Malaal Film Review – For Love’s Sake

Malaal, directed by Mangesh Hadawale stars two debutant actors, one, Meezaan Jaffrey, son of veteran actor Javed Jaffrey and the other Sharmin Segal, niece of acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The story revolves around the relationship between a headstrong chawl-dweller Shiva Morey and Astha Tripathi his new neighbor coming from the upper-middle class. If this sounds familiar, it is because you may have seen this theme in many movies. Let us see in the Malaal film review the reasons why the audience may end up feeling likewise.

The first half of Malaal is a drag that tests your patience to sit through the film as much of it revolves around Shiva’s adverse reactions to his new neighbor, who he thinks is not his kind. Even the second half does not lift the boredom until almost the last half hour of the film. Some of the writing is unbelievably poor. You would have to try hard to suppress your laughter at some of the ludicrous dialogues. To add to that, newcomers Meezaan and Sharmin take time to find their strides. Moreover, the role of the supporting cast is not convincing, and apart from a few flashes that promise something better, Malaal doesn’t have much to write home about.

Scene after scene reeks of clichés that you have seen done much better in other similar movies. Also, the plot is somewhat regressive, and the film lacks a clear goal. Although Malaal is a love story, it does not resonate with the kind of emotions that would engage the audience, often leaning toward melodrama with not much by way of subtlety. The movie fluctuates between mediocre to just about unbearable.

Considering that the ending was the main draw here, the director could have put more emphasis on setting up the last act in a more effective manner. The unexpected finale appears a forced one, and in retrospect, it needed to have some relation to the rest of the film. Most of the opportunities that come along are squandered away as the narrative drifts aimlessly for nearly three-quarters of its runtime.

Debutants, Meezaan and Sharmin, show some promise, and it would not be fair to write them off based on just one performance, particularly given the shoddy script. Generally, Sharmin blends well in the role of a middle-class girl, Astha. Although she might not have the flair to make inroads into commercial cinema, middle-of-the-road movies might bring out the best in her. Remember Javed Jaffrey’s first film, Meri Jung? If you do, you may recollect his smooth dance moves, which cannot be seen in Meezaan just yet although he is still watchable as an adamant lover. Also, lack of any prominent actors means that it is left to the debutants to carry most of the movie on their young shoulders.

Malaal is a far cry from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opuses. There are no grand sets here, and the song and dance are not particularly memorable either. Meezaan will get a chance to prove himself in films with better scripts. Bhansali’s niece, Sharmin, can hope for the same. The debutant director of Malaal will find more engaging work in the days to come.

I would not recommend Malaal, and if you happen to watch it and sit through till the end, it would be an achievement in itself. The theatre where I saw Malaal had a scattered audience and nothing like an opening weekend crowd. If you are keen to watch Meezaan and Sharmin in their debut film, it might be a good idea to wait for Malaal to premiere on Cable TV or streaming.

Malaal film review rates Malaal (1.5 / 5)

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