Bheed trailer: Rajkummar Rao plays a conscientious cop, Pankaj Kapur has shades of grey

The trailer of Anubhav Sinha’s Covid-19 lockdown drama Bheed was unveiled today. The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Pankaj Kapur, Dia Mirza, Ashutosh Rana and Kritika Kamra among others.

“Tonight, from 12am, the whole country will be in complete lockdown,” announces Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the trailer begins. We see visuals of migrant labourers walking back from cities to their hometowns. Rajkummar Rao’s character is introduced. He plays a cop who is aiding the workers. “Justice is always in the hands of the powerful. If it is given to the weak, justice would be different,” he sermonises. Dia Mirza is also shown in a car, talking to, probably her child and saying that the borders have been shut. Although the comparisons were there in the teaser, Kritika Kamra’s journalist character spells it out, “I see this as India’s Partition.” Pankaj Kapur plays a grey character who refuses help from a Muslim duo and blames them for spreading “Corona jihad.” Bhumi is seen playing the role of a medical practitioner. Surprisingly, nobody wears a mask in the trailer.

Director Anubhav Sinha said, “Bheed is a very special film, it is a story that needs to be told with honesty and compassion. The film is shot in Black and White because I wanted to capture the pulse of our nation at the time when we were going through a very difficult period in the lockdown. As we were coping with different issues, there was a section of our society that was neglected and invisible to us. Bheed is trying to bring their story to light and to make them visible to a society that has forgotten them.”

Talking about the film, Rajkummar Rao shares, "Bheed is a film that captures the essence of the 2020 India Lockdown and the struggles faced by millions of people across the country and the world. It is a story of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. I am grateful to be a part of such a powerful project and can't wait for audiences to experience this unique cinematic journey.”

Bhumi Pednekar, who plays a crucial role in the film, said, "Bheed is a story that needed to be told, and it is an honor to have been able to work with such a stellar star cast.”

The film also features Virendra Saxena, Aditya Shrivastav and Karan Pandit. Produced by Anubhav Sinha's Benaras Mediaworks, it is set to release in cinemas on March 24.