Malaal’ is set in the Mumbai of the late 90’s. And just like in many cinemas of that era, twenty two-year-old Shiva (Meezaan) is the local ‘tapori’ – raw, rustic and temperamental. The quintessential bad boy who spends his day getting into street fights, drinking and gambling. His life within the confines of his chawl doesn’t go beyond brawls at home or on the street till he stumbles upon Aastha Tripathi (Sharmin Segal). The Tripathis have newly moved to this modest living space after running into financial troubles.
At first their interactions are brusque, mostly owing to his stand-offish nature but soon Shiva finds himself falling in love with her. But while he is upfront and lets on his feelings to her rather openly, Aastha has her reservations. Not only is she pursuing a degree in CA and is soon to be engaged to the son of a well-to-do family friend, Shiva’s clear disregard towards even trying to have a career bothers her. As for her parents, they have already written him off as a good for nothing and want their daughter to have nothing to do with him. But soon enough, it seems Aastha too is falling for him.
