A film notorious for its graphic and real sex scenes, once banned in several countries, has made its way onto Netflix.
Released in 2010, this Indian production was initially prohibited from showing in its own country.
The year 2010 seems notable for controversial cinema, with the release of “A Serbian Film” also causing ongoing debates.
Fourteen years later, these films continue to be relevant and have garnered a measure of critical acclaim.
Directed by Qaushiq Mukherjee, popularly known as ‘Q’, this film was envisioned as a black-and-white abstract piece, integrating explicit sexual content into its narrative.
This film departs from typical Hollywood portrayals where sex scenes are simulated. Q aimed for complete authenticity, claiming that two of the actors genuinely engaged in unsimulated sexual acts multiple times as integral to the storyline.
Following its release, the film, titled “Gandu” which means ‘a******e’ in English, sparked significant controversy and even led to audience walkouts.
The plot revolves around a teenage rapper who steals money from his mother’s lover to support his drug habit and pursue his passion for music.
The film “Gandu” features numerous explicit sex scenes, particularly between Gandu’s mother (played by Kamalika Banerjee) and her lover Dasbabu (Silajit Majumder), which the main character, Gandu (Anubrata Basu), witnesses.
One of the film’s most controversial scenes includes Basu displaying a fully erect penis during a sex scene with co-star Rii Sen.
Director Qaushiq Mukherjee, known as ‘Q’, confirmed that the actors engaged in actual intercourse during filming.
At the 2011 Slamdance Festival, he mentioned that the actors were “good friends” and embraced the challenge “in the spirit of their favorite extreme films, like ‘The Idiots,'” as noted in a review by Hammer to Nail.
Additionally, the scene features Sen engaging in kitten play, mimicking a cat lapping milk from a bowl.
The film also contains strong language throughout, including words like ‘c***’, ‘f**k’ and ‘p***y.’
Despite its controversial content and being rated 18 in the UK, “Gandu” was not shown in India until it premiered at the Osian Film Festival in July 2021 due to its taboo nature in its home country.
Critics have largely responded positively to the film, which holds a decent rating of 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
