London, Dec 5 (ANI): Donning an ill-fitting costume, red socks and bathroom chappals (flip-flops), Superman of Malegaon has won hearts throughout the world.

For Shaikh Nasir, who has directed docu Supermen of Malegaon, the film’s success is unexpected.

Passion for Hollywood films and love for cinema drove garment shop owner Nasir to try his hand at filmmaking. And now, after Malegaon ke Sholay and Malegaon ki Shaan became instant hits, he has tasted international success with ‘Malegaon ka Superman’.

Winning awards at film festivals in Los Angeles, Prague, Pakistan and Italy, the documentary captures the thriving local cinema in Malegaon through the local film, which, tongue-in-cheek, has a thin superhero battling a Gutka king.

“I learnt my craft from the English classics,” Nasir told The Times. “James Bond, Jackie Chan, Charlie Chaplin, Commando, Rambo.”

Shaikh Shafique, a skinny factory worker who was paid about 1.30-pound-a-day in what was his first acting role, plays the hero in Nasir’s film.

Made at a ridiculously low budget of Rs.1 lakh, Superman was able to “fly” in the film only when he was carried above the heads of three of the crew or rolled along on a plank of wood placed on top of a bicycle.

Malegaon, 175 miles (280km) northeast of Mumbai, is home to India’s parallel movie universe. Spoofs of Bollywood blockbusters made by amateur directors are more popular in the town than the originals they parody. (ANI)