Nishaanchi
Nishaanchi is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language crime drama film directed by Anurag Kashyap and produced by Ajay Rai, Vipin Agnihotri and Ranjan Singh under JAR Pictures, in association with Flip Films. It stars newcomer Aaishvary Thackeray with Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Vineet Kumar Singh in pivotal roles.
The film was released theatrically on 19 September 2025 to mixed reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb, grossing ₹1 crore.
Premise
A story of twin brothers caught between crime and conscience, where love, loss, and fate test the strength of their bond.Cast
- Aaishvary Thackeray in a dual role as Babloo Nishaanchi and Dabloo Wafadaar Singh
- Vedika Pinto as Rangeeli Rinku, Babloo's love interest
- Monika Panwar as Manjari, Babloo and Dabloo's mother
- Kumud Mishra as Ambika Prasad
- *Girish Sharma as young Ambika Prasad
- Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Inspector Kamal Ajeeb
- Rajesh Kumar as Bhola Pehalwan
- Durgesh Kumar as Bank Security Guard
- Shubham Tiwari as Hawa Hawai
- Sachin Singh as Druggie Prisoner
- Mukesh Bhatt as Brilliance Band Emcee
- Jameel Khan as Brilliance Band Member
- Vineet Kumar Singh as Zabardast Pehelwaan, Manjari's husband, and father to Babloo and Dabloo
- Erika Jason as Anjana, Babloo’s fling
- Raghav Juyal
Music
Marketing
The teaser was released on 8 August 2025. The trailer was released on 3 September 2025.Reception
of NDTV rated it 3/5 stars and commented that "It brims with raw action, earthy humour and gnarled emotions that frequently unleash full-blown violence." Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and stated that "The best of Anurag Kashyap has always included scenes and situations which go for the jugular, no waffling, no wasting time, but in this one, you are hard put to find those that will be stayers." Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India observed that "Anurag Kashyap searches for vintage Anurag Kashyap for 176 minutes, but the patience does not pay off."Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave 3 stars out of 5 and said that "Nishaanchi is Kashyap returning to familiar territory, armed with a fresh cast and his trademark mix of grit and humour. The film has moments that sparkle but also stretches that weigh it down. If you can overlook the drag, the performances and Kashyap’s eye for detail make it worth a watch, though it never quite escapes the shadow of Wasseypur." Anuj Kumar of The Hindu feels that "A little off the mark, a little overdone, this unruly tale of crime and revenge feels like an indulgent tribute to the best of the filmmaker." Abhishek Srivastava of The Times of India gave it 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that "‘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."
Sana Farzeen of India Today rated it 3/5 stars and said that "Anurag Kashyap's 'Nishaanchi' offers a colourful mix of drama, humour and strong performances. The film's overindulgence and familiar tropes may divide audiences, but a sequel promises more twists." Mayur Sanap of Rediff.com gave it 3 stars out of 5 and noted that "While Nishaanchi is not a homerun for Anurag Kashyap, there's enough joy in this audience pleaser." Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in stated that "The movie has its share of wild moments, cheeky comedy and meta-asides about the influence of popular Hindi cinema. Nishaanchi benefits hugely from Kashyap’s talent for pushing actors to realise their full potential."
Shubham Kulkarni of OTT Play rated it 3/5 stars and said that "Anurag Kashyap revisits gangsters and the heartland — but not as sharply as Gangs of Wasseypur. The sparks are there, the setup is solid, but Part 1 barely scratches its full potential." Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave it 3.5 stars and commented that "Nishaanchi is pure Salim-Javed drama. Newcomer Aaishvary Thackeray impresses in a double role."Bollywood Hungama rated it 3/5 stars and said that "NISHAANCHI is a gritty, engaging ride that reaffirms Anurag Kashyap’s knack for blending crime, drama, and dark humour into a compelling narrative."
Subhash K Jha writing for News 24 gave it 4 stars out of 5 and writes in his review that "Anurag Kashyap never fails to tell it like it is. His new film Nishaanchi—a delightful melange of brutality and tenderness—opens with a bank robbery and concludes with one of the characters feeling frightfully betrayed and compromised." Titas Chowdhury of News 18 also gave 4 stars out of 5 and said that "Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi is wildly chaotic but there’s a method to this madness. It’s earthy, unapologetically bizarre and revels in its maximalism. Monika Panwar stands out." Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost rated it 3/5 stars and said that "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."