Bobby Deol's Bandar to release in India: Check release date, synopsis and more

Actor Bobby Deol’s Bandar is set to hit Indian screens. The film, directed by Anurag Kashyap, has received critical acclaim at international film festivals. It will release in theatres on May 22, 2026.

On Friday (Feb 20), Deol announced the release date with a post showcasing the actor in a never-before-seen avatar. He captioned the post, “See you at the movies on 22nd May 2026.”

The poster featuring Deol, who is reportedly playing Samar Mehra, is caged behind bars, and what's the highlight is the blingy glasses.

Apart from Deol, the film also stars Sanya Malhotra, Raj B Shetty, Jitendra Joshi, Sapna Pabbi, Indrajith Sukumaran, Riddhi Sen, and Nagesh Bhosle.

Kashyap has written the script in collaboration with Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, known for their shows Paatal Lok and Kohrra.

Bandar premieres at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival

In 2025, Kashyap’s Bandar (Monkey in a Cage) was premiered at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival in 2025, where it was showcased under the Special Presentation category.

In a recent interview wth Variety, the director revealed that a true story inspired the movie. He said, "The idea came from a true story, but we obviously had to navigate very thin lines. You don’t know who’s right, who’s wrong. There was rampant misuse of new laws, with cases of one woman filing eight different cases in eight different police stations with the help of a lawyer and a policeman."

The movie revolves around Bobby, who plays the role of Samar, a fading pop star. But his life changes forever when his ex accuses him of rape. And he's arrested and ends up in jail.

The story's 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."