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Agra, which had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section, is finally set for its India release tomorrow. However, despite the anticipation, the film is struggling to find screens across the country due to the release of several big-budget commercial films, including De De Pyaar De 2.
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Agra director Kanu Behl expressed his frustration on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “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!”
In another post, he added: “Spread the word. Or this will just go on and on. The space for anything other than mindless, infantilised cinema will disappear.”
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
Kanu Behl also tagged several prominent names from the industry, including Manoj Bajpayee, Ranvir Shorey, Richa Chadha, Anurag Kashyap, Anubhav Sinha, and Nikhil Advani, urging them to amplify the issue.
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While the celebrities are yet to respond, many of Behl’s followers took to social media to tag major multiplex chains like PVR and demand screenings for Agra.
Set in a small Indian town, Agra follows Guru, a young call-centre employee living with his parents, caught between loneliness, dating apps, and delusional fantasies. His repressed desires and growing frustration gradually push him toward a disturbing mental breakdown.
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The erotic psychological drama, co-written and directed by Kanu Behl, features Mohit Agarwal, Priyanka Bose, Rahul Roy, Devas Dixit, Ruhani Sharma, Vibha Chibber, Sonal Jha, and Aanchal Goswami in pivotal roles.
Before issuing the clearance certificate, CBFC asked the makers of Agra to remove two sexually explicit visuals from the film.
The film first gained attention after being selected for Film Bazaar, the South Asian film market organised by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), and later received critical acclaim at Cannes.
