Rajkummar Rao was nearly unrecognizable when he made his debut in Dibakar Banerjee’s outstanding Love Sex Aur Dhokha 15 years ago. He portrayed an unusual common man who engages in a sexual relationship with a saleswoman solely to boast about this accomplishment to his friends.

He even records the provocative and intense encounters that verge on the unsettling and eerie. Some of the subtleties of his performance are obscured by typical mass and masala remarks that, regrettably, never received the recognition they truly deserved. Following the pandemic, there has been an unhealthy fixation on watching bodies being mutilated and blood gushing from every conceivable organ. Consequently, the actor has joined this trend.

This not only enables him to satisfy the nation’s craving but also enhances his own abilities as a performer. In Maalik, we witness him in his most heroic role to date. He again plays an ordinary man confronted by overwhelming challenges. This is a theme that was brilliantly examined in films like Satya, Vaastav, and the mediocre Raees featuring Shah Rukh Khan. There’s a dream, but a single moment of reality alters everything.

The film is set in Allahabad, ensuring that the rustic essence and passion are well represented. Maalik is a spectacle of bone-crushing action, a bloodbath, and gunfire so intense that Sandeep Reddy Vanga would undoubtedly be pleased. There’s an appealing masala aspect reminiscent of Majboor baap and mazboot beta. Rao is thoroughly enjoying portraying this larger-than-life character, a departure from his previous roles.

The cast is nearly infectious. We have Saurabh Shukla and Prosenjit Chatterjee who clash with the titular character. Chatterjee makes his entrance in a scene that is contrasted by Maalik’s line stating that Hume Maarne Waala Paida Hi Nahin Hua. This is a conflict that Sanjay Gupta and Milan Luthria have exploited multiple times in their narratives. However, director Pulkit, who also created the meticulously crafted Bose with Rajkummar Rao, makes Maalik resilient even if the storyline is familiar.

Saurabh Shukla is charming and delightful, regardless of whose interests he supports. He can embody both evil and entertainment when immersed in a wicked environment, as demonstrated in Raid 2. Additionally, Saurabh Sachdeva makes a striking return to the big screen in a haunting manner unique to him. To soften the horror of his character, the filmmakers wisely cast Manushi Chhillar, who brings a refreshing presence and infuses Maalik’s suffocating life with a sense of lightness.

Another unavoidable aspect of narrating the story of a man who rises from the ashes is that he must eventually return to them. His fate has shaped him into who he is today, and it is nothing but Karma that leads him back to where it all started, or perhaps to where he could or should have gone.

However, the pressing question is how long this narrative device can endure. The intense visuals, the wounded spirits, the battered bodies, and the audacity of brutality—everything appears to have become more thrilling than disgusting. It seems nearly impossible to support the hero unless he inflicts some damage.

He can defend his people only after he has vanquished the monsters surrounding him. The subtle storytelling rooted in the heartland seems to have faded into obscurity. We can hardly produce titles like Gangaajal and Sehar anymore. We crave extravagant and exaggerated tales and characters. We desire the old wine, regardless of the bottle!