Bandar Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Bobby Deol, Sapna Pabbi, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Bandar Movie Review Synopsis:
BANDAR is the story of a man accused of a crime he claims he did not commit. Samar Mehra (Bobby Deol) is a 50-year-old struggling actor who once worked in television. Though he continues to get offers for TV shows, he keeps rejecting them as he wants to try his luck in films. To sustain himself, he performs in stage shows. After returning from Delhi following one such performance, the cops arrive at his residence and arrest him on charges of raping a woman named Gayatri (Sapna Pabbi). Samar was once physically involved with Gayatri, but later ghosted and blocked her after she began behaving erratically. In court, Gayatri and her lawyer come well prepared, while Samar’s lawyer fails to match their arguments. Samar is sent to 15 days of judicial custody and is transferred to Taloja Jail. Here, he gets the shock of his life as prison life involves living in unhygienic and uninhabitable conditions. Moreover, since he is accused of a rape case, he also faces intense scrutiny from the other undertrials. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Bandar Movie Story Review:
Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee's story is inspired by true events and is quite shocking. Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee's screenplay has its share of gripping and heart-wrenching scenes. But the writing also suffers in some scenes. Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee's dialogues are straight out of life. A few one-liners will raise a lot of laughs.
Anurag Kashyap's direction is gritty. He tells a story that dominates social media discourse at regular intervals but has barely found adequate representation on celluloid. BANDAR fills that void. Anurag doesn’t shy away from depicting police interrogation, loopholes in the legal system and jail life in all their disturbing realism. Samar is not just battling the humiliation of being branded a rapist and the unsanitary conditions in prison, but is also forced to navigate the various gangs inside. In the midst of this grim narrative, Anurag also infuses humour. The police interrogation scene is lengthy but raises laughs. It gives a déjà vu of a similar scene in Anurag’s earlier film, UGLY [2014], but here, he takes it a few notches higher.
On the flipside, the film is not for the faint-hearted and is, therefore, meant for a niche audience. Also, the makers don’t tie up all the loose ends satisfactorily. At the very beginning, we are informed that Samar is struggling to pay his servant’s salary and has received bank notices for defaulting on his flat dues. However, this crucial aspect is completely forgotten later. Viewers will be curious to know what happens to his flat while Samar is away in prison – whether it gets confiscated or whether his family takes care of the issue. The entire angle of Samar’s association with Gayatri and his lawyer is also a bit bewildering. Lastly, the manner in which the film culminates may leave audiences divided.
Bandar Movie Review Performances:
Bobby Deol gets completely into the skin of his character. One can’t help but root for him and be moved by his plight. The scenes where he breaks down in front of his sister tugs at the heartstrings of the viewers. This is yet another bravura performance from the actor in his 2.0 avatar. Sapna Pabbi has limited screen time but rocks the show and is aptly cast. Sanya Malhotra (Suhani Mehra) is dependable. Saba Azad (Khushi) lends able support. Jitendra Joshi (Inspector Deore) is the scene-stealer. Sukant Goel (Aatish) leaves a tremendous mark. Indrajit Sukumaran (Lijo), Ankush Gedam (Bilaal) and Raj B Shetty (Lizard Man) are memorable. Nagesh Bhonsle (Papa Jacob), Jaimini Pathak (Cop) and Vaishnavi Ratna Prashant (Hemangi; lady cop) are fair. Others who do well are Riddhi Sen (Advocate Mukherjee), Ghanshyam Garg (Shiva; servant), Aurobindo Bhatacharjee (Gayatri's lawyer), Uday Tikekar (Judge), Vijay Gupta (Senile old man) and Nikhat Khan (Samar's mother).
Bandar movie music and other technical aspects:
The music is alright. 'Come On Baby' is the best of the lot. 'Pinjara' is well picturized with Raj B Shetty’s energetic dance being a highlight. Shivahari Varma's background score is well-woven into the narrative. The theme played in Sapna Pabbi’s entry is chilling.
Shaaz Rizvi's cinematography adds significantly to the realism. Prashant Bidkar's production design is too realistic and it gives a feeling that the film is actually shot in a real prison. Subodh Srivastava's costumes and Paramjit Singh Pamma and Amrit Singh's action are also authentic. Aarti Bajaj's editing is fine but the transition is a bit random in some scenes.
Bandar Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, BANDAR tells a shocking and disturbing story and is powered by a marvellous, heart-wrenching performance by Bobby Deol. However, given its niche appeal and grim subject, the film will need strong word of mouth to leave a mark at the box office.