Kennedy Premieres on ZEE5 After Three-Year Delay
Anurag Kashyap’s Kennedy premieres on ZEE5 after CBFC-mandated cuts, altering political and underworld references despite Cannes acclaim.
Kennedy is a neo-noir thriller film directed by Anurag Kashyap which was finally released on ZEE5 in India on February 20, 2026. Although the film was met with a standing ovation in Cannes 2023, the Indian version has CBFC-imposed edits to qualify as an A certificate film. Political allusions to Donald Trump were fictionalised, allusion to Dawood Ibrahim was cut, explicit dialogue was lowered, and a 14-second dialogue scene was cut. Disclaimers were included, anti-smoking. The censored version is 2 hours 28 minutes and 54 seconds.
CBFC Inflicts Political and Underworld Edits before releasing digitally
The Central Board of Film Certification made several content changes before it gave the clearance. All references to U.S. President Donald Trump were replaced with fictitious name, Pump Trump, which was an indicator of sensitivity of contemporary political leaders.
Between Cannes Ovation and Domestic Censorship
Kennedy previously gained international acclaim, such as a standing ovation in Cannes in 2023. Nevertheless, the home adaptation is a reevaluation of regulation over innovative continuum.
The conflict poses a question regarding freedom of art and adherence to certification. The Indian cut is internationally known to be gritty, but there is an apparent strategic softening. Critics believe that the use of fictitious names instead of real ones can help weaken political commentary. Advocates argue that these changes will make it more accessible and not theatrical prohibition.
This conflict underscores the new censorship system in the streaming age, where OTTs are now just as controversial as theatrical releases.
Movie Synopsis: Dystopian Mumbai and Amoralism
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Kennedy features Rahul Bhat as an assumed-deceased police officer who becomes a hitman in a dystopian Mumbai in the COVID-19 times. Sunny Leone is portrayed as Charlie and this provides depth to the noir storey.
The last CBFC-approved version lasts 2 hours, 28 with 54 seconds. The dark colour scheme and the moral ambiguity of the characters and the setting of the pandemic place the film in the neo-noir traditions.
Its ZEE5 debut will be a pivot in its distribution approach direct-to-digital in spite of foreign acclaim, indicating the reality of the market and regulatory pressures shaping the Indian film industry in 2026.
