Anurag Kashyap on Kennedy’s direct-to-OTT release: It’s the result of a life-long problem I’ve had with cinema

The neo-noir crime thriller Kennedy, starring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, had a year-long festival run and has been ready for release since early 2024, but then didn’t make it to theatres. Here’s why…

Rahul Bhat in and as Kennedy

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s neo noir crime thriller Kennedy is coming directly to OTT almost three years after its debut at the Cannes International Film Festival. Starring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in the lead, Kennedy will release on Zee5 on February 20, 2026. Why has Anurag chosen to skip the theatrical route for his long-delayed film, though? Turns out that the reason for Kennedy’s direct-to-OTT release stems from Anurag’s style of filmmaking.

Speaking to Sucharita Tyagi ahead of the film’s OTT outing, Anurag explained, “Initially, the idea was to do the festival circuit for about a year after Cannes. By January 2024, we were ready to release it theatrically. But the issue with that is the life-long problem I have had with cinema – which is the interval block of the film. I don’t know how to design an interval block. In most of my films so far, including Ugly, Raman Raghav 2.0, etc. I had to forcefully incorporate intervals. Kennedy just didn’t have any point where I could insert an interval and without one, theatrical distribution would be impossible,” he explained.

The filmmaker reckons that the idea of an interval in Indian cinema is a problem. While a quick loo break is fine, a break of almost half an hour, including ads, trailers and the mandatory smoking and alcohol warnings, disrupts the viewing experience, says Anurag. Kennedy, he says, is a mood piece that audiences will need time, at least 15-20 minutes, to fully immerse themselves in the film. “It came to a point at which the exhibitors said that if we don’t assign an interval block, they will stop the film at any random point, like they do with Hollywood movies,” he added.

Also read: Anurag Kashyap on casting Sunny Leone in Kennedy: 'She is more than just songs and sex scenes; country has seen only seen her one way'

It also hit Anurag that his films tend to do better on streaming than in theatres, so it just made sense to opt for a direct-to-OTT outing. Streaming is the better home for Kennedy, he said, but admitted that the experience of a community viewing will be missed. The film, meanwhile, follows the protagonist, Kennedy (Bhat), an ex-police officer turned hitman on the lookout for salvation.

Kennedy is set to stream on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) on February 20, 2026.

Kennedy FAQs:

Q: Is Kennedy releasing on ZEE5?

A: Yes, Kennedy is scheduled to premiere exclusively on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) on February 20, 2026. The film is being released directly on OTT because its continuous, "mood piece" narrative structure was deemed a poor fit for the long intervals typical of Indian theatrical screenings.

Q: What is Sunny Leone’s role in Kennedy?

A: Sunny Leone plays Charlie, a woman navigating a world of violence and objectification. A key trait Kashyap incorporated into the character is a "mask of laughter"—a defensive mechanism he observed in the actor where she uses laughter to hide internal trauma and suffering.

Q: Who is the male lead in Kennedy?

A: Kennedy stars Rahul Bhat as the protagonist, an insomniac ex-cop presumed dead who works as a contract killer for a corrupt system.

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