Name: Nishaanchi
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: 2025-09-19
Rating: 6.4
Cast: Aaishvary Thackeray, Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

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A gritty crime drama about twin brothers whose choices diverge sharply between criminal paths and moral conscience. The story tests their familial bond through love, fate, and redemption.

Nishaanchi

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Anurag Kashyap's story is detailed and expansive. Prasoon Mishra, Ranjan Chanel and Anurag Kashyap's screenplay has loads of entertainment and drama. However, the writing gets stretched in several places. Prasoon Mishra, Ranjan Chanel and Anurag Kashyap's dialogues are one of the USPs.

Anurag Kashyap's direction is superb. This is a film in the GANGS OF WASSEYPUR zone; in fact, the story doesn’t end and there’s a second part in the offing as well. Many characters and even a few situations would remind one of the 2012 two-part classic. There's a lot of humour present in the narrative, but what stands out is the drama. The film starts at a certain point and Anurag hints at significant developments in the lives of the characters that have taken place already. It intrigues the viewers and doesn’t confuse thankfully. Soon, the flashback portions take over and they form a major chunk of the film. Interestingly, from the beginning portions, one gets a slight idea about what must have happened in the past. Yet, one looks forward to it when the past track unfolds. A few scenes that stand out are Jabardast (Viineet Kumar Singh) taking revenge and his scene in jail, Tony confronted by Rinku for the first time, Manjari warning Dabloo over falling for Rinku, Ambika attacked on his face etc. The climax is well executed and increases the expectation for the sequel.

On the flipside, the film is 179 minutes long. Though a lot is happening every minute, it does become tedious at times. There are too many songs and two of them could have been easily shortened. The intermission point is too serious. In fact, there are portions in the movie where the humour is non-existent; for a film promoted as a crime comedy, this might not be liked by those who have ventured to the cinemas, expecting some laughs. What adds to the minuses is that the makers haven’t promoted the fact that NISHAANCHI is a two-part saga. A section of the moviegoers might be dejected to learn that despite being a three-hour-long film, the story hasn’t ended and will continue in the next part. Lastly, the limited buzz can prove detrimental. 
Aaishvary Thackeray makes one of the finest debuts in recent times. In his first film, he plays two diverse roles and the manner in which he acts like a pro is seen to be believed. Monika Panwar excels. Initially, it felt like she might be too young for the role, but all doubts vanish in a few minutes. Vedika Pinto has limited screen time in the first half but goes to another level post-interval. Kumud Mishra is to NISHAANCHI what Tigmanshu Dhulia was to GANGS OF WASSEYPUR. He puts up a great act and watch out for how he has been de-aged. Viineet Kumar Singh has been credited under ‘very special appearance’. But he has a crucial role and yet again proves why he’s one of the finest actors of our time. Durgesh Kumar (Bank Security Guard) makes his presence felt with just one scene. Sahaarsh Shuklaa (Puraane), Shubham Tiwari (Hawa Hawai) and Murari Kumar (Baba Lasan) leave a mark. Rajesh Kumar (Bhola Pehalwan) does fine, but looks miscast for a role of this sort. Special mention should also go to Nitpreet Gorkhyal and Supreet Gorkhyal for playing the roles of young Babloo and young Dabloo, respectively. 
On the whole, NISHAANCHI is a gritty, engaging ride that reaffirms Anurag Kashyap’s knack for blending crime, drama, and dark humour into a compelling narrative. However, the three-hour runtime, the unexpected two-part format, limited buzz, and strong competition from JOLLY LLB 3 could restrict its box office reach.

Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Nishaanchi’ feels like a filmmaker returning to ground he knows well. The film clearly echoes ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ with its tale of revenge, family across generations, a large set of characters, and a rooted local setting. The film is set in Kanpur and dives into the world of family feuds, love, betrayal, and revenge. Kashyap creates a universe where every corner feels authentic, from the dialect to the characters’ body language. What makes ‘Nishaanchi’ interesting is not the story itself, which has familiar beats of crime and payback, but the way it is told—with detail, patience, and a certain dark humour. At the same time, the nearly three-hour runtime tests the viewer. There are stretches where nothing much happens, and the deliberate pace will not be for everyone. On top of that, the film is just the first part of a larger story, leaving the payoff for the sequel.
The plot follows twins Babloo and Dabloo (Aaishvary Thackeray). Babloo, brash and reckless, grows into a criminal, while Dabloo remains timid and dependent, living under his brother’s shadow. Their lives cross paths with Rinku (Vedika Pinto), a young woman who has lost her father and with him her stability. From being a kathak dancer, she is forced into performing at cheap local events, a fall that Kashyap portrays with sympathy but without melodrama. The film opens with a failed bank heist involving the three, after which Babloo lands in jail. The narrative then shifts to the past, introducing their parents, Manjiri (Monica Panwar) and Jabardast Singh (Vineet Singh). Both had dreams—Manjiri was a skilled shooter, Jabardast a wrestler—but politics and betrayals ended their hopes. Their so-called friend, Ambika Prasad (Kumud Mishra), emerges as the villain of the piece, setting up killings and eyeing property. When Babloo ends up working for him, matters turn personal as Babloo falls for Rinku, complicating loyalties further.
What keeps ‘Nishaanchi’ engaging is Kashyap’s knack for making the world of his story feel lived-in. Kanpur is not just a backdrop; it is part of the story. The local speech, the by-lanes, and the small-town politics all come together to form a believable environment. Even when the pace slackens, you feel absorbed because of how true the place feels. Kashyap also gives space to supporting characters, many of whom serve as comic relief. This helps balance the violence and tension with lighter moments. The film also spreads across years, moving between two generations, which makes it ambitious in scope. While comparisons to ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ are unavoidable because of the structure and setting, ‘Nishaanchi’ has its own flavour and does not feel like a repeat.
Performances are a strong point. Aaishvary Thackeray impresses in his debut by playing both twins with conviction. He manages to make Babloo and Dabloo feel completely different, which is not easy in a double role. Vedika Pinto as Rinku is equally strong, portraying both her struggles and her inner strength with conviction. She brings warmth to a character that could have easily been reduced to just a victim. Monica Panwar as Manjiri shows promise but feels miscast as the mother of grown sons. Kumud Mishra as Ambika Prasad brings quiet menace and will likely have more to do in the sequel. The supporting cast, even in small roles, makes an impression, which is one of Kashyap’s hallmarks.
‘Nishaanchi’ is not a perfect film, but it is a compelling one. The runtime is heavy, and the songs don’t stay with you, but the world Kashyap builds and the performances make it worth sitting through. It mixes crime, comedy, and family drama in a way that feels both old-school and new. More than anything, it shows Kashyap in control of his material again, something missing in his recent films. ‘Nishaanchi’ may only be Part One, but it leaves you curious about what comes next. If Kashyap keeps the momentum, Part Two could be even stronger.

Ever sat down at a dinner where there are too many delicacies to offer? While some are to die for, others also make for a hearty meal. But at the end of it, you realise how much you (over) indulged, leaving you with an uneasy feeling. That's exactly what happens with Anurag Kashyap's 'Nishaanchi'. It has drama, humour, romance, action, and some spectacular performances, but it all becomes too much to digest when the almost three-hour film wraps up.
'Nishaanchi' starts on a powerful note as Anurag Kashyap opens the film in Kanpur, 2006, with the loud sound of azaan ringing in the city, with the temple bells joining seconds later. It can only happen in a Kashyap film, and we watch it for that magic.
We are soon introduced to a set of twin brothers, Babloo (alias Tony Mantena) and Dabloo, both beautifully played by debutant Aaishvary Thackeray. Along with their accomplice Rinku (Vedika Pinto), they decide to rob a bank, but Babloo gets caught while escaping. The adventurous ride then kicks off, taking us back in time to when they weren't born, and then how the family got involved with Ambika Prasad (Kumud Mishra), the man who changed their fate quite a few times.
The highlight of the film is the flashback sequence of Viineet Kumar Siingh and Monika Panwar. Brought together by their passion for sports, the couple's chemistry and love story are an absolute delight to watch. Added to that, the actors give such strong performances that you almost feel like it's their film at one point. Siingh, as the struggling wrestler Jabardast, emotes the frustration of a man wanting to prove his worth but being weighed down by politics. On the other hand, Monika plays Manjari, a strong-willed woman who manages to build a family with equality, and knows how to give back to men with roving eyes.

