Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has finally broken his silence on why his much-talked-about movie Kennedy remains unreleased, despite getting the green light from censors over a year ago. The neo-noir thriller, starring Sunny Leone, Rahul Bhat, and Abhilash Thapliyal, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 to strong buzz, but has yet to hit theaters or streaming platforms. Kashyap shared the surprising reason, pointing to financial hurdles rather than creative or regulatory issues.
Kashyap explained that while the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared Kennedy in 2023, the project’s backers pulled out at the last minute. “The film has been ready for over a year and even has a censor certificate, but the people who were supposed to release it backed out,” he revealed. The director, known for gritty hits like Gangs of Wasseypur and Black Friday, admitted the situation caught him off guard. “I never expected them to back off after investing so much money,” he added, hinting at the frustration of seeing his work stalled despite its international acclaim.
Kennedy follows an insomniac ex-cop, played by Rahul Bhat, tangled in a web of corruption and revenge, with Sunny Leone as a mysterious femme fatale. After its Cannes debut, where it earned a seven-minute standing ovation, the film also screened at festivals like MAMI and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. Kashyap, 52, remains hopeful, stating, “Now we are looking for new buyers to take it forward.” He’s currently tied up with another project in Thailand but plans to push Kennedy’s release once he’s back.
This isn’t Kashyap’s first brush with delays – his 2004 film Black Friday faced a three-year wait due to legal issues. For now, fans await word on when Kennedy will finally see the light of day.
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