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| Bablu and Dablu in a scene from Nishaanchi. |
What’s remarkable about this film is that it feels like a literary piece with a pulse—it entertains you in its own unique rhythm while moving forward unburdened by expectations. It doesn’t care about audience anticipation; it just is.
And let’s be clear: don’t watch it thinking, “Is this Gangs of Wasseypur?” Comparing it to that would only block the filmmaker from exploring new territory. Instead, this film feels fresh, innovative, and unapologetically free from formula. Even Anurag Kashyap avoids repeating his own tricks—a rare feat in today’s cinema, where repetition has become almost a disease.
Sit back with a fresh mind. Don’t wait for laughter, whistles, or applause. Just watch. And yes, Part 2 is on the horizon.
At its core, the story echoes Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment (1866). An impoverished student, believing that higher goals justify crime, kills a pawnbroker. That’s the DNA of Nishaanchi. Here, Raskolnikov is Bablu (Aishwarya Thackeray), living with his lookalike twin brother (Shashi Kapoor from Deewar) and his grieving mother, Manjari (Monica Panwar)—once a promising trap-shooting champion. His father, a formidable wrestler (Vineet Kumar Singh), completes this turbulent household.
The film also quietly nods to Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983). Bablu, freshly released from jail, declares he wants to be Tony Montana—the gangster who rises from nothing to everything. He carries a scar, just like Scarface, and an ambition to conquer the world. But crime complicates redemption, and the film makes a sharp commentary on the making of a criminal: Bablu on one end, his father on the other—both navigating folly, pride, and consequence.
There are moments that hit straight in the heart. The echoes of Mother India resonate, connecting Sukhi Lala, Radha, and Birju’s stories to Kashyap’s universe. Young Bablu mirrors little Birju: small yet dangerous, eccentric, stubborn, fiercely protective of his mother. Manjari, grieving her lost husband, carries Radha’s silent sorrow. Monica Panwar shines, capturing the endurance of countless Indian women who’ve survived relentless hardships, living almost lifeless, yet resilient lives.
Visually, the film is drenched in cinematic references, as vibrant and evocative as the bittersweet tang of pickles, awakening our senses in unexpected ways. Anil Kapoor’s “Dhina Dhin Dha” even makes a cheeky appearance.
The opening sequence is genius. Bablu walks into a bank to rob it, then casually chats with the guard (Durgesh Kumar) outside. Bablu asks, “How many bullets?” The guard: “Two.” Bablu: “And if three robbers come?” Confused, the guard listens as Bablu quips, “Ever seen Rajinikanth? He kills four with two bullets.” And chaos ensues.
In a subtler echo of Sukhi Lala, Kumud Mishra’s Ambika Prasad pushes Bablu toward murder—but Bablu transforms into “Baghi Balwan Birju,” firmly refusing: “You decide whether to play Mughal-e-Azam or Hum Aapke Hain Koun, because both were blockbusters.”
There’s even a song made entirely from the titles of iconic Bollywood films.
A quietly unforgettable scene: Bablu and Rinku (Vedika Pinto) sit together. She asks, “How do you know how to kiss?” Bablu points to Raja Hindustani, referencing that iconic 40-second Aamir-Karishma scene. Dialogues throughout sparkle with wit—Rinku says, “Mahak rahe ho.” Bablu fires back: “Dahak rahe hain.”
The most intense sequence revolves around Vineet Singh’s wrestler father character - Jabardast. He roars like a wounded tiger, feral and unstoppable, embodying the Japanese Inoshishi—dangerous, unpredictable, majestic. Cinematographer Sylvester Fonseca captures him in full glory, creating some of Vineet Singh’s most unforgettable frames.
Much like Werner Herzog hauling an iron ship up a mountain in Fitzcarraldo (1982), Kashyap demonstrates total commitment—to the story, to the soul of his cinema. Aishwarya, playing twins Bablu and Dablu, delivers with meticulous attention to accent, body language, and personality, keeping the characters distinct without exaggeration.
Part 1 of Nishaanchi showed the “crime.” Part 2 promises the “punishment.” Will Bablu wrestle with guilt? Will despair break him? Will he find morality and atonement—or will Kashyap surprise us with another wild ride? Only time will tell.
Film: Nishaanchi । Director: Anurag Kashyap । Cast: Aaishvary Thackeray, Monika Panwar, Vineet Kumar Singh, Kumud Mishra, Vedika Pinto, Zeeshan Ayyub, Durgesh Kumar । Writers: Ranjan Chandel, Anurag Kashyap, Prasoon Mishra । Editor: Aarti Bajaj । Director of Photography: Sylvester Fonseca । Casting Director: Gautam Kishanchandani । Run Time: 177 minutes । Watch at: Cinemas (Released on 19th September, 2025)
Read the full Nishaanchi Review in Hindi here: निशानची: अंतरात्मा बचाए रखने का कमिटमेंट