The second half of the film pushes the focus back on Aaishvary Thackeray. The actor aces the dual parts, keeping both personalities in stark contrast. Having watched 'Scarface' in the juvenile centre, Babloo is inspired by Tony Montana, even rechristening himself after him. He wears jazzy clothes with netted vests, and shoots people on a whim. Dabloo, on the other hand, is the saint-like twin, soft-spoken, kind, and even looking after their mother while his brother was in jail. But no points for guessing who the mummy's favourite is and who manages to woo the girl.
It is also the same girl who creates turmoil in Babloo's otherwise sorted criminal journey. And it is the same girl who will become the bone of contention between the twins in part two. Yes, Anurag Kashyap's film will have a sequel, and the makers already have a surprise ready for the post-credits.

While entertaining, Kashyap's film falls into the usual Bollywood trope: a good and an evil twin brother with a widowed mother, a complicated love angle, crime versus conscience arcs, family betrayal, and secrets that can break hearts and even relationships.

What works for 'Nishaanchi' is the humour with which the director tells an otherwise typical potboiler drama. Be it Rajesh Kumar's horrendous English translations, expecting his wrestlers to die, or Manjari warning her son to know the difference between 'bhabhi and friend', the makers make the most of the UP dialect, words and mannerisms.

The dialogues are not just crack-witted but also soaked in wisdom. When the anguished widow says that 'mard aurat ko devi sirf apne faide ke liye banata hai', you cannot help but ponder the bitter truth.

In a recent interview, the filmmaker had claimed that he wants to undo 'Gangs of Wasseypur' with 'Nishaanchi'. And while you can sense Kashyap deliberately stepping away from the dark, sprawling grit of 'GoW' towards a more colourful, indulgent potboiler, the film often circles back to the same world of quirky criminals, twisted family ties and filmy references.
Vedika lights up the film, and her cabaret act, reminiscent of Sapna Chaudhary, is sure to win her more fans. Her Rinku is as powerful and gutsy as Babloo, or maybe even more. And the same goes for Manjari. The way Anurag writes his women in tales focusing on guns and gaalis is what makes the most difference. And for now, all we can be hopeful of is that it continues in the next part.

P.S. But Anurag, get your editors to sharpen their scissors for part two, please.

The best thing about Nishaanchi is that we have Anurag Kashyap returning to his comfort zone: The rustic heartlands.

The film relies on a well-worn story, all the way down to the Hindi cinema's classic narrative tropes baap ka badla and pyaar ke liye kuch bhi with an ample display of Kashyap style humour, quirk, language, and music.

The last time it happened, we got the explosive Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012 that still has its cultural footprint in the pop culture today.

Kashyap takes a departure from the more brooding, gritty narratives, and goes all out in this latest outing that is really the 'most filmi' film of his career as the director earlier said, where the lead pair even breaks into song and dance!
There's a lot of fun to have here, but deliberate or not, the hangover of Wasseypur looms large on Nishaanchi. That's both exciting and a deterrance.

While it is not a homerun for Kashyap, there's enough joy in this audience pleaser.

 
The story is set in early 2000s Uttar Pradesh and follows the intertwined lives of twins Babloo and Dabloo (debutant Aaishvary Thackeray in a double role), raised by their single mother Manju (Monika Panwar).

While Dabloo is shy and timid, Babloo is brash and flamboyant and is so inspired by Al Pacino's villain protagonist from Scarface that he mars his face as a teenager and calls himself Tony Montana.

Babloo works as a henchman for Ambika Prasad (Kumud Mishra), a local gangster who was once friends with the twins' deceased father (Viineet Kumar Siingh).

A rift happens between Babloo and Ambika when he refuses to kill Rinku (Vedika Pinto), who had refused to evict her familial house that Ambika is pining for.

Like a true blue masala entertainer, there's a lot going on in Nishaanchi.

