Bobby Deol is wearing his heart on his sleeve as he gets real about his upcoming film Bandar. The actor, who plays Samar Mehra in Anurag Kashyap’s drama, recently opened up about the personal baggage he carried into the role — and it all ties back to his sisters.
Growing Up in a ‘Male Chauvinist’ World
In a candid conversation, Bobby admitted that the film’s themes hit close to home because he grew up watching the women around him navigate a world stacked against them. With sisters of his own, the fear never quite left him. “Unki shaadi hogi, kaunse ghar mein jaayegi, unke saath kaise hoga, unke in-laws… dar lagta hai,” he shared, explaining how those anxieties shaped his understanding of the story.
The actor didn’t shy away from calling out the environment he was raised in. “We have grown up in a very male chauvinist kind of a world where men have always been a dominating factor,” he said. But that very awareness, he added, helped him connect with his character on a deeper level. He noted that playing Samar Mehra didn’t make that fear go away — it just gave him a channel to express it.
The Story of ‘Bandar’ and Its Heavy Themes
So what is Bandar all about? The film follows a once-celebrated pop star whose life implodes after serious sexual assault allegations come to light. It’s not just a courtroom drama — the story dives into public judgment, media frenzy, and the messy power dynamics that surround such controversies. Directed by Anurag Kashyap and penned by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the film promises to be a hard-hitting ride.
Bobby essays Samar Mehra, a man whose fame and fortune unravel as the allegations gain traction. The cast is packed with talent: Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Raj B. Shetty, Riddhi Sen, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jitendra Joshi, and Nagesh Bhonsle are all on board. Industry insiders say the film doesn’t take sides but instead raises uncomfortable questions about society’s double standards.
Release and What to Expect
Produced by Nikhil Dwivedi’s Saffron Magicworks and backed by Zee Studios, Bandar is set to hit cinemas worldwide on June 5, 2026. That’s a while away, but with a subject this gripping and a director like Kashyap at the helm, the buzz is already building. Bobby’s personal connection to the narrative only adds another layer of anticipation — because when an actor brings his own fears and observations to the screen, you know it’s going to be raw.