Movies & Documentaries
Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bandar’ Starring Bobby Deol to Premiere at TIFF 2025: A Bold Return to Gritty Cinema
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, widely recognised for redefining Indian independent cinema with titles such as Gangs of Wasseypur and Black Friday, is back in the spotlight. Anurag Kashyap’s’s latest feature, ‘Bandar (Monkey In a Cage)’, has officially been selected for the Special Presentations category at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025, marking a major international premiere for the project. Along with Bandar, other Indian films will also be screened at TIFF 2025.
The 50th edition of TIFF will take place from September 4 to September 14, and Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar is already stirring intrigue thanks to its gritty poster and a haunting caption shared by lead actor Bobby Deol: “The story that should not have been told.”
Bobby Deol, who plays the lead role, is in the midst of a career resurgence. After drawing critical praise for his villainous turn in Animal and making waves in Telugu cinema with Daaku Maharaj, the 56-year-old actor now tackles what could be his most intense character yet. Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar also stars the talented Sanya Malhotra, known for her versatile performances in films such as Pagglait and Love Hostel.
Details about the plot remain tightly under wraps, but the film is said to be inspired by real-life events—a phrase that suggests Anurag Kashyap’s signature style of blending dark, uncomfortable truths with unflinching storytelling.
Anurag Kashyap’s TIFF return is notable. In 2020, he served as an ambassador for the festival, and in 2023, his noir thriller Kennedy, starring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, premiered at Cannes. Although Kennedy has yet to release it widely, it reaffirmed his global directorial appeal.
Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar to get a special screening at TIFF 2025
Bandar joins a strong slate of Indian films at TIFF 2025. Other entries include Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, starring Janhvi Kapoor, fresh off a nine-minute standing ovation at Cannes 2025, and a restored version of the Bollywood classic Sholay, reinforcing India’s powerful presence on the global cinema stage.
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TIFF’s Special Presentations category is renowned for showcasing bold, prestige cinema—films that strike a balance between critical acclaim and audience engagement. Anurag Kashyap’s inclusion signals that Bandar could be one of the most talked-about Indian films this year, possibly even a contender for major awards.
Whether Bandar will find global distribution after TIFF remains to be seen, but with Bobby Deol’s brooding transformation, Sanya Malhotra’s rising star, and Kashyap’s fearless direction, the buzz is undeniable.
As anticipation builds, fans of raw, politically charged storytelling and lovers of Indian cinema’s edgier side will be watching closely. Kashyap, it seems, is once again ready to shake up the system—this time with a monkey in a cage, a mystery untold, and the eyes of the world watching.