It packs in a love story, family drama, crime saga and gangster drama, into a loaded storyline that tries to accommodate at least half a dozen central characters much like Gangs of Wasseypur.

The film mostly does a fair job of managing the chaos, but the inherent problem with Nishaanchi is that the story isn't as vast in scope as Wasseypur, and after a while, the arc of the story becomes annoyingly predictable.
Kashyap's mastery can be seen in the way he handles his actors, and the cast is excellent in their oversized performances.

Debutant Aaishvary Thackeray captures the essence, dialect and inherent charm of contrasting styles and comes off utterly believable as twin brothers. He also effortlessly blends with the raw and rural setting, and is a good match to his seasoned co-star Kumud Mishra.

Monika Panwar comes across as miscast in the initial portions as a mother of two adults, but the actor puts an acerbic performance that quickly grows on you.

In one scene, the way she gives back to a lustful man is cinematic gold that only an Anurag Kashyap heroine can pull off.

Vedika Pinto puts in another antithesis of the Hindi film heroine as a firecracker Rinku, but her character remains mostly unconvincing as you wonder why someone would hold up with Babloo's criminal activities.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub appears as a minor character of a crooked cop, and while the actor is in usual fine form, his role feels terribly underutilised.

By the time we reach the climax, Nishaanchi meanders and struggles to get much mileage out of the thin material, only to end on a dreadful to-be-continued note that makes you wonder if a sequel was even necessary here.

If only Kashyap knew when to cut short the indulgence and walk away.

Marking a buoyant return for Anurag Kashyap to the gangster drama genre, Nishaanchi serves up a campy broth with a generous sprinkling of retro Bollywood ingredients that dissolve into each other in unpredictable ways.

Written by Kashyap with Rajan Chandel and Prasoon Mishra, Nishaanchi brims with raw action, earthy humour and gnarled emotions that frequently unleash full-blown violence. Notwithstanding its ups and downs, the film retains its crackle all the way through.

Set in Kanpur in the years leading up to and beyond the turn of the millennium, the gritty film homes in on a family sucked into the world of crime by rage and retribution.

The family of four suffers the repercussions of impulsive acts, including a life-altering tragedy, but is held together by a woman who is no Nirupa Roy. She is the antithesis of the silent, long-suffering mother of Hindi cinema's chequered past.
Debutant Aaishvary Thackeray, who plays a double role, is ably supported by Vedika Pinto as the male protagonist's romantic interest who is much more than just that. Her character holds her own in the midst of rampaging men, including one with raging hormones that he can barely control.

More than anybody else, it is Monika Panwar, an actress in her early 30s rather oddly cast as the mother of a pair of terribly trouble-prone teenage twins, who stands out. Hers is a quietly smouldering presence that stands in direct contrast to the several facets of masculinity that clash and implode around her.
Cinematographer Sylvester Fonseca's camera follows the characters into the cramped spaces and tight spots that they get into as they battle for survival and supremacy and captures their restless striving for elbow room.

Nishaanchi abounds in murderous brawls in prison cells (and elsewhere), shootouts in smoky, dimly lit watering holes, chases through narrow bylanes, and manic moves in dance and wrestling arenas. The cinematographer knows exactly where his camera and lights have got to be.

With a quirky, jaunty medley of songs serving as conduits for shifts in mood, emotion and tonal emphasis, Nishaanchi recalls Gangs of Wasseypur while paying a breezy, breathless hommage to 1980s and 1990s Bollywood. Although it is sans the sweep and range of GoW, it hits its chosen targets often enough.

It is replete with references to Hindi popular cinema of a certain vintage as it careens through a tale of a bunch of men and a pair of women caught in and fighting off a web of betrayals and reprisals.

Nishaanchi has a subversive soul that does not shout from rooftops. The first sound that we hear in the film is a muezzin's call to prayer. It is followed by the gentle clanging of temple bells. The aural juxtaposition not only tells us what time of day it is, it also emphasises the pluralistic ethos that once defined the place.

A mother figure abjures the use of sindoor for she sees it as a symbol of gender subjugation. And a wrestlers' akhara is named Desh Premee Vyayamshala, a place where the goings-on are anything that the nation can be proud of.

