ZEE5 has released the trailer of Kennedy, a noir thriller written and directed by Anurag Kashyap. The film will premiere on the platform on February 20. The trailer was unveiled at the Kala Ghoda Art Festival.
The film, previously screened at international film festivals, is getting a direct-to-digital release in India.
Set in Mumbai, Kennedy follows a former cop named Kennedy Uday Shetty (Rahul Bhat) who now works as a contract killer while posing as a cab driver. He carries out assignments for corrupt Police Commissioner Rasheed Khan.
The character is shown dealing with the loss of his son and a broken family as he seeks redemption. The trailer depicts Kennedy being framed in a conspiracy involving explosives and extortion rackets, leading to a pursuit involving violence and retribution.
The film also features Sunny Leone, Mohit Takalkar, Megha Burman, Aamir Dalvi, Abhilash Thapliyal and Karishma Modi in key roles.
“Kennedy is one of the most personal films I have made. The journey of this film has been long, but almost every reaction at the film festivals, complimented our decision of why we made the film the way we did. The trailer introduces you to Kennedy’s world, a man who is violent on the outside but deeply wounded inside,” Anurag Kashyap said in a statement.
“I am happy that ZEE5 is bringing the film to audiences in its raw, uncompromised form,” the filmmaker added.
“Playing Kennedy changed me. He is lonely, angry, vulnerable, and constantly running from his past. Living inside his silence and rage was emotionally exhausting but also incredibly rewarding,” Rahul Bhat said.
“Kennedy pushed me into a very different emotional space as an actor. Charlie is mysterious, fragile and strong all at once, and exploring her journey was both challenging and fulfilling for me… This film challenged me in ways I hadn’t experienced before and I’m truly grateful for that,” Sunny Leone added.
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.
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.