Actor Rajkummar Rao’s dreaded gangster unleashes a barrage of bullets and ruthlessly stabs a person to death in Maalik teaser, dropped by production banner Tips Films on Thursday.
The one-minute-21-second-long video offers a gritty glimpse into the rise of a man from modest beginnings to the peak of power. The film is set in Allahabad of 1988. “There are two types of people in society. One who sweat to earn their bread, and the other who sweat and bleed to snatch their due,” says Rajkummar’s character at the beginning of the video as he brutally murders a man in public and then sets his corpse on fire.
“I was not born a Maalik but I will become one,” says Rajkummar’s character, clad in a blood-soaked white kurta.
The trailer also suggests that despite being a dangerous criminal, Rajkummar’s character is a beloved leader of the people.
After his roles in last year’s Stree 2, Srikanth, Mr & Mrs Mahi and Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, Maalik marks a significant shift in Rajkummar’s cinematic journey.
Ahead of the teaser release, the actor dropped a motion poster of the upcoming film. A bloodied Rajkummar looks fierce in the visual. His tousled hair and rugged beard add to the character’s intense look.
Pulkit, who helmed Dedh Bigha Zameen with Pratik Gandhi and Bhakshak featuring Bhumi Pednekar in 2024, takes the director's chair for the upcoming crime drama.
Set to hit screens on July 11, Maalik is produced by Kumar Taurani and Jay Shewakramani under the banners of Tips Films and Northern Lights Films.
Sachin Sanghvi and Jigar Saraiya serve as the music composers for the upcoming film, while Amitabh Bhattacharya serves as the lyricist.
The film was first announced on Rajkummar’s 40th birthday in August last year. “#Maalik ki duniya mein aapka Swagat hai. Shoot shuru ho chuka hai, jald hi mulaqat hogi,” he had written alongside a poster of the film.
Rajkummar’s latest big screen outing Bhool Chuk Maaf, co-starring Wamiqa Gabbi, has earned Rs 61.15 crore nett in India since its May 23 release.
The 40-year-old actor is also set to star in the upcoming Netflix comedy film Toaster.