At the centre of a plot that moves back and forth between the 1990s and the noughties are two boys born ten minutes apart. Their father is a feared wrestler (Vineet Kumar Singh in an extended cameo) who is wronged by the head of the akhara (Rajesh Kumar). Angered, he kills a man and sets off a chain of events.

The mother of the siblings is a former shooting champion, Manjari (Monika Panwar), who gives up her personal pursuits for matrimony and motherhood but continues to stick to her guns as crisis situations threaten the family.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth are ever-present in spirit in Nishaanchi, but the twins, Babloo and Dabloo (both Aaishvary Thackeray), are a combination of the siblings of Deewaar and the brothers in Ram Aur Shyam.

Babloo, who assumes the name of Tony Mantena (a nod to Al Pacino's Tony Montana in Scarface), and even sports the facial scar of a self-inflicted wound, is tough and reckless. At age 10, in 1996, the boy is Kanpur Dehat's undisputed gulel (sling-shot) champ, thanks to the grooming he receives from his markswoman-mother.

Babloo quickly learns how to use a knife and a gun because treachery hounds him and his family at every step. Much of his troubles stem from his father's friend and land shark Ambika Prasad (Kumud Mishra), who makes Babloo a key member of his ragtag gang after he is released from his first term in jail.

Dabloo, in contrast, is meek and self-effacing, an attribute that is made amply clear in the film's delightfully off-kilter opening sequences that give the audience a sense of both the time and the setting of the action. The two brothers and Babloo's danseuse-girlfriend Rinku (Vedika Pinto) attempt a daring early morning bank heist in Kanpur city.

The hold-up goes awry. The cops nab Babloo. In police custody, the daroga (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) roughs him up before sending him to trial. Dabloo goes scot-free. Babloo is sentenced to seven years in jail for the second time in his young career in crime.

With Babloo in the slammer, Rinku is left to stave off Ambika's henchmen men who want to grab her house. She is no pushover. She receives unexpected assistance from Dabloo, who develops feelings for the girl but nurtures no hope of ever getting her. He is reconciled to always playing second fiddle.

Nishaanchi does not to go off the boil even when the pace of its ambling, decades-spanning three-hour narrative tends to slacken. A turning point right at the end of the film - it reveals a truth that everybody other than Rinku has been in the know of - sets up a second part.

Doppelgänger twins. One is naïve and timid. Brother number two is a street-smart outlaw. They’ve a common love interest. And then there’s one Mother India. One deshbhakti song. A corrupt policeman. An even more corrupt and ruthless antagonist. Too many betrayals. Too many revenge games. And a pulsating background score. Feeling nostalgic? Well, the good news is that you don’t need to revisit the glorious and gregarious masala actioners and spaghetti westerns of the seventies and the eighties. Because Anurag Kashyap’s Nishaanchi has just been released.

If you were anticipating a third Gangs Of Wasseypur, go and watch Nishaanchi. It has a heavy hangover of the former. In a way, Anurag has paid a homage to his most successful work with his latest work. And in a scene in Nishaanchi, a character says, ‘Bollywood ke bina kauno jindagi kaise jiye?’ And that perfectly sums up the film. This is Bollywood in all its glory. This is a love letter, a true-blue tribute to Bollywood – not Hindi cinema. It’s riveting, it’s charming, it’s chaotic, it’s fun, it’s vintage, it’s
Nishaanchi opens in Kanpur of 2006. The introduction montage gives us a local essence of the town – narrow alleyways and above them a tangle of crisscrossed electric cables with Azan playing in the background. It cuts to a chole-kachori stall and the music shifts to a Bollywood number playing on the radio. Without wasting any time, Anurag introduces us to Dabloo, threatening a bank manager to let him break in. Wearing a pair of sunglasses and a balaclava, he nervously reads out the threat message from a piece of paper.

