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In a cinematic landscape often crowded with gloss and formula, Rajkummar Rao’s gangster drama Maalik stands tall as a gritty, emotionally-charged drama that hits with both heart and heft.
Matching Rajkummar shoulder-to-shoulder is Miss World Manushi Chhillar, and the duo combined, with their respective transformative performances, anchor the film with raw intensity and realism.
While Rajkummar Rao outdoes himself in the role of a feared gangster with frightening ease, Manushi sheds all traces of glam to become Shalini, ‘Maalik Ki Mohabbat, his steadfast yet conflicted partner, caught in the moral crossfire of love and crime.
Together, they don’t just act, but inhabit their roles with such honesty that Maalik feels less like a film and more like a lived experience.
Miss World Manushi Chhillar deserves a special mention as she takes a bold step away from glam roles, and shines in the grounded and complex role of Shalini – ‘Maalik ki Mohabbat.’ She embodies a woman torn between loyalty and fear, love and logic. Her eyes carry the weight of someone who knows too much and has lost more.
Shalini is not just Maalik’s partner, but also his anchor, and his only whisper of sanity in his chaotic world. Manushi brings a surprising level of emotional depth to her role, proving her acting chops in what is arguably her most refined performance to date.
Together, Rajkummar and Manushi create magic on screen. Their chemistry feels lived-in, raw, and heartbreakingly real. Maalik doesn’t just tell a love story. It breathes it, aches with it.
Their journey feels as intimate as it is epic, taking the audience through life, love, loyalty, and loss without ever losing its emotional grip. If this is the beginning of their onscreen pairing, it’s a promising one, and we absolutely need to see more of this new pair.
