Nishaanchi Review: Aishwarya Thackeray, Monika Panwar & Vedika Pinto Shine with Power-Packed Acts

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

• Rating: 2.5 Stars
• Producer: Jar Pictures
• Writers: Ranjan Chandel, Anurag Kashyap, Prasoon Mishra
• Director: Anurag Kashyap
• Cast: Aishwarya Thackeray, Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ghanshyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma, Vineet Kumar Singh, Kumud Mishra, Rajesh Kumar & others
• Duration: 2 hrs 57 mins

Story

Famed for “Gangs of Wasseypur”, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is known for crime thrillers and dark cinema. Recently, his box-office track record weakened, and he shifted south, playing villains in a few films. Now, returning as a director and co-writer, he presents “Nishaanchi”, the debut of Aishwarya Thackeray (grandson of the late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, son of Smita Thackeray).

The film narrates the story of twin brothers—identical in looks but opposite in nature—woven with crime, betrayal, love, and the human instinct for survival. Like every Kashyap film, this one too (released September 19) is filled with profanity and violence.

It begins in 2006 with a bank robbery. Bablu (Aishwarya Thackeray), his girlfriend Rinku (Vedika Pinto), and twin brother Dablu (Aishwarya Thackeray again) attempt the heist. Bablu gets caught, Dablu escapes with Rinku. The story then flashes back to their childhood and their father Jabardast (Vineet Kumar Singh), a wrestler overshadowed by his rival Bhola (Rajesh Kumar).

Jabardast falls for sharpshooter Manjari aka Manju (Monika Panwar), marries her, but his friend Ambika (Kumud Mishra) desires her too. Manipulation leads Jabardast to jail, where Ambika has him killed. Young Bablu, misled by Ambika, kills Bhola at age ten, gets sent to juvenile prison, and later grows into Ambika’s pawn. Love, betrayal, and revenge follow—with Manjari and Rinku caught in the chaos.

Review

The screenplay is riddled with loopholes. Rinku falling in love with Bablu is unconvincing—after all, he was part of her father’s murder. The story feels like a mix of old films (Gangs of Wasseypur, Mirzapur, Ganga Jamuna, Ram Lakhan) stretched unnecessarily to nearly three hours. The narrative is dull, lacking real suspense. Romance too is scarce, apart from a few witty exchanges between Monika Panwar and Vineet Kumar Singh.

Unlike Kashyap’s earlier films, “Nishaanchi” lacks energy and freshness. Even worse, it ends on a cliffhanger, teasing a sequel—making the nearly three-hour runtime feel like just the beginning of torture. Again, women are left as silent witnesses—wives and mothers to doomed men. The justification for crime is reduced to emotional impulses, ignoring deeper socio-economic realities. Dialogues are in thick Kanpur dialect, and real locations add authenticity.

Acting

Aishwarya Thackeray, who once assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali in “Bajirao Mastani”, makes his debut here in a double role as Bablu and Dablu. Though the two characters look alike, their personalities are completely opposite. Watching Aishwarya in these roles, one never feels this is his first film—he is fully immersed in both characters.

Monika Panwar delivers a brilliant performance as their mother, Manjari. Her face reflects the scars and struggles of Manjari’s life with striking clarity. Her chemistry with Vineet Kumar Singh is outstanding. Vineet, as Jabardast, once again proves himself to be a versatile actor.

Vedika Pinto, as Rinku, shows that she lacks nothing in terms of acting. After her father’s murder, the young Kathak dancer’s world falls apart, and she is soon drawn into the sensual, dark alleys of Kanpur as a provocative dancer. Her costumes somewhat remind us of Madhuri Dixit’s “Mohini” look, but the swag and sunglasses appear closer to Huma Qureshi’s style in “Gangs of Wasseypur.”

Usually seen in positive roles, Kumud Mishra appears for the first time as the cunning Ambika and completely wins the audience over. Rajesh Kumar’s talent, however, is wasted in the role of Bhola. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, as the police inspector, is just about average.

FAQs

1. When is Nishaanchi releasing in theatres?
   Nishaanchi is set to release theatrically on 19 September 2025 across India.

2. Who plays the lead in Nishaanchi and what’s special?
   Aaishvary Thackeray makes his acting debut, playing a powerful double role (twins Babloo & Dabloo) in Nishaanchi.

3. What is the CBFC certification for Nishaanchi?
   The CBFC has cleared Nishaanchi with a U/A certificate, after asking for specific changes before release.

4. When was the Nishaanchi teaser & trailer released?
   The teaser dropped in early August 2025. The full trailer was released on 3 September 2025.

5. What is the premise of Nishaanchi?
   It’s a crime-drama about twin brothers on starkly different paths, whose choices shape their destinies, exploring love, loss, betrayal, crime & conscience.

6. Who directed Nishaanchi and who are its writers?
   Nishaanchi is directed by Anurag Kashyap. The screenplay writers include Anurag Kashyap, Prasoon Mishra, and Ranjan Chandel. 

7. Who are the supporting cast members of Nishaanchi?
   Key supporting cast: Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumud Mishra, and Javed Khan King.

8. What is the runtime of Nishaanchi?
   The film runs for about 177 minutes.

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