplay and pacing.[4]
Plot
The story of Maalik takes place in the late 1980s in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. It follows Deepak (played by Rajkummar Rao), a young man from a farming family. His life changes forever when his father (Rajendra Gupta) is badly injured while trying to stop some people from illegally taking over his employer's land.
In anger and pain, Deepak decides to take revenge. He finds and kills the man responsible, a goon named Langda. This act marks the beginning of Deepak’s journey into the world of crime.
After the killing, Deepak takes on the name "Maalik" (meaning master or owner) and begins to build his own criminal empire. He becomes powerful in the chaotic political and criminal world of Allahabad. Along the way, he interacts with key figures like:
- Balhar Singh (Swanand Kirkire), a strong local MLA,
- Shankar Singh a.k.a. Dadda (Saurabh Shukla), his mentor,
- Chandrashekhar (Saurabh Sachdeva), a business rival.
Even as he rises in power, Maalik remains close to his family — especially his wife Shalini (Manushi Chhillar), who keeps asking him to leave his violent lifestyle, especially after she becomes pregnant. Maalik also depends on his loyal right-hand man, Badaun (Anshumaan Pushkar).
But as Maalik grows stronger, so do his enemies. A suspended police officer, Prabhu Das (Prosenjit Chatterjee), is brought back to catch him. The film follows Maalik’s intense fight for power, the challenges he faces from his enemies, betrayals from within, and the heavy price he pays for the path he has chosen.
Cast
- Rajkummar Rao as Deepak / Maalik
- Prosenjit Chatterjee as Prabhu Das
- Manushi Chhillar as Shalini
- Huma Qureshi as Mallika
- Saurabh Sachdeva as Chandrashekhar
- Saurabh Shukla as Minister Shankar Singh
- Anshumaan Pushkar as Badaun
- Swanand Kirkire as Balhar Singh
- Rajendra Gupta as Bindeshwar, Deepak / Maalik's father
- Baljinder Kaur as Parvati, Deepak / Maalik's mother
- Yogi Raj as Langda
Production
On 4 July 2024, it was announced that the film's shooting would start in September 2024, mainly in Lucknow and Varanasi.[5] To get ready for his tough role, Rajkummar Rao started building a stronger and more muscular body.[6][7] The first shot (muhurat) of the film was taken on 25 August 2024 in Pathakpur village.[8] The film's action scenes were designed by Vikram Dahiya. On 31 August 2024, which was also his 40th birthday, Rao officially announced the film with a poster.[9]
Soundtrack
The film's music is composed by Sachin–Jigar, and the lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The background score for the movie is given by Ketan Sodha. The first song from the film, titled "Naamumkin", was released on 10 June 2025, followed by the second song "Dil Thaam Ke" on 20 June 2025. The third track, "Raaj Karega Maalik", came out on 4 July 2025.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Naamumkin" | Kumaar | Sachin–Jigar | Varun Jain, Shreya Ghoshal | 3:44 |
| 2 | "Dil Thaam Ke" | Rashmi Virag | Rana Mazumder | Rashmeet Kaur, Rana Mazumder | 3:06 |
| 3 | "Raaj Karega Maalik" | MC SQUARE | Sachin–Jigar | Akasa Singh, MC SQUARE | 3:36 |
| 4 | "Affair" | Sameer Anjaan | Sachin–Jigar | Khesari Lal Yadav, Shradha Mishra, Sachin–Jigar | 3:16 |
| 5 | "Naamumkin" (Sad Version) | Kumaar | Sachin–Jigar | Varun Jain | 2:03 |
| 6 | "Raaj Karega Maalik" (Rap Version) | MC SQUARE | Sachin–Jigar | MC SQUARE, Akasa Singh | 3:05 |
| Total length: | 18:50 | ||||
Release
The film Maalik was released in cinemas across India on 11 July 2025.
Marketing
A special event before the release of Maalik was held on 7 July 2025 at Raj Mandir Cinema, Jaipur.[10]
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, 23% of 13 critics gave positive reviews. The average rating was 4.7 out of 10.
