The film Bandar that is released internationally as ‘Monkey in a Cage’ brings together elements of dark comedy, crime and family drama. Directed by Arora Kashyap and produced by former actor Nikhil Dwivedi, it features Bobby Deol in the title role, marking his first collaboration with Anurag Kashyap. The film having a duration of 136 minutes revolves around an aging television star who gets accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend.
The cast includes Saba Pabbi, Sanya Malhotra, Saba Azad, Indrajit Sukumaran from Malayalam cinema, Marathi actor Jitendra Joshi and several others who add spark to the narrative. The film written by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee is inspired by a real-life event.
Bandar dives deep into themes like crime, punishment, desire and the breakdown of control
The story revolves around a failed singer who is arrested by the police and thrown into lockup. His lawyer tries to secure bail, but the singer refuses, saying he doesn’t want it. The film revolves around a man trapped in complex circumstances where reality, instinct and human behavior collide. Furthermore, it dives deep into themes like crime, punishment, desire and the breakdown of control in extreme situations. Much of the film unfolds inside the jail, with Sanya Malhotra playing his sister and Gayatri portraying another key role. Saba Azad appears as Bobby’s love interest.
The jail sequences are depicted with stark realism—ventilation issues, overcrowding, toilet and bathroom problems, and frequent clashes among inmates. Similarly, the art direction deserves credit for creating an authentic lockup environment. To illustrate corruption, the film shows how prisoners and undertrials can buy coupons worth ₹1,000–₹5,000 to manage daily needs, and even depicts scenes of milk and cold drinks being sold outside the lockup.
Framed under false accusation
Though the plot involves a false accusation against Bobby Deol’s character, where a woman claims he molested her. He insists the relationship was consensual, but the police proceed against him. While the theme isn’t entirely new—similar to films like Section 375—the realistic jail sequences stand out.
Anurag Kashyap’s direction emphasizes cerebral discussions and gritty realism rather than a conventional narrative arc. However, the film lacks a clear conclusion, leaving viewers to interpret what happens next. Nevertheless, the violence and rawness of prison life are portrayed unflinchingly, and Bobby Deol delivers one of his strongest performances to date. Indrajit Sukumaran and Jitendra Joshi also leave a strong impression.
Bandar is a hard-hitting cinematic experience
Overall, Bandar is not a film to watch for its story, but rather to experience how a director fulfills his vision with realism. It leaves a disturbing note as you walk out of the theatre. Unfortunately, the film did not receive much publicity and many viewers were misled by the title, expecting a family-friendly film about a monkey.
With a raw storytelling style and strong character focus Bandar is a hard-hitting cinematic experience that pushes boundaries and presents a bold narrative rooted in realism.
– Review by JYOTHI VENKATESH
ARDH SATYA (1983)
Cast of Bandar:
Bobby Deol as Samar Mehra
Sanya Malhotra as Suhaani Mehra (Samar’s sister)
Sapna Pabbi as Gayatri (Sameer’s ex-girlfriend)
Saba Azad as Khushi (Samar’s girlfriend)
Indrajith Sukumaran as Lijo
Jitendra Joshi as Deore
Raj B. Shetty as Lizard Man
Nagesh Bhonsle as Papa Jacob
Riddhi Sen as Samar’s lawyer
Nikhat Khan as Samar’s mother
Prithvi Zutshi as Samar’s father
Uday Tikekar as Judge
Ghanshyam Garg as Shiva
Thomas Jacob as Vitthal
Aurobindo Bhattacharjee as Gayatri’s Lawyer
Sunny Leone (Special appearance)
Daniel Weber (Special appearance)
Credits of Bandar:
Directed by Anurag Kashyap
Written by Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee
Produced by Anurag Kashyap, Nikhil Dwivedi, Shivie Pandit, Gaurie Pandit
Cinematography – Saiyed Shaaz Rizvi
Edited by Aarti Bajaj
BGM Score: Shivahari Varma
Songs: Amit Trivedi, Vishal Mishra, Sapan–Jagmohan, Payal Dev–Aditya Dev, Sickflip, Blurface, Shivahari Varma
Production company – Saffron Magicworks
Distributed by Zee Studios
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