2026 · Film
Bandar
Anurag Kashyap's crime drama in which a fading TV star, played by Bobby Deol, is accused of rape by an ex-girlfriend and pulled into jail and a crooked legal system.
Released Fri, 5 Jun, 2026
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Mon, 26 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 26 October 2026, Bandar is streaming in India on ZEE5 with a subscription.
The story
Samar Mehra is a television star whose fame is fading and whose attitudes to women have not kept up with the times. He is happy with his new girlfriend, Khushi, and when his ex, Gayatri, tries to come back into his life, he blocks her. Soon after, Gayatri accuses him of rape. Samar is arrested and finds himself facing a legal system that seems set on keeping him locked up, while the film moves back and forth to show what led there.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
For adult viewers who like morally grey crime dramas and Anurag Kashyap's rough-edged style. It is rated A and deals with a sexual assault accusation, prison and police corruption, so it is not family viewing.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Bandar (released internationally as Monkey in a Cage) was directed by Anurag Kashyap from a screenplay by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, based on an unpublished story by Kashyap and two co-writers. Nikhil Dwivedi's Saffron Magicworks produced it, and filming began in Mumbai in May 2024.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2025. The CBFC passed it A on 30 May 2026 at 136 minutes, and it opened in Indian cinemas on 5 June 2026, where Wikipedia records a gross of ₹5.45 crore. Critics were broadly positive, with The Indian Express calling it Kashyap's strongest film in a while. It began streaming on ZEE5 on 28 August 2026.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Crime thriller, Courtroom drama
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Certificate
- A
- Director
- Anurag Kashyap
- Cast
- Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Sapna Pabbi, Raj B. Shetty
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Bandar in India?
- As of 26 October 2026, Bandar is streaming in India on ZEE5 with a subscription.
- Is Bandar in Hindi?
- Yes. Bandar is a Hindi-language film.
- Is Bandar suitable for children?
- Bandar has a CBFC A certificate, which means it is restricted to adults aged 18 and above.
- How long is Bandar?
- Bandar runs for 2 hours 16 minutes (136 minutes).