Bandar Movie Review: A Difficult Story That Stays With You
Bandar is the kind of film that does not make for an easy weekend watch. Directed by Anurag Kashyap and led by Bobby Deol, this Hindi crime thriller places its central character inside an increasingly disturbing situation involving an accusation, public judgment, the legal system and prison life.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025 before reaching Indian theatres on June 5, 2026. It is now also available on ZEE5, making it easier for audiences who missed its theatrical run to discover it.
What makes Bandar interesting is that it does not simply present a conventional crime mystery. Instead, it asks uncomfortable questions about consent, accountability, accusation, reputation and what happens when the justice system becomes more complicated than the truth itself.
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
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What Is Bandar About?
At the centre of the film is Samar Mehra, played by Bobby Deol, an ageing television actor whose professional fame has faded.
Samar is trying to rebuild his personal life when his former girlfriend Gayatri, played by Sapna Pabbi, returns to the picture. After Samar cuts contact with her, the relationship takes a disturbing turn and he finds himself facing a serious rape accusation.
His arrest changes everything. His public image disappears, his personal relationships come under pressure and he is pushed into a prison environment where survival becomes another battle.
The film deliberately keeps Samar morally complicated rather than presenting him as a completely innocent or completely irredeemable character. That ambiguity is an important part of the experience.
Story and Plot
The first half is particularly effective because the film slowly reveals the circumstances surrounding Samar and Gayatri instead of immediately giving the audience an easy answer.
Samar's behaviour, his relationship history and his inability to understand the seriousness of some of his actions all become part of the larger picture. At the same time, the accusation against him puts him into a system where public perception can become almost as damaging as the legal process itself.
Once Samar enters prison, the film becomes darker. The focus moves toward humiliation, fear, institutional power and the psychological damage of incarceration.
The plot is less interested in delivering a traditional detective-style mystery and more interested in putting the viewer in an uncomfortable moral position: how should we judge a person when the available information is incomplete?
That approach gives Bandar its strongest moments, although some critics felt that the film eventually became too one-sided in the way it handled its larger gender and accountability questions.
Cast and Characters
Bobby Deol as Samar Mehra
Bobby Deol carries the film as Samar, a fading actor-singer whose life changes dramatically after the accusation.
This is not a glamorous performance. Samar becomes increasingly broken as the story progresses, and Deol relies heavily on restrained expressions and physical vulnerability rather than conventional heroics.
Several reviews singled out his performance as one of the film's major strengths. The Indian Express described him as the anchor of the film, while Moneycontrol called it one of the finest performances of his career.
Sanya Malhotra as Suhaani
Sanya Malhotra plays Samar's sister Suhaani. Her character provides an important emotional connection to Samar while also allowing the film to explore the effect of his situation on his family.
Her jail-visiting scenes are among the more emotionally intense portions of the movie, and her performance received positive attention from critics.
Sapna Pabbi as Gayatri
Sapna Pabbi plays Gayatri, Samar's former girlfriend. Her role is crucial because the entire conflict revolves around the relationship between her and Samar.
The character is not written simply as a conventional villain, which makes the situation more complicated. Her performance adds another layer to the film's exploration of relationships and power.
Saba Azad and Indrajith Sukumaran
Saba Azad plays Khushi, Samar's new partner, while Indrajith Sukumaran appears as Lijo, a significant figure in the prison portion of the story. The cast also includes Riddhi Sen, Jitendra Joshi, Raj B. Shetty and others.
Performance: Bobby Deol Is the Biggest Strength
If there is one reason to watch Bandar, it is Bobby Deol.
Samar is not a conventional heroic character. He is flawed, sometimes frustrating and increasingly vulnerable. That makes the performance more challenging because the actor has to make the character watchable without turning him into a simple victim.
Deol's portrayal becomes more powerful as Samar loses control over his own life. The prison sequences particularly benefit from his understated approach.
Sanya Malhotra also adds emotional weight as Suhaani, while Sapna Pabbi gets a difficult role that requires the audience to keep reassessing her character.
Direction and Screenplay
Anurag Kashyap directs Bandar with a deliberately uncomfortable style.
Rather than polishing the material into a conventional courtroom thriller, the film spends considerable time showing the ugliness and uncertainty surrounding its characters. The prison environment is especially important to the film's atmosphere.
The screenplay is credited to Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, with the story credited to Abhishek Banerjee in the CBFC record.
The writing's biggest advantage is its willingness to leave moral questions open. However, that same approach can feel unbalanced in the latter portion. Some critics argued that the film raises complex questions about gender and accountability but eventually gives greater emotional weight to Samar's suffering.
Genre and Themes
Bandar is primarily a crime thriller and drama, with strong elements of prison drama and psychological tension.
The major themes include:
- Accusation versus truth
- Consent and accountability
- Public judgment
- Gender and power
- Prison brutality
- Institutional failure
- Reputation and social stigma
- Psychological survival
The film is especially relevant for viewers interested in morally complicated social dramas rather than straightforward commercial thrillers.
