'Bandwaale' review: Zahan Kapoor-Shalini Pandey's show is bland, predictable
What's the story
Prime Video's new series, Bandwaale, is created and written by Ankur Tewari and Swanand Kirkire. Headlined by Zahan Kapoor, Shalini Pandey, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Kirkire, it focuses on a small-town woman's passion for poetry and her battle against her overbearing father. Bandwaale, comprising eight episodes of about 40 minutes each, always remains on a shaky foundation, and its insipid story fails to capture attention.
Plot
A poet's journey against stifling patriarchy
Set in Ratlam, Bandwaale follows Mariam (Pandey), who writes anonymous poems. Her father, David (Vidyarthi), is extremely strict; he wants her to marry a man of his choice right after her graduation. Dejected, Mariam seeks help from local artists Robo (Kirkire) and DJ Psycho/Psy (Kapoor), who race against time to secure a career-changing opportunity and help her escape marriage.
#1
Too many ideas, not enough development
The performative activism of Indians, the desperation for a male heir, the ever-evolving nature of art, social media's power to catapult one to success—Bandwaale wants to cover everything all at once. However, it fails to do justice to any idea and is reduced to a hodgepodge of concepts that fail to align with one another. Bandwaale plays out like an outdated, broken record.
#2
Tiring tropes make the series dull and uninteresting
Hindi shows set amid the backdrop of small towns have largely begun to feel the same, and Bandwaale is no different. Though it features a female protagonist and focuses on art as an escape, the uninspired execution means there's no magic to be found. With bland, unrealistic characters you see on Indian OTT every day, Bandwaale doesn't offer much to hold on to.
#3
Kapoor gets a disappointing role in his second outing
Kapoor, the breakout star of Netflix's crime-thriller series Black Warrant (2025), brings charm, magnetism, and a dynamic energy to Bandwaale. However, with a ridiculous storyline that goes nowhere and an awkward, rushed romantic track with Pandey, Kapoor's talent is tragically wasted. This is not the follow-up he would have desired after Black Warrant's sensational success.
#4
On Pandey's performance and Kirkire's role
Pandey gets a meaty role to sink her teeth into and receives the maximum screentime. She's believable as an ambitious woman whose wings are clipped at home, and her desperation to taste freedom makes her the most rooted character in Bandwaale. Kirkire, however, is trapped in a poor, overwritten, overstuffed character who seems to wander purposelessly throughout the eight episodes.
Verdict
Nothing you haven't seen already; 2.5/5 stars
Prime Video India struck gold with shows like Panchayat, Mirzapur, and Jubilee, but has also churned out duds like Daldal, Andhera, and Indian Police Force. Bandwaale, unfortunately, belongs to the latter category. Conflicts often seem artificial, most characters remain at a distance, and the ending, predictably, is too convenient. This is not the band you would like to groove to. 2.5/5 stars.