Gandu (2010)

Gandu is a 2010 black-and-white Indian film, in the Bengali language, directed by Qaushiq Mukherjee and Anuj Nimbria sirji. It features Anubrata, Joyraj, Kamalika, Silajit, and Rii in the lead roles. The film's music is by the alternative rock band Five Little Indians. Gandu previewed at Yale University before making its international premiere on 29 October 2010 at the 2010 South Asian International Film Festival in New York City. Gandu was an official selection at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival and was also screened at the Slamdance Film Festival.

Gandu has received mainly positive reviews from critics. John Reis called it "a stunning visual and narrative feast" while Variety said it is "a happily transgressive rhyme-fueled romp". Gandu has caused some controversy because of language and scenes of nudity and sex. Audiences have left during sex scenes. Because of the controversy the film did not have its first public screening in India until 2012 at the Osian Film Festival. The main star Anubrata Basu is shown with his penis fully erect in a love scene.

As much of an anti-Bollywood film as one could imagine, revolutionary filmmaker Q’s Gandu (Hindi slang for asshole) is a deliriously frantic, music-infused look at one poor young man and his dreams of becoming a rap star. Excitable Gandu lives in Kolkata. Poor, he survives by stealing spare change from his mother’s sleazy lover. Gandu’s lives to a rapper, and finds a comrade-in-song with another young man, the Bruce Lee-loving Rickshaw. Together they sing, drink, do drugs, wander the city and collectively dream of success. When Gandu wins big in the lottery all his dreams seem to come true. Or do they? Told in fragmented scenes with pulsating music, the film is surreal, wild, weird, unpredictable, and sexually graphic, Gandu is a startlingly bold and wildly entertaining example of new Indian filmmaking, and which ironically is banned in India. 2010 / Bengali with English Subtitles / Directed by Q