Maaleekaa is a 2018 Nepali social drama film directed by Rekha Thapa, one of the most popular and influential actresses in Nepali cinema. The film marked a rare achievement for a Nepali movie actress, as Thapa directed the film and also appeared in a leading role. The story of the movie was written by Rekha Thapa and Nara Bahadur Karki, while the screenplay was written by Shivam Adhikari, who had earlier written and directed Panchayat, Nepal's official entry for the Foreign Language Oscar.

Maaleekaa was released in Nepali cinemas on November 2, 2018, with a running time of 2 hours and 18 minutes. The movie features Kamala Oli, a non-actor, in the leading role alongside Thapa. The decision to cast a non-actor was a deliberate choice by the makers: since the film is about the violence suffered by a girl from rural Nepal, Thapa believed that a real-life face would do justice to the role far better than a trained actress.

The story of the film explores a grave social problem that remains widespread in Nepal: the practice of child marriage and the violence that follows it. In the trailer, Thapa is seen playing a mentor to the young girl at the centre of the story, while also featuring in a couple of action sequences herself. The film was produced by Saraswati Thapa, with Nara Bahadur Karki as the executive producer.

The music of the film was composed by Suresh Adhikari and S.D. Yogi, and the editing was handled by Banish Shah. The film's promotion focused heavily on its social message and Thapa's double role as both director and star, which generated considerable curiosity among audiences and the media.

Maaleekaa belongs to the tradition of Rekha Films, Thapa's production house, which has consistently explored social problems in Nepali society through its movies. Like the previous outputs of the banner, this film uses cinema as a medium to draw attention to the hardships faced by women in Nepal, particularly in rural areas.

The full movie of Maaleekaa is available for free on YouTube, allowing the social message of the film to reach an even wider audience beyond its theatrical run.