“OG Bollywood Is Back!” — Bandar’s First Day First Show Audience Reactions Are In, and Bobby Deol Is Getting All the Love

The first whistles have blown. The first shows of Bandar have played out across cinemas in India — and the audience reactions flooding social media make one thing crystal clear: Bobby Deol and Anurag Kashyap have delivered something genuinely special. If you’re sitting on the fence about whether to watch this one in theatres this weekend, read on — because the early word-of-mouth might just tip you over.

Bandar — Film Facts Before You Go

What Is Bandar About?

The film follows Samar Mehra, a fading television actor, whose life is completely upended when a severe allegation is filed against him. After his arrest, the story delves into the grim realities of the penal system, media trials, and the blurred lines between truth and public perception. \

The subject couldn’t be more timely — in an era where social media can convict or acquit someone long before any courtroom does, Bandar holds up a deeply uncomfortable mirror. For context on how trial by media has become a globally discussed phenomenon, Wikipedia offers a detailed and sobering read.

What the First Audience Is Saying

Early first-day, first-show reactions from audiences have been overwhelmingly positive. Viewers have praised the film as a “fantabulous movie raising pertinent issues regarding biased laws in society,” with one fan calling Anurag Kashyap a genius and giving Bobby Deol high praise. Another gave it a strong four stars out of five, describing it as an excellent masterpiece. A third reaction summed it up perfectly: “OG Bollywood IS BACK!!! Bobby Deol’s CAREER-BEST… Anurag Kashyap goes DARK, RAW, UNFILTERED. Courtroom drama + media trial + truth vs power.”

That phrase — OG Bollywood is back — carries real weight. It tells you this feels like a film from an era when Hindi cinema wasn’t afraid to challenge its audience rather than comfort them.

The Dream Team Behind It

The screenplay by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee — the duo behind Paatal Lok — guarantees sharp, layered writing. The music is crafted by Amit Trivedi and Vishal Mishra, two composers known for bringing emotional depth to their scores. With a lean 136-minute runtime, the film doesn’t overstay its welcome either.

Bandar opened on June 5, 2026, and is currently competing at the box office against Ram Charan’s Peddi, which released a day earlier, and Varun Dhawan and David Dhawan’s Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, which also opened the same day.

For full box office collection updates and daily performance reports for Bandar and all other releases this week, head straight to TechnoSports’ entertainment and box office section — your one-stop destination for everything Bollywood.

Should You Watch Bandar This Weekend?

If you loved Paatal Lok, Gangs of Wasseypur, or the kind of Bollywood that leaves you thinking for days — absolutely yes. This is not feel-good cinema. It is necessary cinema. And Bobby Deol, shedding every trace of the menacing villain persona he built in recent years, is clearly delivering the most nuanced performance of his career.

For a full detailed review of Bandar, check out our earlier coverage on TechnoSports, where we break down everything the film gets right — and where it asks a little too much patience from the audience.

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