Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Kennedy darker than Anurag Kashyap's Ugly: Rahul Bhat

Kennedy will have its world premiere under the Midnight Screenings segment at Cannes.

Kennedy darker than Anurag Kashyap's Ugly: Rahul Bhat

Kennedy is darker than what Anurag Kashyap explored in Ugly, says actor Rahul Bhat who believes his role of a cop-turned-assassin is the director's version of an "angry middle-aged man".

The upcoming noirish thriller, set for Cannes premiere later this month, follows the titular character working for a corrupt police force with scores to settle. It marks Kashyap and Bhatt's third collaboration.


"There was once a time when Salim-Javed gave us the angry young man. And this is Anurag Kashyap's angry middle-aged man," Bhat told PTI in an interview, referring to Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan's interpretation of the angry young man in films such as Deewar, Trishul, Sholay, and Shakti, fronted by Amitabh Bachchan.

With Kennedy, Kashyap is returning to the festival where he previously presented titles such as Raman Raghav 2.0, Ugly, Bombay Talkies, and the two-part gangster drama Gangs of Wasseypur.

Bhat said Kashyap's Kennedy has "a lot of layering".

"Ugly is a kid in front of Kennedy when it comes to darkness and violence. This movie is something else. It's more of a psychological and internal journey. Of course, it makes a social commentary and has so many things to say. But the story moves fast and I hope it'll keep people engaged." When Kashyap sent the script, the actor said he felt overwhelmed that the filmmaker considered him for the main part.

"I was so emotionally charged that I could not stop myself from crying. I find myself very lucky that a director of the caliber of Anurag Kashyap thinks that I can pull off characters like these, which are so complex," he said.

Bhat said his character is at "another level" of human nature.

"Kennedy is angry, but he's calm. He is violent but quiet. He looks as if he's very intelligent and understands things, but he's dumb at the same time. However, one thing that he knows well is how to kill. He's a killing machine," he said.

The model-turned-actor, who was initially famous for his work in the TV show Heena and movies such as Yeh Mohabbat Hai and Nayee Padosan, found a career turnaround with Kashyap's Ugly.

The 45-year-old described Kashyap as a simple man with a mind of a "genius".

"The amount of knowledge this man has is unbelievable. He knows cinema so well and has an innate talent. I feel that everybody understands that he's a genius. But he is also a simple-minded guy, which helps his talent somewhere," Bhat said.

Kennedy will have its world premiere under the Midnight Screenings segment at Cannes. The film's premiere at the prestigious film gala will be a moment that Bhat said he looks forward to cherishing.

"Ugly was also screened at Cannes, which was very special. But this time, we are part of the official selection and we're going to walk the red carpet. The movie is going to be shown in their main theatre. I feel it's once in a lifetime kind of an experience for any actor. It's a great feeling."

The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 16 to 27.

More For You

Little Britain

Little Britain resurfaces on TikTok, sparking a fresh wave of outrage and nostalgia

Youtube

Why is Gen-Z laughing at ‘Little Britain’? A closer look at the show’s most offensive jokes

More than two decades after Little Britain first aired, a new audience is discovering the controversial sketch show but not on BBC or Netflix. Instead, Gen-Z has resurrected it on TikTok, where short clips featuring outrageous characters and catchphrases have racked up millions of views. The twist? Many of these viral clips are the very ones that got the show pulled from streaming platforms in 2020.

Created by Matt Lucas and David Walliams, Little Britain was a defining comedy of the 2000s. It won awards, ran across multiple seasons, and even spawned a spin-off, Come Fly With Me. But as societal standards around race, sexuality, and disability evolved, the show came under fire for jokes that many now see as not just outdated but outright offensive.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahsoka

Ahsoka season 1 featuring Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, set the stage for an epic journey into the Star Wars universe

Star Wars

Hayden Christensen confirms return as Anakin Skywalker in 'Ahsoka' season 2

After much speculation, Hayden Christensen has confirmed he’s returning as Anakin Skywalker in the second season of Ahsoka. The actor made the announcement during the Star Wars Celebration event in Tokyo, sharing his enthusiasm about revisiting a version of Anakin that fans haven’t fully explored in live-action, the Clone Wars-era Jedi, before his fall to the dark side.

Christensen said that bringing this version of Anakin to life has long been something he and Star Wars creator George Lucas had hoped to explore on screen. The new season, which starts filming next week, will give fans a deeper look at that chapter of the character's life, though details about his exact role remain under wraps.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kesari Chapter 2

Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, and Ananya Panday headline Kesari Chapter 2, a historical drama revisiting the aftermath of Jallianwala Bagh

Bookmyshow

'Kesari Chapter 2' opens to mixed reviews as Akshay Kumar takes on colonial injustice in court

Released on April 18, Kesari Chapter 2 steps into theatres with a heavy subject on its shoulders: the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the courtroom fight that followed. Headlined by Akshay Kumar, alongside R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday, the film has drawn mixed reactions from viewers, with some calling it powerful and others labelling it sluggish.

Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and backed by Dharma Productions, the film moves away from the battlefield narrative of its 2019 predecessor. Instead, it follows the legal efforts of C. Sankaran Nair, played by Akshay Kumar, who challenged the British Empire after the 1919 tragedy. R. Madhavan plays opposing counsel Neville McKinley, while Ananya Panday surprises many with a restrained, serious performance as Dilreet Gill.

Keep ReadingShow less
colin farrell

Farrell has spoken publicly about his son's condition on various occasions

Getty

Angelman syndrome drives Colin Farrell to seek long-term care solutions for his son

Actor Colin Farrell and his former partner, Kim Bordenave, have decided to place their 21-year-old son, James, who has Angelman syndrome, into long-term care.

Angelman syndrome is a rare neuro-genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and results in developmental delays, lack of speech, movement and balance issues, and seizures. It is usually diagnosed in early childhood and is caused by problems with the UBE3A gene on chromosome 15.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ryan Gosling set to be 'Starfighter'

'Star Wars: Starfighter', the film is scheduled for release in May 2027

Getty

Ryan Gosling to star in new standalone Star Wars film ‘Starfighter’

Lucasfilm has officially confirmed that a new standalone Star Wars film starring Ryan Gosling is in development. The announcement was made during the Star Wars Celebration event held in Tokyo, where Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni shared key details of the upcoming project.

Titled Star Wars: Starfighter, the film is scheduled for release in May 2027. This standalone feature will be directed by Shawn Levy, known for his work on Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke box office records upon its release in 2024. The screenplay is being written by Jonathan Tropper, who is best known for Your Friends & Neighbors.

Keep ReadingShow less