Anurag Kashyap’s bold and dark thriller, Bandar aka Monkey in a Cage, has been released in theatres after it created huge anticipation from moviegoers post the release of its trailer. After Nishaanchi parts one and two and Kennedy, Anurag is back with yet another thriller, and people are raving about the film, especially the storyline and Bobby Deol’s intense acting.
Bandar storyline
Bandar stars Bobby Deol as ‘Samar’, a singer-actor whose fame is now fading. Just as he prepares to settle in his life with his younger girlfriend, ‘Khushi’, played by Saba Azad, Samar’s ex-girlfriend, ‘Gayatri’, played by Sapna Pabbi, returns and wishes to be back in his life. Unwilling to have a relationship with her, Samar avoids her, without realising how his life was going to turn upside down.
‘Gayatri’ accuses ‘Samar’ of rape and files a complaint against him. Soon, he is taken into custody and forced to navigate one hurdle after another. He was seen desperately trying to prove that he never raped the woman, and there was consent. But the corrupt judicial system didn’t believe his words, and he was caught in a legal battle.
The first half of the film sticks to the point and keeps the plot grounded. One of the scenes where ‘Samar’ pleads with the police officer not to use abusive language, but he brushes it off and repeats the same pattern. The sequence looks funny unless it makes you realise that the judiciary is laughing at a man who is trapped in a traumatic situation. The second half of the story takes place in jail, showing the ecosystem of prison and also exposing the gang culture of prison, which looks repetitive.
Why does Bandar’s storyline look relevant?
The film is very poignant as it showcases a flawed judicial system, given the false accusations and the devastating impact they can have on the accused. As per the statistics, nearly 77 per cent of inmates are held in prison on false accusations while they wait for years for their trial to begin. Anurag used real-life testimonies as the subject of his film, including that of an innocent man who spent 32 years in prison before his case was ever brought to trial.
Bandar reviews
Coming to the reviews of Bandar, the audience went berserk with Bobby Deol and his stellar acting. Many felt that Bobby unleashed himself as he portrayed a convict’s pain and desperate urge to prove his innocence through his eyes. One of the users wrote:
“Just watched #Bandar…. and I genuinely believe this is one of the most NECESSARY films of our time (From Hindi Cinema). The film addresses a subject that society can no longer afford to ignore. It explores how “gender-biased laws”.. their misuse and the resulting legal battles can affect individuals, families, careers and even the justice system itself.”
Bandar star cast and power-packed performances
Apart from Bobby Deol, Bandar features Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Raj B. Shetty, Indrajith Sukumaran and Jitendra Joshi. Each character is hailed for their on-screen presence in the film. Sanya, who plays Bobby’s sister, breaks down during her jail visit to her brother. Sanya’s raw emotions reveal the frustration she went through seeing her brother in a desperate condition. On the other hand, Sapna Pabbi too was convincing and kept the audience hooked. Malayalam actor, Indrajith, who was one of the inmates of Bobby, revealed the crude reality of the judiciary in a witty manner.
Have you watched Bandar?
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