'Agra Being Denied Shows Because Of So Called Big Blockbusters': Kanu Behl Slams Multiplexes

A day before his film Agra hits theatres, director Kanu Behl has opened up about a struggle many filmmakers quietly face — getting screens for smaller films. The filmmaker revealed that his film is being

denied shows in multiplexes because it doesn’t fit into the “big blockbuster” lineup currently dominating theatres. His candid post has struck a chord with audiences and industry insiders who have long spoken about the unfair treatment of indie films.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Behl wrote, “We’re being denied shows because of the so called ‘big blockbusters’ and because small films ‘don’t fit into’ multiplex chain programming. It’s up to you the audience now! Speak up and tag the chains. Say that you want to see the film!”

Update on ‘Agra’, the film: We’re being denied shows because of the so called ‘big blockbusters’ and because small films ‘don’t fit into’ multiplex chain programming. It’s up to you the audience now! Speak up and tag the chains. Say that you want to see the film!

— Kanu Behl (@KanuBehl) November 13, 2025

Kunal further wrote, “Spread the word. Or this will just go on and on. And the space for anything else other than mindless ‘infantilised cinema’ will disappear.”

Spread the word. Or this will just go on and on. And the space for anything else other than mindless ‘infantilised cinema’ will disappear.

— Kanu Behl (@KanuBehl) November 13, 2025

His message quickly caught attention online, with many calling it yet another example of how independent films get sidelined when major releases take over cinema chains. Behl’s frustration echoes the sentiment of several other filmmakers who’ve seen their projects struggle for visibility despite strong festival runs or positive reviews.

Agra has already earned international acclaim as it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight section and was praised for its raw portrayal of loneliness and human desire. Agra is an erotic psychological drama film co-written and directed by Kanu Behl. It features debutant Mohit Agarwal, Priyanka Bose, Rahul Roy, Devas Dikshit, Ruhani Sharma, Vibha Chibber, Sonal Jha, and Aanchal Goswami in pivotal roles.

The film revolves around Guru, a young call centre employee who still lives with his parents and finds himself trapped in a life of monotony and repressed desires. Caught between loneliness, dating apps, and delusional fantasies, his growing frustration gradually pushes him towards a disturbing mental breakdown.

Agra had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section on May 24, 2023. The festival described it as a film that “grasps the so-called reality of patriarchy in India through the prism of male sexual misery.”

The film is set to release in Indian theatres on November 14, 2025.

In November 2022, Agra was selected for India’s Film Bazaar strand — a section of the South Asia film project market organised by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

The film was shot on location in Agra during June and July 2019, capturing the city’s raw and intimate backdrop to mirror its central character’s emotional turmoil. Post-production was underway when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, leading to a five-month delay in its completion.