Nasir Shaikh, a former attendant at his family’s video parlor, used his phone camera to fix his hair before stepping onto the red carpet, in blue, to attend the opening of a film based on his life in Mumbai. Despite his movies, made with a simple camcorder and ragtag cast, being far from big-budget blockbusters, Mr. Shaikh was celebrated as a cinematic dreamer in India’s film industry, Bollywood. Three decades ago, he envisioned creating a film industry in Malegaon, his hometown known for textile mills. His formula for “Mollywood,” involved creating comedies set in Malegaon, with characters played by locals, using costumes from thrift stores and substitute shifts at the mill. His first film was a parody of the hit “Sholay,” tweaking names to avoid copyright issues. Over time, the industry changed, and Mr. Shaikh faced bureaucracy and legal issues forcing him to stop making films. His legacy persisted thanks to a 2008 documentary about the making of “Superman” in Malegaon. A biopic about him, “Superboys of Malegaon,” was later produced, directed by Zoya Akhtar, whose father was a co-writer of “Sholay.” The biopic explores the passion for cinema in places like Malegaon and what it means to see oneself represented in art. Observers note how despite changes, the love for cinema and the escape it provides remains in Malegaon, with posters lining alleys and video parlors still operating. In these parlors, locals find respite from the mechanical sounds of the mills. Even today, Mr. Shaikh is contemplating future projects, from YouTube shows to films, while trying to establish an electronics shop for his sons.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/world/asia/india-superboys-of-malegaon.html