New Delhi: The teaser of Anurag Kashyap’s film Bandar released on Thursday, introducing a chaotic Bobby Deol alongside Sanya Malhotra and Sapna Pabbi. Written by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the film marks the first collaboration between Kashyap and Deol — two figures who have both experienced reinvention in Hindi cinema. In interviews surrounding the teaser, Bobby Deol described his character as unusual and said that working with Kashyap was like attending acting workshops daily.
There was a time when Anurag Kashyap represented the soul of Hindi cinema. His films were loud, raw, and political, like the cities and people he portrayed. From Dev.D (2009) to Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Kashyap built an audience that admired chaos. But over the past few years, his films haven’t worked at the box office, with films like Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (2023) finding audiences in festival circles, but not in theatres.
Now comes Bandar, which may change the trajectory of Kashyap’s magic, since at the centre of the film is Booby, who made his comeback with the 2023 blockbuster Animal. Here, he is a rockstar, performing a version of the 1970s track ‘Come On Baby Dil Kisko Degi’, carrying the energy of old Bombay, while swiping on dating apps.
Social media reactions to the teaser highlighted Bobby Deol’s disco avatar. One user wrote, “Bobby Deol ka aura is unreal now. Disco atmosphere is back. Raging energy throughout”.
Another said the actor “really knows how to own the screen now.”
“Dharmendra must be watching. Proud!!!” a comment read.
The teaser’s retro nightclub aesthetic and chaotic energy appears to have generated curiosity online, especially among audiences excited to see Deol embrace another eccentric role after Animal. Bandar is set to release on 5 June.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)