It states that if he doesn’t oblige, he’ll be reduced to a can of tobacco. Neither do we nor the characters in the film know what that means. But we laugh. And that perfectly sets the tone and mood of the narrative. It’s wildly chaotic, even riotous. There’s almost always an impending pandemonium in the vicinity. And yet, there’s a method to this madness. Coming back to the plot, Dabloo is soon joined by his twin brother Babloo, who now calls himself Toni Mantena, to rob the bank. But inspector Kalam reaches there and catches Babloo.
And he’s sentenced to seven years in jail. It’s then revealed that he spent his adolescent years in prison too. This gang of robbers, consisting of the brothers, has a third member – Rangeeli Rinku known as ‘Kanpur ki item bomb’, who reminds you of Sapna Chaudhary. She’s a dancer at a local pub frequented by married men. Once Babloo goes to jail and Rinku is forced to leave her family home after being threatened by Ambika Prasad, she starts staying with Dabloo and his mother, Manjari. But Manjari has a long-standing rivalry with Ambika.

In an elaborate flashback sequence, we learn that Manjiri’s husband Jabardast and Ambika were friends. But circumstances led Ambika to show his true colours. He licentiously tried to woo Manjiri and she ended up throwing him out of the house. Years later, Babloo starts working with Ambika and becomes his right-hand, unaware of the fact that he had a role to play in his father’s death. When Babloo commits his first murder as a pre-teen, it was under the tutelage of Ambika.
At 2 hours 56 minutes, you may feel that Nishaanchi is losing its pace in bits and parts, and yet manages to keep you hooked for the most part. It’s packed with moments so funny and entertaining that you’ll find yourself cracking up every now and then. Like Gangs Of Wasseypur, Nishaanchi too relies on situational humour (there’s a sign that states ‘this is a mango road’) and typical Kanpuri twang to evoke chuckles. There are so many of such moments that it would be unfair to pick one. And what further up the film’s humour quotient are its songs.

There’s a track called Dear Country that’s written earnestly but also so riotously that you won’t be able to hold yourself together. Another track called Raja Hindustani is an amalgamation of film titles. It’s absurd but oh, so amusing! In fact, references are made to popular Hindi film titles many times. In a scene, Babloo worries if his love story will be like Mughal-e-Azam or Hum Aapke Hai Koun but then pacifies himself saying that both were blockbusters. In another, he tells Rinku that he learnt how to kiss a girl from Raja Hindustani. In yet another, he shoots down a man to the beats of Dhina Dhin Dha from My Name Is Lakhan.

Anurag’s fascination for bizarre names continue with Nishaanchi. If Gangs Of Wasseypur had Perpendicular, Definite and Tangent, this one has Purana, Ajeeb, Jabardast, Lehsun and Hawa Hawaii. Nishaanchi deserves a watch for many reasons but a key one is its texture. It’s so rooted in the heartland that it smells of Kanpur. The colour schemes and the cinematography deserve a mention. And we get a generous taste of the same in the Filam Dekho title card sequence. The visuals are colourful, bold, edgy, playful, irreverent – immediately positioning you in the world of Nishaanchi.

This is one of those rare films that has a stronger second half. It’s the flashback sequence in the first half featuring Jabardast and Manjiri that steals the thunder from Babloo, Rinku and Dabloo. The screenplay splashed with rustic cinematic vibes and colloquial touches is elevated by some incredible performances by the cast. Aaishvary Thackeray is a surprise package. He plays both Babloo and Dabloo effortlessly, like a seasoned actor. Through his performance, he highlights the distinction between these starkly contrasting characters and hits it out of the park with each scene.

A complete package, he has an impeccable comic timing and is an ace performer, hitting the right notes even in the dramatic scenes with utmost conviction. His vulnerability, his fierceness will pierce you. But this is no one-man’s show. Monika Panwar deserves the loudest cheer, sometimes reminding you of Richa Chadha’s Nagma Khatoon in Gangs Of Wasseypur. She brings a rare restraint to the table and grasps the body language of a middle-aged woman with finesse. When she’s onscreen, she truly commands your attention.

Vedika Pinto as Rinku is impressive too. She’s refreshing. She shuns the sheen and lets her raw performance do all the talking. The innocence in her eyes becomes her biggest weapon and she stands out for her old-world Bollywood charm. Viineet Kumar Siingh in his cameo as Jabardast is unmissable. He takes the film several notches higher by sinking so deep into his character that you won’t be able to differentiate Viineet from Jabardast. Kumud Mishra plays antagonist Ambika with an envious and admirable thehrav.

