India, July 11 -- Guns, blood, violence, gore- don't these all already bore? Not really, when in the hands of talented actors. If there's one thing that Maalik gets right from the start, it's casting Rajkummar Rao, an unlikely action hero. Think of him in this film as a long-lost sibling of his own badass babua Pritam Vidrohi from Bareilly Ki Barfi.

Now, we come to Maalik. There's nothing here we haven't seen before - a commoner in the Allahabad of the 1990s rises up after being wronged, becomes powerful, and then faces a downfall. From a novelty standpoint, Maalik has nothing new to offer. But the way it unfolds is interesting. The first half is undoubtedly more entertaining, as you get drawn into Maalik's world.

Directed by Pulkit, wh...