The trailer of ‘Bandar’, Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming dark drama starring Bobby Deol as a fading superstar accused of rape, was unveiled on Thursday, sparking intense discussion over its unsettling premise and unflinching visual language.
The two-minute-forty-second trailer introduces Bobby Deol’s character, simply named ‘Baba’, a once-revered matinee idol now reduced to shooting mediocre films and living off past glory. His world collapses when a young actor accuses him of rape.
What the trailer reveals
The trailer opens with a slow zoom into Bobby Deol’s weathered face, a trophy placed beside him. “Log mujhe superstar bulate the,” he says, voice cracking. “Aaj mujhe superstar nahi, ‘bandar’ bulate hain.”
What follows is a montage of media trials, courtroom confrontations, and private moments of vulnerability. The trailer deliberately avoids showing the alleged assault, instead focusing on the aftermath – how Baba’s fans turn into protesters, how his colleagues distance themselves, and how his own family questions him.
One striking shot shows Bobby Deol walking through a corridor of mirrors, his reflection multiplying and distorting – a visual metaphor for fractured identity.
Anurag Kashyap’s return to dark drama
After the light-hearted ‘Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat’ (2023) and the crime drama ‘Kennedy’ (2024), Kashyap returns to the unsettling, morally ambiguous territory of ‘Ugly’, ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’, and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.
The film is reportedly inspired by real-life cases of celebrities accused of sexual assault, though Kashyap has clarified that ‘Bandar’ is not a biopic of any specific individual. “It is a film about power, denial, and the public’s hunger for spectacle,” he said in a behind-the-scenes featurette.
Bobby Deol’s transformation
Bobby Deol, who experienced a career resurgence with ‘Animal’ (2023) and ‘Aashram’ web series, undergoes a startling physical and emotional transformation for ‘Bandar’. He appears gaunt, with unkempt hair and hollow eyes – a stark departure from the chiseled hero image of his younger years.
“Bobby surprised me every day on set,” Kashyap said at the trailer launch. “He was not afraid to look ugly, weak, or unheroic. That is rare for a mainstream actor.”
The supporting cast
The trailer showcases a strong ensemble:
- Vijay Varma as the relentless investigative journalist who refuses to accept the official narrative
- Huma Qureshi as Baba’s wife, torn between loyalty and truth
- Rajkummar Rao in a special appearance as the lawyer fighting the survivor’s case
- Akshay Oberoi as a rival actor who seizes the opportunity to replace Baba
- Raghubir Yadav as Baba’s aging father, a forgotten actor himself
The trailer also introduces a newcomer as the survivor – her name has been kept under wraps, continuing the film’s theme of anonymity for the accuser.
The title controversy
Even before the trailer dropped, the title ‘Bandar’ had drawn criticism from animal rights activists who argued that it demeans monkeys. Kashyap responded on social media: “The title is not about the animal. It is about how we turn human beings into spectacles – caged, mocked, and made to perform. That is the real ‘bandar’.”
