‘Bandar’ review: A relentlessly grim, needling statement on MeToo
· Scroll
Visit freshyourfeel.org for more information.
The career of the ageing actor and singer Samar (Bobby Deol) has diminished to the point that he seeks company on dating apps. That’s how he met his current girlfriend Khushi (Saba Azad). That’s also how he previously met Gayatri (Sapna Pabbi), to his peril.
Spooked by Gayatri’s possessiveness, Samar ghosts Gayatri and then blocks her after she begins to stalk him. A vengeful Gayatri falsely charges Samar with rape. It doesn’t help that Samar has been sleep-walking through the short relationship, and can’t remember the crucial information that might have helped him, as his frustrated sister (Sanya Malhotra) and lawyer (Riddhi Sen) keep reminding him.
After being grilled by various cops (Jitendra Joshi, Nagesh Bhonsle and Jaimini Pathak) who are prepared to believe the worst about Bollywood personalities, Samar awaits trial in prison hell. Men are crammed into rooms, all but sleeping on top of each other.
Gangs demand loyalty and bribes. Lijo (Indrajith Sukumaran) controls one section of Samar’s cell; Bilal (Ankush Gedam), Aatish (Sukant Goel) the other. Two inmates (Natesh Hegde and Raj B Shetty) target lizards to get their kicks.
Anurag Kashyap’s unrelentingly grim and needling Bandar (Monkey) is both a statement on the MeToo movement and a reminder of the terrible conditions in Indian...