Bandwaale
2026 Indian television series
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Bandwaale is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language musical comedy drama television series directed by Akshat Verma and Ankur Tewari it features Swanand Kirkire, Zahan Kapoor and Shalini Pandey in lead roles, alongside a supporting ensemble cast.[1] The series premiered on 13 February 2026 on Prime Video.[2][3][4]
Ankur Tewari
Ankur Tewari
- Swanand Kirkire
- Zahan Kapoor
- Shalini Pandey
| Bandwaale | |
|---|---|
Promotional release poster | |
| Genre | Comedy drama |
| Written by | Swanand Kirkire Ankur Tewari |
| Directed by | Akshat Verma Ankur Tewari |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Sid Shirodkar |
| Country of origin | India |
| Original language | Hindi |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Himman Dhamija |
| Editor | Gourav Gopal Jha |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 30–37 minutes |
| Production company | OML Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | Prime Video |
| Release | 13 February 2026 |
Synopsis
Set in Ratlam, the series follows Mariam, a young poet who struggles against the constraints of tradition and limited autonomy in her surroundings. Seeking self-expression and a sense of identity, she begins posting her poetry anonymously online. Her path gradually intersects with Robo, a brass band vocalist, and DJ Psycho, whose companionship and encouragement inspire her to pursue her artistic aspirations.
Cast
- Swanand Kirkire as Robo Kumar
- Zahan Kapoor as DJ Psycho
- Shalini Pandey as Mariam
- Ashish Vidyarthi as David
- Sanjana Dipu as Cynthia
- Anupama Kumar as Valsala
- Vikram Kochhar as Rafi
- Robin Das as Ismail
- Naushad Mohammed Kunju as Sebastian
- Addis Akkara as Roysten
Release
The trailer was released on 11 February 2026 [5]
The series began streaming on Prime Video on 13 February 2026.[6][7]
Reception
Rahul Deasi of The Hollywood Reporter India writes that "The endless 8-episode seeries revolves around a small-town poetess who struggles to break free from societal shackles."[8] Abhishek Srivastava of Times of India gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that "‘Bandwaale’ comes across as a safe idea stretched into a full series without enough substance to sustain it. It is sincere, but sincerity alone does not create engagement. The themes of ambition, self-expression, and friendship are present, yet they are handled in a way that feels cautious."[9] Deepa Gahlot writing for scroll.in stated that "the series derails into absurd subplots that have no bearing on anything else going on in the family. If there’s a melodramatic misunderstanding over a pregnancy, there’s also a crazy rescue from a charlatan’s clinic."[10]
Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost rated it 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that "There are a lot of boxes that Bandwaale tries to tick. But most of them now feel tried and tested."[11] Divya Nair of Rediff.com gave 3.5 stars out of 4 and said that "Kudos to the makers for attempting to create a meaningful series, Bandwaale, that blends the beauty of music to inspire you to look within, and find your voice."[12] Pritinanda Behera of India Today rated it 2/5 stars and writes that "Bandwaale attempts to tell a heartfelt story about dreams, artistic freedom, and small-town pressures but falters due to scattered storytelling and predictable tropes."[13]
