Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s film Kennedy is finally set to release in India, three years after its international debut. The neo-noir thriller, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, will bypass a theatrical run and stream directly on ZEE5 in February.
Despite receiving clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification, Kennedy never secured a theatrical release in India.
On Saturday, Kashyap announced the OTT release by sharing the film’s teaser on Instagram. He wrote, “Finally, our labour of love, angst and everything in between—Kennedy—is coming home after travelling the world on @zee5. All I can say is that I am grateful for having been able to make this film, for my team, my producers, my studio, and at the end of the day—jab jab jo jo hona hai, tab tab so so hota hai (everything happens in its own time).”
Kennedy had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section at Cannes, where it received a seven-minute standing ovation. The film was also screened at the Sydney Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea, Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and the London Indian Film Festival.
The thriller follows an insomniac former police officer, presumed dead, who continues to operate within a corrupt system while secretly seeking redemption.
Presented by Zee Studios and produced by Good Bad Films, the film stars Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in lead roles, with Mohit Takalkar, Abhilash Thapliyal and Megha Burman appearing in key roles.
Kennedy also had a limited digital premiere in December on Letterboxd’s online film-rental platform, Video Store. However, users in India could not access the film on the platform.