Critical response
The film got mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 23% of 13 reviews were positive, with an average rating of 4.7/10.[11]
Subhash K Jha of News 24 gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said that director Pulkit keeps the story exciting without focusing too much on social themes.[12] Firstpost rated it 3.5/5, saying the story felt familiar but praised the performances.[13] India TV gave it 3/5, liking the action, direction, story, and Rajkummar Rao’s acting, but felt the film was too long and Chatterjee’s role was weak.[14] Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave 3/5 stars, calling it Rao’s version of Satya and Vaastav.[15] Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times also gave 3/5, saying that despite flaws, Rao’s strong performance makes the film stand out.[16]
On the other hand, Bollywood Hungama gave it 2/5 stars, praising the acting and direction but calling the story clichéd and too similar to Vaastav, Shootout films, and Khakee: The Bihar Chapter.[17] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated it 1.5/5 and said it was another old-style gangster drama.[18] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote that it was a typical gangster story but not very impactful.[19] Dhaval Roy of Hindustan Times gave it 2/5, saying it had good performances and technical work but a boring and unoriginal plot.[20] Deepa Gahlot of Rediff.com also gave it 2/5, calling it unpleasant and not engaging.[21]Shreyas Pande of Cinema Express rated it 1.5/5, saying the film was just a typical gangster story for Rao.[22] Sana Farzeen of India Today gave 2/5, saying strong acting could not save it from poor storytelling.[23] Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India said the film lacked both single-screen appeal and multiplex style.[24]
Box office
The film opened with earnings of ₹4.02 crore on its first day, which was quite low compared to Rao’s earlier 2025 release Bhool Chuk Maaf, that had earned ₹7 crore on day one. Despite the slow start, the film managed to earn a total of ₹20 crore within the first four days of its release.[25]
Box Office Collection
| Date | Day | Collection (in ₹ crore) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2025 | Friday (Day 1) | 2.50 | Opening Day |
| July 2025 | Saturday (Day 2) | 5.25 | Strong growth |
| July 2025 | Sunday (Day 3) | 5.25 | Maintained pace |
| July 2025 | Monday (Day 4) | 3.00 | Slight drop |
| July 2025 | Tuesday (Day 5) | 2.10 | |
| July 2025 | Wednesday (Day 6) | 1.55 | |
| July 2025 | Thursday (Day 7) | 1.35 | |
| Total (Week 1) | 21.00 | Decent first week | |
| July 2025 | Friday (Day 8) | 1.00 | |
| July 2025 | Saturday (Day 9) | 0.80 | |
| July 2025 | Sunday (Day 10) | 1.00 | |
| July 2025 | Monday (Day 11) | 0.25 | Major drop |
| July 2025 | Tuesday (Day 12) | 0.35 | Small jump |
| July 2025 | Wednesday (Day 13) | 0.25 | Fell again |
| July 2025 | Thursday (Day 14) | 0.45 | Slight recovery |
| Total (Week 2) | 4.10 | Sharp drop from Week 1 | |
| Grand Total (2 Weeks) | 25.10 | ||
References
- ↑ Maalik (2025) film announcement . In Bollywood Hungama (4 July 2024)
- ↑ Rajkummar Rao, Manushi Chhillar in Maalik . In India Today (4 July 2024)
- ↑ Maalik release date confirmed . In Filmfare (11 July 2025)
- ↑ Maalik movie review . In Hindustan Times (11 July 2025)
- ↑ Rajkummar Rao and Medha Shankar to star in action flick Maalik from Bhakshak director Pulkit; film goes on floors in September: Report . In Bollywood Hungama (4 July 2024) . Retrieved 3 April 2025
- ↑
- ↑ Rajkummar Rao and 12th Fail actress Medha Shankr set to star in action thriller Maalik? Here's what we know, by Rajni Singh . In Pinkvilla (4 July 2024) . Retrieved 3 April 2025
- ↑ Maalik: Rajkummar Rao reveals title and first look of his next after Stree 2 on his birthday . In OTTPlay (3 April 2025) . Retrieved 3 April 2025
- ↑ Rajkummar Rao turns gangster in 'Maalik', shares poster on 40th birthday . In India Today (31 August 2024) . Retrieved 3 April 2025
- ↑ Actress keeps Jaipur waiting, Rajkummar Rao takes spotlight: Calls ‘Malik’ his boldest role yet; avoids sparking language row during heated public interaction at event - Jaipur News . In Bhaskar English (7 July 2025) . Retrieved 8 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik (2025) . In Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2025-07-25
- ↑ Maalik Review: The Most Riveting Gangster Epic Since Satya, by Subhash K Jha . In News 24 . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ 'Maalik' movie review: Rajkummar Rao rules and roars in a tenacious but tried-and-tested crime drama . In Firstpost . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao stands out in Pulkit's gangster drama, but it is not all ground-breaking . In India TV . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ 'Maalik' Movie Review: Old Wine Meets New Bottle, by Devesh Sharma . In Filmfare . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik movie review: Old wine, new swag, with a fiery Rajkummar Rao works in parts . In Hindustan Times (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 20 August 2025
- ↑ Maalik Movie Review: MAALIK is a routine gangster drama that treads familiar ground . In Bollywood Hungama , Bollywood Hungama . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik movie review: Rajkummar Rao film is predictable to a fault, by Shubhra Gupta . In The Indian Express . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ 'Maalik' movie review: Rajkummar Rao rules in this rambling action drama, by Anuj Kumar . In The Hindu (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik Movie Review: This Gangster Drama Falls Flat Despite Rajkummar Rao’s Fine Act, by Dhaval Roy . In The Times of India , Times Internet (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Review: Can't Root For This Maalik, by Deepa Gahlot . In Rediff.com , Rediff.com (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik Movie Review: A massy Rajkummar Rao in a messy actioner, by Shreyas Pande . In Cinema Express , The New Indian Express Group (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik review: Rajkummar Rao enjoys the gritty role, sadly, audiences don't, by Sana Farzeen . In India Today (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ 'Maalik' Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao is Trapped in a Stale Gangster Saga, by Rahul Desai . In The Hollywood Reporter India . Retrieved 11 July 2025
- ↑ Maalik box office collection day 1: Rajkummar Rao film fails to beat Bhool Chuk Maaf's opening day haul, earns ₹3 crore, by Riya Sharma . In Hindustan Times , HT Media (11 July 2025) . Retrieved 11 July 2025
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