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Gul Makai is a 2020 Indian biographical drama film directed by H.E. Amjad Khan, written by Bhaswati Chakrabarty, and produced by Techno Films. The film is based on the life of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate.
Reem Shaikh portrays Malala Yousafzai in the film, which also features Om Puri in his final acting role. The film was released on 31 January 2020.
In 2009, the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley and imposed strict restrictions, including banning girls from attending school. During this period, Yousafzai began writing under the pseudonym "Gul Makai" for the BBC Urdu website, where she documented the challenges faced by girls in accessing education under Taliban rule.
Yousafzai's advocacy for education drew international attention and recognition. However, her activism also made her a political target. In 2012, she survived an assassination attempt by a Taliban gunman, an event that further amplified her message on the global stage.
Several hundred actresses auditioned for the role of Malala; 16-year-old Bangladeshi student, Fatima Sheikh, was initially cast. However, safety concerns arose due to backlash from religious extremists and Sheikh had to withdraw. The role was then given to child actress Reem Shaikh.
Veteran Bollywood actors Om Puri, Divya Dutta, Mukesh Rishi and Arif Zakaria were cast in supporting roles. Khan stated that physical resemblance to the characters' real-life counterparts was a key casting consideration.
Gul Makai began production in late 2016, filming on location in Bhuj (Gujarat) and Mumbai. Filming in Kashmir, however, was delayed due to ongoing conflict in the region. Filming resumed and concluded in January 2018.
The film was edited by National Award-winning editor, Praveen Angre, and included extensive VFX work to recreate the Swat Valley landscape and combat scenes.
Devesh Verma of Filmfare gave the film 2 out of 5, writing, "There is a clip from a speech by the real Malala at the end credits which offers more impact about education of girls worldwide than this two hour film because it showed a person's burning desire to bring about a change."
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