After a long and unconventional journey, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s neo-noir thriller Kennedy has finally unleashed its official trailer, setting social media and cinephile forums alight just weeks before its Indian OTT debut. The film, which has garnered international buzz on the festival circuit, is poised to make a major splash with audiences at home when it streams exclusively on ZEE5 on February 20, 2026.
Kennedy isn’t just another release in a crowded Bollywood calendar. It embodies Kashyap’s signature aesthetic, gritty, morally complex, and stylistically bold, and represents a rare instance of an Indian film that has toured global festivals for years before finding its way to mainstream platforms. The trailer reflects this lineage: dark, moody visuals merge with an unsettling narrative voice-over, hinting at a story that blurs the lines between violence, guilt, and psychological disquiet.
At the center of the film is Rahul Bhat, who plays the titular character, Kennedy, an insomniac ex-cop presumed dead, now operating as a lethal hitman within a corrupt system. In recent press interactions, Bhat described Kennedy as “lonely, angry, vulnerable,” suggesting a layered performance that prioritizes internal conflict over typical cinematic machismo. The character’s introspective edge comes through vividly in the trailer, where narration and imagery paint a portrait of a man shaped as much by his demons as by his instincts.
Adding another layer of intrigue is Sunny Leone, who appears in a key role that diverges sharply from her previous screen persona. Her inclusion signals Kashyap’s interest in leveraging unconventional casting choices, transforming familiar faces into deeply textured characters that defy audience expectations.
Kennedy’s trajectory from international acclaim to Indian release reflects a broader shift in how bold, genre-defying cinema finds its audience. After its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, Kennedy toured festivals across Australia, Europe, South Korea, and the United States, often earning standing ovations and critical nods for its unflinching approach to violence and morality. For many followers of Kashyap’s work, the trailer’s release represents a long-awaited chance to finally experience the film in the Indian digital market, a space increasingly receptive to daring narratives that would struggle to find footing in traditional theatrical circuits.
The choice to premiere Kennedy directly on OTT marks another point of interest. As global streaming platforms become more central in Indian entertainment, directors like Kashyap are finding that digital first-looks can open up their films to wider, more diverse audiences than conventional releases sometimes allow. This is especially true for films that don’t fit neatly into commercial Bollywood tropes but instead thrive on psychological depth and aesthetic tension.
Beyond its festival accolades and stylistic bravado, Kennedy also stands as a testament to the evolving relationship between Indian cinema and its audiences, one where bold storytelling isn’t just tolerated but actively celebrated. With its OTT release around the corner, the film is expected to spark conversation across film communities and mainstream entertainment spaces alike.
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