New Delhi, Oct. 29: Sheikh Shafique, 23, is shy, uncomfortable in conversations and looks nothing like a superhero in his twig-thin frame.

But like Clark Kent, the character in Superman films and comics, this reticent power-loom worker too hopes to use his cloak and skin-hugging jumpsuit to transform the world — his world, the north Maharashtra town of Malegaon.

Led by a small-time video-parlour owner, and aided by a single handycam, a team of amateur filmmakers is slowly giving its hometown, known for communal tension and blasts, an alternative claim to fame.

A series of low-cost, high-profit spoofs, first on Bollywood hits and now on Superman — and a documentary on their work by another film-maker — have earned them an international audience and even transformed their Bollywood heroes into their fans.

“It feels like a dream. But this dream isn’t just about us; it is about Malegaon,” said Shaikh Nassir, the 33-year-old video parlour owner who heads the team.

The group is here to attend the Osian Film Festival where the documentary by Faiza Ahmed Khan on their work has drawn a response that has forced organisers to plan additional, unscheduled shows.

The documentary, Supermen of Malegaon, plays on the title of their latest spoof, Malegaon ka Superman, in which Shafique plays the superhero out to tackle the menace of an evil gutka king.

Akram Khan, a 40-year-old photo studio owner in Malegaon, plays Ding Dong Ding, the gutka king who wants to lure all children into chewing gutka. His signature move: a gutka spit.

“The original Superman film has great action and visuals but what specific social issue does it tackle which Indians can relate to? We wanted to use Superman to spread awareness about tobacco and polio drops,” Akram said.

Faiza Ahmed Khan’s documentary, shown at several international and Indian film festivals over the past year, may have helped the group earn fame outside Malegaon.

But their journey as Malegaon’s heroes began a decade ago when Nassir decided to use a rented handycam to make a film about the town.

The movie buff who used to edit some of the Bollywood and Hollywood films shown at his video parlour — Jackie Chan and Jet Li are his favourites — had begged his family and friends for a loan.

On a budget of Rs 50,000, he made Malegaon ke Sholay, where Rubber Singh replaces Gabbar Singh and attacks villagers with his henchmen on cycles instead of horses. Bas anti is called Basmati in the film.

Nassir and Akram, childhood friends, showed the film at Nassir’s own parlour, charging Rs 10 tickets and raking in Rs 2 lakh. “Suddenly, people at every street corner were talking about the film. We became celebrities in Malegaon,” Nassir said.

Malegaon ki Shaan and Malegaon ka Don followed, each earning them profits, before the team moved to Superman. Malegaon ka Spiderman is next in line.

Nassir looks out on his own for local actors who can fit the characters in his mind. Initially, he would persuade them to work for free. “But now, as the films are doing well, people have started asking for money.”

Their films are peppered with references to issues that face Malegaon residents daily.

“Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai sab ke dil ka pyara; Superman, Malegaon ka main Superman (I’m the Superman of Malegaon, loved by all communities),” plays in the background in clips of the Superman film which Nassir enthusiastically shows on his mobile phone.

The team’s ambitions, for now at least, are limited to Malegaon, despite interest shown by top Bollywood filmmakers. “I want to be able to make films my way. I can’t work under orders from someone else,” Nassir said.

But the group, clearly the stars of the film festival, couldn’t hide their blushes even in a darkened auditorium when actor Rishi Kapoor and director Imtiaz Ali asked the audience to applaud them.

“After all, we were Rishiji’s fans before any of us even dreamt of making films,” Nassir smiled sheepishly.