Nishaanchi is not a story. It’s a swagger-soaked saga. It’s rough-edged, earthy, delirious and unapologetically bizarre and revels in its maximalism. It has anarchy written all over it. In its own warped way, it’s a reflection of the land it comes from – not always prim but bustling with character and chutzpah, impossible to look away from. And you won’t miss Sneha Khanwilkar because Anurag Saikia, Manan Bharadwaj and Dhruv Ghanekar have built a soundscape that’s rich in folk, funk and filmi-ness. Is Nishaanchi as good as Gangs Of Wasseypur? Is Anurag Kashyap back? ‘Filam Dekho’ and find out.

Anurag Kashyap, the master craftsman known for delivering classics like Black Friday, Gulaal, No Smoking, Dev D, Raman Raghav 2.0 and Ugly, among others, showed his entertaining commercial side with two parts of Gangs of Wasseypur, which has garnered a ‘cult’ following among the cinegoers. Now, the glimpse and assets of Nishaanchi somehow took me on a nostalgic trip to GOW. While the promotional material looked impressive, let’s see whether it makes a mark or not…
The story of Nishaanchi is set in Kanpur in the year 2006, where twin brothers Babloo and Dabloo (Aaishvary Thackeray) attempt to do a bank robbery along with the former’s love interest Rinku (Vedika Pinto). However, Babloo gets caught by the police and is sentenced to 7 years.
While Babloo is fearless and street smart, Dabloo is naive and mellow, exactly the opposite of his brother. Babloo tells Dabloo to look after Rinku since he is going to jail, but has no idea that even his brother had feelings for her. Manjiri (Monika Panwar), Babloo and Dabloo’s mother, a woman of principles and a former shooting champion, tries her best to give the best upbringing to his children in tough circumstances
n the flashback portion of 1996, young Babloo and Dabloo (Nitpreet Gorkhyal, Supreet Gorkhyal) are shown to establish the core characteristics, with the brilliant Viineet Kumar Siingh portraying the role of their father, Jabardast.

With the non-linear editing and storytelling, rustic set-up and desi dialogues, Nishaanchi beautifully unfolds as a revenge crime drama with a musical touch.

Anurag Kashyap masterfully and smoothly captures the essence of Dehat Kanpur and gives his traditional and signature style of entertainment, which indeed turns out to be a joyful cinematic experience.
However, the runtime of almost three hours with several situational songs might act as a speedbreaker. Also, the shooting style and the atmosphere will take you on a nostalgic trip to Gangs of Wasseypur.

The biggest plus of Nishaanchi is the impeccable performances of its ensemble cast. Aaishvary Thackeray makes an impressive and shining debut as he plays both characters with ease and finesse. Right from Babloo’s anger and naughtiness to Dabloo’s innocence and fear, Aaishvary hit every note perfectly. Monika, as Manjiri, is powerful and dominates the screen with her impactful portrayal. Vedika is luminous as Rinku, while Kumud Mishra and  Girish Sharma are simply outstanding.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub makes an impact in his limited screentime, but Viineet Kumar Siingh turns out to be one of the biggest highlights of the film.

On the whole, Nishaanchi is an out-and-out commercial entertainer with a signature Anurag Kashyap style.

Nishaanchi - Official Trailer | In Cinemas - September 19 | Amazon MGM Studios India

Nishaanchi - Official Teaser | In Cinemas - September 19 | Amazon MGM Studios India

Aaishvary Thackeray

Vedika Pinto is an Indian model, dancer, and actress who is best known for starring in the music video 'Liggi' by Ritviz, in which she portrays the role of a bold, wild, and fearless bride.

Vedika Pinto

Monika Panwar

Kumud Mishra

Mohammed Zeeshan is an actor recognized for his work in Hindi movies. Before entering films, he completed his theater training from the prestigious National School of Drama, New Delhi. In 2011, he made his Bollywood debut with the biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica and went on to appear in films like Tanu Weds Manu: Returns, Shahid, Phantom, Tubelight, Jannat 2 and Raanjhanaa.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

Nishaanchi

Nishaanchi(2025)

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