Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has unveiled his latest work, Monkey in a Cage (Hindi title: Bandar), at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) under the Special Presentations category.
Best known for his unflinching narratives and raw storytelling, Kashyap shifts focus this time to India’s justice system, weaving together themes of wrongful imprisonment and the polarising debates surrounding #MeToo allegations in the digital age.
The film stars Bobby Deol as Samar, a television personality struggling with waning stardom, whose life takes a sharp turn when his former partner Gayatri, played by Sanya Malhotra, accuses him of rape. The charge results in his arrest and exposes him to a system where punishment often outweighs due process. Sapna Pabbi and Saba Azad feature in pivotal roles.
Speaking at the premiere, Kashyap revealed that the film’s inspiration came from a real case highlighted in a newspaper article shared by producer Nikhil Dwivedi. “The story forced me to think about blurred lines — about not knowing who is right or wrong,” he said, while also noting how loopholes in newly introduced laws have led to misuse in certain instances.
Dwivedi, who backed the project, explained his motivation: “This wasn’t about box office or labels like commercial and offbeat. It felt like a story that needed to be told.”
What distinguishes Monkey in a Cage is its unsparing depiction of India’s prisons. The team conducted extensive field research, visiting multiple jails. Kashyap recalled the story of one man who spent 32 years behind bars before being declared innocent — a reminder of how lives vanish in the cracks of judicial delay.
India’s prisons are overwhelmingly populated by undertrials — over three-fourths of inmates are awaiting trial, according to recent figures. Corruption, bureaucracy, and systemic neglect keep many in prolonged confinement without conviction.
To capture the diversity inside prisons, Kashyap assembled a cast from theatre groups across India, bringing in Raj B. Shetty and Natesh Hegde (Kannada), Indrajith Sukumaran (Malayalam), Riddhi Sen (Bengali), and Ankush Gedam (Marathi). Their performances highlight the many languages and identities coexisting in incarceration.
While the subject is likely to stir heated debate in India, particularly in the context of #MeToo, Kashyap insists the film is not about drawing conclusions. “It’s not about innocence or guilt,” he said. “It’s about the silences in courtrooms, the gaps in the law, and the lives that disappear inside them.”
With its layered narrative, Monkey in a Cage is not just another prison drama but a stark reflection of India itself — divided, diverse, and struggling with the unseen toll of systemic injustice.
