AB Infosoft Creation, Jalsa PicturÂes and Padmaja Productions’ NakÂkash (UA) is the story of a Muslim artisan who does gold carving in a temple.
Allahrakha Siddiqui (Inaamulhaq) is a talented engraver who works in a new temple of Lord Ram in Varanasi. The Muslims in Varanasi don’t mix with him as they feel, he is doing a wrong thing by working in a temple. But Samad (Sharib Hashmi) is the only Muslim friend he has. Even the maulvi of the madarasa refuses to let Allahrakha’s six-year-old-son, MohaÂmmad (Siddhu), study with other Muslim children. Allahrakha, who is a widower, works in the temple only during nights after dressing up as a Hindu so that the Hindus of Varanasi would never know about the fact that a Muslim artisan was working in a religious place of the Hindus.
Samad wants to send his father for Haj pilgrimage but doesn’t have the money. Allahrakha volunteers to help Samad so that he can send his father to Haj but the greedy Samad steals the temple gold from Allahrakha’s house to sell it in the market. Before he can sell it, the police arrest him. To save Samad, Allahrakha – who has just returned to Varanasi after getting married again – takes the blame on himself and agrees with Samad’s lies that he (Allahrakha) had given him (Samad) the temple gold. However, Allahrakha is forced to speak the truth when Vedanti (Kumud Mishra), who is getting the Ram temple built, asks him to speak the truth. Vedanti is sure, Allahrakha is a trustworthy man and would never steal. The police now arrest Samad. Incidentally, Vedanti’s son, Munna Bhaiya (Pawan Tiwari), is gearing up to contest the assembly elections.
Allahrakha and Samad become friends once the latter is released from jail after 10 months. Now, Samad turns to religion. He even gets Allahrakha’s son admitted to the madarasa. Soon, it is out in the open that Allahrakha, a Muslim engraver, has worked in the Ram temple which is now ready. This infuriates the party workers so much that they decide to not let Munna Bhaiya contest elections. However, Munna Bhaiya convinces the party workers that he’d take care of the situation.
The temple is due to be inaugurated. Vedanti has invited Allahrakha to be a guest at the inauguration. But Samad takes Allahrakha to a secluded spot and has him killed at the hands of Munna Bhaiya.
Zaigham Imam has written a story and screenplay full of holes. While the Muslims know that Allahrakha is working in a Hindu temple, the Hindus are unaware about him. How long would it take for a Muslim person to spill the beans to a Hindu or two? Although Munna Bhaiya’s party workers are angry about the fact that a Muslim has worked in his father, Vedanti’s temple, neither the party workers nor Munna Bhaiya speak to Vedanti. It is points like the above which give the audience the impression that the script is half-baked. Zaigham Imam’s dialogÂues are so-so.
Inaamulhaq acts well as Allahrak ha. Sharib Hashmi is alright as SamÂad. Kumud Mishra is excellent in the role of Vedanti. Siddhu leaves a mark as Allahrakha’s son, MohaÂmmad. Gulki Joshi makes her presence felt as Allahrakha’s new bride. Pawan Tiwari lends decent support as MunÂna Bhaiya. Rajesh Sharma leaves a mark as the police inspector. Others are adequate.
Zaigham Imam’s direction is quite good. It is definitely better than his script. Aman Pant’s music is dull. Asit Biswas’ camerawork is okay. Sumit Mishra’s art direction is routine. PrakÂash Jha’s editing should’ve been sharper.
On the whole, Nakkash is a nonstarter.
Released on 31-5-’19 at Glamour (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru Mates Entertainment. Publicity: dull. Opening: poor. …….Also released all over. Opening was weak everywhere.