Cinematography, Music and Visual Style
The cinematography is credited to Saiyed Shaaz Rizvi, with editing by Aarti Bajaj.
Visually, the film's biggest strength is its atmosphere rather than spectacle. The prison setting, confined spaces and bleak environments reinforce Samar's psychological deterioration.
The music is also unusually varied, with contributions from composers including Amit Trivedi, Vishal Mishra, Payal Dev, Sapan Jagmohan, Sickflip, Blurface and Shivahari Varma.
Bandar Movie Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Bandar |
| Year | 2026 theatrical release |
| Festival Premiere | September 6, 2025 at TIFF |
| Theatrical Release | June 5, 2026 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Country | India |
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Mystery/Thriller |
| Director | Anurag Kashyap |
| Co-Director | Sakshi Mehta |
| Writers | Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee |
| Main Cast | Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad |
| Cinematography | Saiyed Shaaz Rizvi |
| Editor | Aarti Bajaj |
| Production | Saffron Magicworks / Nikhil Dwivedi Production |
| Distributor | Zee Studios |
| Certification | A |
| Runtime | Approximately 2 hours 16 minutes |
The CBFC database confirms the Hindi language, A certification, May 30, 2026 certification date, director Anurag Kashyap and principal cast details.
Bandar Trailer Review
The trailer establishes Samar as a fading television personality whose life begins to unravel after a serious accusation.
Instead of revealing every major development, the trailer concentrates on the transformation of Samar's life—from a relatively ordinary existence into police custody and prison.
The tone is deliberately grim. Bobby Deol's appearance and performance suggest a character gradually losing his confidence and identity, while the prison imagery establishes the film's harsh atmosphere.
The trailer therefore works better as a mood-setter than as a conventional mystery trailer. It makes the audience curious about what really happened without completely answering the question beforehand. An official trailer is also listed with the film's current movie information.
Bandar OTT Release: Where to Watch Online
Bandar is currently available to stream on ZEE5.
The film's OTT release date was August 28, 2026, following its theatrical release on June 5. ZEE5 lists the movie as a Hindi crime thriller starring Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Sapna Pabbi and Indrajith Sukumaran.
Watch Bandar on ZEE5
What Works in Bandar?
1. Bobby Deol's performance
Deol gives the film a strong emotional centre and avoids turning Samar into a stereotypical hero.
2. An uncomfortable premise
The story deals with accusation, reputation and justice without choosing the easiest possible setup.
3. Strong atmosphere
The prison portions create a claustrophobic and unsettling mood that fits the subject.
4. Anurag Kashyap's filmmaking
The director maintains a rough, confrontational tone instead of making the subject overly polished.
5. It encourages discussion
Even viewers who disagree with some of the film's conclusions are likely to have something to discuss after watching it.
What May Not Work?
The biggest weakness is the film's handling of its central gender debate.
Some critics felt that Bandar begins with genuinely complicated moral questions but gradually narrows its perspective. The second half can also feel repetitive because the prison experience becomes the dominant focus.
The subject matter is also emotionally heavy. Viewers expecting an entertaining Bollywood crime thriller may find the film too bleak and uncomfortable.
In other words, Bandar is not designed to be an easy crowd-pleaser.
Who Should Watch Bandar?
Bandar is worth considering if you enjoy:
- Serious Hindi crime thrillers
- Anurag Kashyap's filmmaking
- Bobby Deol's dramatic performances
- Prison dramas
- Socially uncomfortable stories
- Morally grey characters
- Films that encourage debate after the credits
It may not be the best choice if you are looking for a light entertainer, conventional action film or straightforward mystery.
Final Verdict: Is Bandar Worth Watching?
Bandar is an ambitious and uncomfortable crime drama that works best when it refuses to give simple answers.
The film's biggest achievement is Bobby Deol's performance. Samar is presented as a complicated man rather than a perfectly innocent hero, and that makes his downfall more unsettling. Anurag Kashyap's direction also gives the prison sections a raw quality that stays with the viewer.
At the same time, the film's perspective becomes more debatable as it progresses. Several critics praised its performances and atmosphere while questioning whether its treatment of gender, accountability and false accusations was sufficiently balanced.
Overall, Bandar is worth watching for viewers who enjoy challenging crime dramas and strong performances, but it should be approached as a provocative piece of cinema rather than a definitive statement on a complicated social issue.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐
This is an editorial rating based on the film's performances, direction, writing, atmosphere and overall impact; it is not an official rating.
Final Take
Bandar may not leave you with comfortable answers, but that discomfort is part of its appeal. It is a dark, serious film built around a difficult question: when accusation, public opinion and the justice system collide, how easily can a person's identity disappear?
For viewers discovering the film on OTT, ZEE5 now provides the opportunity to judge that question for themselves.