Nishaanchi

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Nishaanchi
Nishaanchi.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Anurag Kashyap
Written byAnurag Kashyap
Ranjan Chandel
Prasoon Mishra
Produced byAjay Rai
Ranjan Singh
Vipin Agnihotri
Starring
CinematographySylvester Fonseca
Edited by Aarti Bajaj
Music by Anurag Saikia
Manan Bhardwaj
Aaishvary Thackeray
Dhruv Ghanekar
Production
companies
Distributed by Amazon MGM Studios
Release date
  • 19 September 2025 (2025-09-19)
Running time
177 minutes [1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

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. [2] It stars newcomer Aaishvary Thackeray with Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Vineet Kumar Singh in pivotal roles. [3] [4]

Contents

The film was released theatrically on 19 September 2025 to positive response from the critics. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Premise

A story of twin brothers caught between crime and conscience, where love, loss, and fate test the strength of their bond.

Cast

Music

Nishaanchi
Soundtrack album by
Released1 September 2025
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length50:48
LanguageHindi
Label Zee Music Company
Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicSinger(s)Length
1."Filam Dekho"Shashwat Dwivedi Anurag Saikia Madhubanti Bagchi 3:20
2."Neend Bhi Teri" Manan Bhardwaj Manan BhardwajManan Bhardwaj2:43
3."Jhule Jhule Paalna"TraditionalManan BhardwajManan Bhardwaj, Prajakta Shukre, Himani Kapoor2:26
4."Birwa"Dr SagarAnurag Saikia Arijit Singh 4:07
5."Pigeon Kabootar"Aaishvary ThackerayAaishvary ThackerayBhupesh Singh2:30
6."Bhaga Bhaga Ke Maarenge"Manan BhardwajManan BhardwajManan Bhardwaj2:42
7."Upar Wale Ne"Pyarelal Yadav Dhruv Ghanekar Rahul Yadav4:02
8."Dear Country"Pyarelal YadavDhruv GhanekarVijay Lal Yadav4:19
9."Reh Gaye Akele"Manan BhardwajManan BhardwajManan Bhardwaj3:15
10."Neend Bhi Teri (Film Version),"Manan BhardwajManan BhardwajAaishvary Thackeray2:43
11."Kanpuriya Kantaap" Varun Grover Dhruv GhanekarAlaaya & Amaala Ghanekar2:56
12."Raja Hindustani"Pyarelal YadavDhruv GhanekarUpendra Yadav4:50
13."Ee Manwaa"Renu ChhibberNishikar ChhibberShreya Sundararaman, Sukanya Das, Devender Kumar4:50
14."Soja"Manan BhardwajManan BhardwajVandana Sinha, Prajakta Shukre2:57
15."Saram Lagela"TraditionalDhruv GhanekarKalpana Patowary3:08
Total length:50:48

Marketing

The teaser was released on 8 August 2025. [9] The trailer was released on 3 September 2025. [10]

Reception

Saibal Chatterjee 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." [11] 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." [12] 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." [13]

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." [14] 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." [15] 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." [16]

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." [17] 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." [18] 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." [19]

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." [20] 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." [21] 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." [22]

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." [23] 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." [24] 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." [25]

References

  1. "NISHAANCHI[UA 16+]". Central Board of Film Certification . 21 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  2. "Anurag Kashyap announces new film 'Nishaanchi', set to release on September 19". The Hindu. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  3. "Anurag Kashyap Crime Drama 'Nishaanchi' Set for Theatrical Release With Amazon MGM Studios (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  4. "Anurag Kashyap Announces Crime Drama 'Nishaanchi'; To Release in Cinemas in September". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  5. "Anurag Kashyap unveils first-look of 'Nishaanchi', confirms theatrical release date". The Week. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  6. "Amazon MGM Studios drops first look of Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, set to release on September 19". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  7. "Nishaanchi first look: Aaishvary Thackeray debuts in Anurag Kashyap's crime saga". India Today. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  8. "Nishaanchi Poster Release: अनुराग कश्यप की फिल्म 'निशांची' का पोस्टर रिलीज, इस दिन होने वाला है जोरदार धमाका". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  9. "Nishaanchi teaser: Anurag Kashyap introduces Balasaheb's grandson to Bollywood, fans get Gangs of Wasseypur vibes". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  10. "Nishaanchi trailer out: Aaishvary Thackeray shines in double role in Anurag Kashyap's quintessential masala film. Watch". Hindustan Times. 3 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  11. Chatterjee, Saibal. "Nishaanchi Review: Retro Bollywood Meets Gangster Drama In A Classic Anurag Kashyap Film". NDTV. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  12. Gupta, Shubhra. "Nishaanchi movie review: Watered down and tepid, Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Kanpur lacks verve". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  13. Desai, Rahul. "'Nishaanchi' Movie Review: A Gangs of Wasseypur-Sized Hangover From Anurag Kashyap". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  14. Suri, Rishabh. "Nishaanchi review: Anurag Kashyap's new bullet, fired from the same Wasseypur gun, almost hits the target". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  15. Kumar, Anuj. "'Nishaanchi' movie review: Anurag Kashyap returns with Gangs of Kanpur, sprays idioms and bullets". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  16. Srivastava, Abhishek. "Nishaanchi Movie Review: Anurag Kashyap's return to familiar ground is both heavy and engaging". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  17. Farzeen, Sana. "Nishaanchi review: A punchy potboiler weighed down by Anurag Kashyap's indulgence". India Today. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  18. Sanap, Mayur. "Nishaanchi Review: Wasseypur Lite". Rediff.com. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  19. Ramnath, Nandini. "'Nishaanchi' review: Saga of identical squabbling twins misses its mark". Scroll.in. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  20. Kulkarni, Shubham. "Nishaanchi Review: Half a Anurag Kashyap film, half a promise for the sequel ft. Aaishvary Thackeray". OTT Play. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  21. Sharma, Devesh. "Nishaanchi Movie Review: Hits The Bullseye". Filmfare. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  22. Hungama, Bollywood. "Nishaanchi Movie Review: NISHAANCHI is a gritty, engaging ride". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  23. Jha, Subhash K. "Nishaanchi Review: Anurag Kashyap's sharpshooter is brutal, tender and no pretender". News 24. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  24. Chowdhury, Titas. "Nishaanchi Review: Anurag Kashyap, Aaishvary Thackeray's Gangs Of Wasseypur-Esque Film Is A Love Letter To Bollywood". News 18. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  25. Aaglave, Ganesh. "Nishaanchi movie review: Aaishvary Thackeray shines in Anurag Kashyap's entertaining and rustic crime drama". Firstpost. Retrieved 20 September 2025.