Up,Up and Away

Theres a quiet satisfaction as Faiza Ahmad Khan reflects on the award that has propelled her to the ranks of Indias serious documentary filmmakers.

Faiza Ahmad Khans award-winning documentary captures the superstars of

Theres a quiet satisfaction as Faiza Ahmad Khan reflects on the award that has propelled her to the ranks of Indias serious documentary filmmakers. The 27-year-olds debut film,Supermen of Malegaon,was awarded the Best Documentary at Asiaticafilmmediale,Italys biggest event dedicated to Asian films,towards the end of last year.

Malegaon,296 km from Mumbai,has two major identities the poverty in its bylanes and the popularity of its films. Malegaons film industry is called Mollywood,from which emerge spoofs of Big Brother Bollywoods hits. Karan Arjun,Shaan and Lagaan,remade with local setting and dialect,were Huos Full,and Malegaon ke Sholay drew enough crowds in 1998 to make news even in Bollywood. Otherwise,the town is doomed to the vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy.

Khans film begins with the incessant grinding of power looms,the towns chief source of employment. I first heard of Malegaon when the blasts took place in 2006, says Mumbai-based Khan. The more she probed,the more fascinating the people seemed. The film has a clip of Malegaons barbers who specialise in Sanjay Dutt- or SRK-style makeovers (Rs 101 and Rs 151 respectively),and Khan says,People who belong to the Mithun Fan Club will sport the Mithun hairdo,talk like him and dress like him. If a film with Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakraborty plays at a cinema hall,the two groups of fans will sit separately and shout each other down mimicking the voice of their favourite star.

Khan,who had completed her course in Social Communication Media in Mumbai,was assisting director Manish Jha on his feature film Anwar when she chanced upon Malegaon again. And this time Shaikh Nasir,the director of Malegaon Ke Sholay,was planning his magnum opus,a remake of Superman. I thought this was the right time to make a film on Malegaon, says Khan.

Her film follows Nasir and his team as they script,conceptualise and improvise Malegaon ka Superman. Khan puts Nasirs film in the context of the towns squalor,communal tensions and lack of basic amenities like electricity,water and sanitation,so that the reel life appears as a corollary,an escape from reality.

Nasir ropes in local hero Shafique Bachchan Ansari to play Superman. Ansari,who also works in the power-loom sector,dons his superman gear that includes an M monogram in place of the familiar S,red shorts and a pair of rubber slippers over knee-length red socks. I have touched Bollywood,now its time to take on Hollywood, says Nasir as he boasts that this time he would use Chroma software for the film. They made these films with almost no money and innovated to overcome financial and technical constraints. I knew that this was an idea that had the potential to be turned into an interesting docu. Getting it right was the tricky part, says Khan. Even as Nasir and his team struggled to get things togetherthey couldnt afford Chroma and substituted it with a grey-market ware called Karoma Khan remained a passive observer. We made a conscious decision to stay out of their filmmaking process even when we knew we could help them.

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After over two months of shooting,Khan was left with 230 hours of footage. We edited it to a 52-minute film in a month, she says. The litmus test was screening it at Malegaon: I was quite nervous. But thankfully,they liked what they saw, she says. And so did the Italians.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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Up,Up and Away

Theres a quiet satisfaction as Faiza Ahmad Khan reflects on the award that has propelled her to the ranks of Indias serious documentary filmmakers.

Theres a quiet satisfaction as Faiza Ahmad Khan reflects on the award that has propelled her to the ranks of Indias serious documentary filmmakers.