After impressing select audiences at the Toronto Film Festival, Anurag Kashyap’s next, Bandar, starring Bobby Deol, is getting a global theatrical release. The film will arrive in cinemas on May 22, 2026, HT has exclusively learnt.
Bandar release date out!
Bandar’s release in India will coincide with Milap Zaveri’s Tera Yaar Hoon Main, which stars Aman Indra Kumar, Akanksha Sharma, and Paresh Rawal. However, given that the two films are in widely different genres, there is likely to be no talk of a clash at the box office.
Apart from Bobby Deol, the film boasts a strong ensemble cast including Sanya Malhotra, Raj B Shetty, Jitendra Joshi, Sapna Pabbi, Indrajith Sukumaran, Riddhi Sen, and Nagesh Bhosle. The film is produced by Nikhil Dwivedi and backed by Zee Studios. The film is an adaptation of Anurag Kashyap’s unpublished story. The screenplay has been developed by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee. Sudip Sharma is the creator of acclaimed web shows like Paatal Lol and Kohrra. The two writers have collaborated on projects such as Udta Punjab, produced by Anurag Kashyap.
All about Bandar
The film follows Samar, a former TV star, played by Bobby Deol. Its logline reads: Samar is a not-so-young TV star whose fame is fading. He is happy in his new relationship with a young woman, Khushi, when his ex, Gayatri, tries to return to his life. Instead of talking to her, he cuts off all contact and blocks her. But things take a serious turn when Gayatri accuses him of rape. He is soon arrested and faces a corrupt legal system determined to keep him in jail.
Bandar has already created significant international buzz after premiering in the Special Presentations section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival 2025 last September. The film won over the critics at the festival, being hailed as “hard-hitting, unflinching, and deeply impactful.”
Anurag and Bobby’s recent projects
This means that Bandar will be Anurag’s second wide release of the year. His 2023 thriller Kennedy finally released for the Indian audiences on OTT with its release on Zee5 on February 20. Bobby Deol, meanwhile, has diversified his recent filmography with Bandar, adding the hard-hitting festival favourite to commercial blockbusters like Animal and Kanguva. The actor has two big releases lined up in 2026 apart from Bandar – Vijay’s final film, Jana Nayagan, and YRF Spy Universe’s Alpha, which also stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari. There is uncertainty about the release dates of both films.