Nishaanchi Movie Review: Anurag Kashyap is the kind of filmmaker cinephiles instinctively want to cheer on. You want to tell him: go, make the films you want to make. But words of encouragement can only do so much. For a hot-blooded maverick like Kashyap to truly thrive, he needs an atmosphere that allows him to be as unfiltered as he once was. If his recent work feels restrained - lacking the raw anguish we associate with him (never mind that he made Return of Hanuman during his peak years) - perhaps the invisible pressures of today’s climate are partly to blame. ‘Nishaanchi’ Review: Critics Praise Aaishvary Thackeray’s Crime Drama as ‘Out-and-Out Commercial Entertainer’ With Signature Anurag Kashyap Style.

So what can a filmmaker like Kashyap do when half his films never see a theatrical release and the ones that do sink faster than you can shout "help"? He can return to the formula that once redefined Indian cinema: Gangs of Wasseypur. With Nishaanchi, Kashyap revives the black humour, eccentric criminals with even quirkier names, fierce female characters, and multi-generational revenge drama set against the dusty lanes of Uttar Pradesh. But does this story need such a setup - or does the setup overwhelm the story it wants to tell?

'Nishaanchi' Movie Review - The Plot

Set in Kanpur, we meet Babloo and Dabloo (both played by debutant Aaishvary Thackeray), identical twins with wildly different temperaments. Babloo is a firebrand criminal obsessed with Scarface’s Tony Montana - he even carves a scar into his own face. Dabloo, by contrast, is timid but loyal, often dragged into Babloo’s crimes. Their personalities clash, but they share an unwavering love for two women: their mother, Manjari (Monika Panwar), and Rangeeli Rinku (Vedika Pinto), a feisty nautch girl who falls for Babloo precisely because of his criminal swagger.

Watch the Trailer of 'Nishaanchi':

The twins’ lives are shadowed by Ambika Prasad (Kumud Mishra), their late father’s former associate and Babloo’s old employer. Whether Ambika’s manipulations or their mutual love for Rinku ultimately drive a wedge between the brothers forms the crux of the narrative.

'Nishaanchi' Movie Review - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly of Anurag Kashyap

Nishaanchi is a reminder of why Kashyap commands such respect as a storyteller - and also of what happens when his creativity doesn’t evolve beyond its familiar beats. It’s a film you want to love because the performances crackle, the humour is wicked, and the character dynamics are beautifully crafted. But as a whole, it occasionally feels excessive and overindulgent.

At nearly three hours, Nishaanchi is Kashyap’s longest film yet, and it even teases a sequel - though the lukewarm box-office response may complicate that plan. Unlike Gangs of Wasseypur, which spanned three generations and examined how a family’s feuds shaped an entire region, Nishaanchi feels far more insular, its narrative not quite deserving of such an epic runtime.

Still, Kashyap’s audacity is evident from the first frame, where the sound of a mosque prayer blends into temple bells before plunging us into the narrow lanes of Kanpur. The Mallu cinephile in me was instantly happy to spot a Lijo Jose Pelissery cameo, even with its whole randomness. The opening bank heist is vintage Kashyap: darkly funny, kinetic, and instantly establishes both the plot and the dual protagonists.

From there, the film explores the twins’ complicated relationships - with their mother, with Rinku, and with the men who seek to control them, including the corrupt Inspector Kamal Ajeeb (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub). Kashyap’s touch is unmistakable in the way he carves out distinct personalities: Babloo’s flamboyance, Dabloo’s quiet resilience, Rinku’s refusal to bow down, and Manjari’s simmering anguish.

Individually, these moments are rewarding. Take the flashback to the twins’ father, Jabardast (Vineet Kumar Singh): his tender romance with Manjari, her influence on Babloo’s path to becoming a nishaanchi (marksman), and his guilt-ridden confrontation with violence after his first kill are all poignant. But stitched together, these sequences often drag, stretching an already lengthy runtime. At times, the film feels like it was initially conceived as a web series before being compressed into a (very long) feature. The songs, too, feel intrusive, adding to the sluggishness.

'Nishaanchi' Movie Review - The Performances

Aaishvary Thackeray is impressive in his debut, convincingly portraying two distinct personalities. Unsurprisingly, Babloo - aka Tony - is the more magnetic of the pair, but Thackeray makes Dabloo’s vulnerability felt as well. Vedika Pinto is a natural as Rinku, balancing allure and agency with ease. Exclusive: ‘Nishaanchi’ Director Anurag Kashyap on ‘Saiyaara’ vs ‘War 2’, Ahaan Panday and Aishvary Thackeray’s Friendship, and More (Watch Video).

Casting Monika Panwar as the twins’ mother is a double-edged choice. While she’s outstanding in the role - her youthful energy lends Manjari complexity, and her chemistry with Vineet Kumar Singh is a highlight - the age gap between Panwar and Thackeray is distracting in the present-day scenes. It feels like Kashyap wanted Manjari to retain a certain allure for narrative reasons, but the visual mismatch is hard to ignore.

Kumud Mishra brings a sly menace to Ambika, while Zeeshan Ayyub is unfortunately underutilised. Vineet Kumar Singh, in his extended cameo, makes a strong impression.

'Nishaanchi' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Nishaanchi is Kashyap at both his best and most indulgent. It’s brimming with bold ideas, memorable characters, and wicked humour, but its sprawling runtime and occasional narrative detours keep it from reaching the heights of his earlier work. For fans of Kashyap, this is still a worthy watch - if you have the patience for its excesses.

Rating:2.5

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2025 03:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).