Anurag Kashyap on Kennedy releasing after 3 years: 'In India, it's called process, not delay'
Anurag Kashyap's 2023 neo-noir thriller, Kennedy, skipped theatrical release and is all set to have a direct-to-OTT release on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium). It stars Rahul Bhat, Sunny Leone, and others.
Last Updated: 05.39 PM, Feb 17, 2026
Anurag Kashyap's film Kennedy, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, was stuck in a years-long "limbo" in India before finally securing an OTT release announcement for February 2026. The noir thriller, featuring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, faced this delay despite being cleared by the censor board. Ahead of its ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) release on February 20, Anurag quirkily said that in India, it is not called delay but 'process.'
How did Anurag Kashyap react to Kennedy releasing after 3 years?
Ahead of Kennedy's direct ZEE5 release on February 20, the streaming platform shared a promotional video featuring Anurag Kashyap and Sunny Leone. In the video, Sunny is asking Anurag how many years their film Kennedy took to release. To this, Anurag quirkily said, "Miracles do happen. It took 2-3 years. This much time is fine because in India, it's called 'process', and not delay."
When Sunny kept asking how much time Gulaal took, Anurag said that it took 8 years. He added that Black Friday was banned and Paanch was not released. When Sunny said, "People have not watch them and still calling it a cult," to which, Kashyap added, "They only call me a cult."
What's the story of Kennedy?
For the unversed, apart from the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, Kennedy was also featured at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2023. The film stars Rahul Bhat as a presumed-dead ex-cop turned hitman seeking redemption. The plot follows his violent journey through Mumbai's underbelly, working for a corrupt commissioner (Mohit Takalkar) while entangled with a character named Charlie (Sunny Leone).
The film follows Uday Shetty, nicknamed Kennedy, an insomniac former police officer who was believed to be dead. He operates in secret as a ruthless contract killer for a corrupt police commissioner, Rasheed Khan. The story, set in post-lockdown Mumbai, revolves around his search for redemption and his entanglement with a woman named Charlie.
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, the film is a gritty, dark drama noted for its neo-noir style, focusing on themes of corruption and moral ambiguity. The film portrays a society where authority figures use violence as a routine, administrative tool. Kennedy struggles with his humanity vs his existence as a machine, constantly haunted by his past actions.
Kennedy FAQs
Q: When is Anurag Kashyap's Kennedy releasing?
A: Kennedy is scheduled to premiere on the streaming platform ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium) on February 20, 2026.
Q: Why is the movie titled Kennedy?
A: The film Kennedy carries a subtle homage to Chiyaan Vikram, whose real name is Kennedy John Victor. Though Anurag Kashyap eventually cast someone else, he kept the title as a lasting imprint of his original vision.
Q: What is Kennedy all about?
A: Anurag Kashyap's Kennedy is a gritty, neo-noir thriller following Uday Shetty, an insomniac ex-cop presumed dead, who operates as a ruthless contract killer for a corrupt police system in Mumbai.