Bandar Review: Anurag Kashyap’s haunting prison drama is brutal, unsettling and powered by Bobby Deol’s finest performance 

Some films are fun to watch, some touch your soul, and others make your skin crawl. Bandar is definitely in the third category. It is gritty, intense, and frequently hard to watch; however, that discomfort is exactly what makes the movie so powerful. Anurag Kashyap directed Bandar, which refuses to offer easy answers, clean heroes, or convenient moments of relief. Rather, it keeps the viewer in a world of discomfort so that by the end of the movie, you’re drained, disturbed, and deeply affected. 

At the core of Bandar is a narrative about accusation, punishment, and a justice system that often seems focused on following procedures instead of seeking the truth. Although this doesn’t reveal too much of the actual plot, at the center of it all is a man whose life is irrevocably altered and who has been caught up in a legal nightmare. Over the course of the film, the mounting legal and personal difficulties he faces turn into a disturbing meditation on loneliness, survival, and the psychological damage inflicted by incarceration. 

Though the narrative of Bandar is engaging, the other reason that people will be left with the impression of this film after seeing it is due to the method that Kashyap uses in telling the story. Kashyap has stripped the cinematography of all comfort. The prison sequences are intentionally claustrophobic, ugly, and emotionally draining. The camera is placed so close to people’s faces that you feel that you are stuck right beside them; the walls of the building seem to be getting closer together, and every corridor seems to be nothing but dead ends. 

There are numerous visions and psychological fragments scattered throughout the film, creating an ongoing sense of uneasiness, making it difficult to distinguish between imagination and trauma. At times, the imagery is so raw and unsettling that it almost becomes nauseating. There were numerous times that I turned away from the screen. However, I believe that those moments were purposeful. Kashyap wanted the audience to feel the same suffocating despair as the main character and to be able to experience the feeling of fear instead of simply witnessing it. 

And if Bandar works as well as it does, a huge part of the credit goes to Bobby Deol. 

This is easily one of the strongest performances of his career. There is no reliance on grand dramatic speeches or crowd-pleasing moments to craft his performance; it thrives on silence, fatigue, and vulnerability. The anguish in Bobby’s eyes communicates more than any number of pages of dialogue ever would. As the character (and Bobby’s performance) slowly disintegrate under the weight of external circumstances, his performance conveys an authenticity that is heartbreakingly real. 

The role demands emotional investment, and Bobby rises to the challenge. There is no mistaking that he is carrying the weight of the film on his back, and giving the human element (or core) that the film desperately needed in the middle of all that darkness. 

Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad and Sapna Pabbi perform their parts well, despite having limited screen time. However, the writing doesn’t always do them justice, with Sanya and Saba’s characters, in particular, feeling somewhat underdeveloped at times. 

Anurag Kashyap has directed the film with a strong command of atmosphere and some of his best work in the past few years, although some sections felt somewhat repetitive and the pacing was a bit slow at times. Very few Indian Directors have demonstrated the courage to show the world uncomfortable truths and/or broken human beings. There is absolutely no glamour in this film, and there is no attempt to cushion the sharp edges of reality. Every frame within this film has a lived-in quality, is damaged, and feels real. 

The background score also deserves particular attention for knowing when to step back and give the audience a moment of silence; instead of forcing an emotion through the use of sound, they enhance the existing tension. At times, silence has been more effective than music in establishing space for the audience to experience the discomfort associated with the film. 

While Bandar possesses an undeniable level of intensity, there will be a part of the audience that may have a tough time watching all the unsettling frames and staying emotionally involved with the film due to its relentless pacing. And this could lead to the film being perceived as emotionally exhausting rather than immersive. 

Regardless of any shortcomings, Bandar remains a gripping and important watch. Although it requires both patience and emotional devotion, you will be rewarded with an experience that will stay with you forever. This is not a film that Anurag Kashyap made to be easily consumable; he has created a film without compromising anything. And with a career-best Bobby Deol leading the charge, Bandar proves that sometimes cinema is supposed to make you uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s supposed to leave a bruise, and Bandar leaves a few. 

Rating: 3.5/5