Seven years ago, Agu Stanley Chiedozie arrived in India from Lagos, Nigeria, as a student. Like many newcomers trying to understand a new culture, he turned to films.
One of the first Hindi movies he watched was the cult crime saga Gangs of Wasseypur. The filmmaker behind it, Anurag Kashyap, quickly became one of his favourites.
Today, Stanley, better known to his nearly one million Instagram followers as Istanboss, is preparing for his mainstream Bollywood debut in Kashyap’s much-awaited crime thriller Bandar alongside Bobby Deol.
For the influencer-turned-actor, the journey feels almost surreal.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Stanley opened up about working with Kashyap, sharing screen space with Bobby Deol, and why the experience changed the way he looks at acting.
From Watching Gangs Of Wasseypur To Starring In An Anurag Kashyap Film
Stanley has often spoken about how Hindi cinema helped him connect with India after moving here in 2019. In fact, he credits Kashyap’s films with sparking his love for Bollywood.
Reflecting on his experience working with the director, he described it as a dream come true.
“Working with him was like a full-circle moment for me,” Stanley said.
“Watching Gangs of Wasseypur and enjoying it, I found Anurag Kashyap to be one of the reasons I am who I am today. Imagine, if I didn’t like the first Hindi movie I ever watched, I would not have watched it anymore. But I liked that film, so I watched more, and my Hindi improved.”
The actor said that meeting Kashyap for the first time was far less “intimidating than he had imagined”
“Anurag Kashyap is a very fun person. Bahut chill aadmi hai (he’s very chill). He is not strict. Straight to the point, he’ll tell you whatever the problem is.”
Stanley recalled first meeting the filmmaker at his home while portions of the film were already being shot.
“The first half of the movie had been shot already. We had a good interaction. We met on the set and stayed together for 10 days. I feel like I’ve known him for a long time. It was a very, very chill interaction. I would always love to work with him again,” Stanley says.
‘You Should See What Bobby Deol Has Pulled Off’
While working with Kashyap was a milestone, Stanley is equally excited for audiences to see Bobby Deol’s performance in the film.
The actor did not hold back while praising his co-star.
“I’m looking forward to you guys seeing what Bobby Deol has pulled off in this movie,” he said. “He has that goon vibe. He’s a hard guy. When you see what Bobby Deol has done in this movie, it’s flabbergasting.”
But beyond the performance itself, Stanley says he learnt an important lesson about acting from watching Deol on set.
“I’ve learned, being on set and seeing him. He cried for a scene, and watching Bobby Deol cry, I’m like, okay, now I know he should be open to different kinds of characters.”
The experience reinforced the importance of versatility.
“You should see yourself in such a way that you can always show up in whatever character you’re given. That’s something I took back home after working with Bobby Deol,” he adds.
More Than Just A Social Media Star
Standing at 6’5″ and fluent in Hindi, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Gujarati, Stanley has become one of the most recognisable foreign creators in India’s digital space.
His videos, often centred on language, culture and everyday Indian life, helped him build a massive following online.
However, acting has steadily become a bigger part of his ambitions.
Apart from Bandar, Stanley is also set to appear in veteran filmmaker Singeetam Srinivasa Rao’s upcoming Telugu musical fantasy Sing Geetham and has several other Hindi and regional projects in the pipeline.
As Stanley himself wrote while announcing the film on Instagram, “Today feels like a full-circle moment. From creating content for fun to now making my Bollywood debut in Bandar, directed by Anurag Kashyap sir and starring Bobby Deol sir.”
For an actor whose Bollywood journey started as a fan sitting in front of a screen, there could hardly be a more fitting debut.
What Bandar Is All About
Directed by Kashyap, Bandar, internationally titled Monkey in a Cage, arrives in cinemas worldwide on June 5.
The crime thriller premiered in the Special Presentations section at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and has generated significant buzz ahead of its release.
The film follows Samar, a fading television star played by Bobby Deol, whose life spirals after his former partner accuses him of rape. As he navigates a legal system stacked against him, the film explores power, public perception, justice and institutional failure. Inspired by real events, the story delves into the complexities of the criminal justice system and social judgement.
The ensemble cast also includes Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Sapna Pabbi, Raj B. Shetty, Jitendra Joshi, Indrajith Sukumaran and Riddhi Sen.
