Review of Gandhari movie: In this Netflix thriller action film, Taapsee Pannu plays the role of a mother looking for her daughter who has been kidnapped. The movie has been directed by Devashish Makhija while Kanika Dhillon is the writer and producer of this movie. This movie has an interesting concept of kidnapping, action, mythology and revenge.
Gandhari Movie Review
Gandhari will be worth seeing if you like films with females at the helm and action-packed, thrilling performances of Taapsee Pannu, though it is not a perfect thriller.
The best thing about the film is that it is Taapsee Pannu who holds most of the burden of both emotions and actions of the movie. The performances of other characters, such as Chhaya Kadam and Mita Vashisht, also make the mysterious world around the protagonist more believable.
Unfortunately, the movie faces problems with pacing and complexity of plot as well. The child-trafficking story is relevant enough and important to see on screen, though the premise is rather conventional.
What Is Gandhari About?
Gandhari comes after Bani, whose daughter, Mishty, is abducted while traveling in a train. In her desperation to save her child, Bani is wounded such that she becomes temporarily blind.
However, rather than stopping the quest, blindness affects how Bani interacts with the environment. In particular, she depends more on other senses as she goes through Joypurra, a town with connections to disguise artists and child traffickers.
The movie eventually becomes the pursuit of a mother for those behind the abduction of her child.
Netflix’s synopsis for the movie describes Gandhari as a story about a blind mother whose daughter is abducted and takes the matter in her own hands to find the perpetrators.
Gandhari Cast
The principal cast includes:
- Taapsee Pannu as Bani
- Ishwak Singh as Gokul
- Chhaya Kadam
- Swastika Mukherjee
- Mita Vashisht
- Jatin Sarna
Devashish Makhija directs the film, while Kanika Dhillon is credited as writer and producer.
Taapsee Pannu’s Performance in Gandhari
One of those reasons is Taapsee Pannu.
In the character of Bani, Pannu should demonstrate the duality of the character – pain as the feelings of a mother, who has lost her son, but also power as the feelings of a woman ready to face the entire criminal empire.
Action scenes help Pannu to demonstrate that the character is physically strong rather than a victim. Moreover, the movie is additionally supported by the idea of visual representation, since the blindness of the woman becomes her advantage.
Action scenes are among the best aspects of the movie; on the contrary, the emotional scenes are not very believable. This opinion is shared by NDTV, which appreciated Taapsee Pannu’s action skills.
Is Gandhari Similar to Mardaani?
Of course, there are certain things that are similar between the two movies and this is because the common thread between the two movies is the issue of child trafficking and in both movies the protagonist is a woman fighting against child trafficking.
However, the main difference between the two movies is in their protagonists.
The protagonist of the movie Mardaani is Rani Mukerji who is a police officer and investigates all sorts of crimes while the protagonist of the movie Bani is a mother called Taapsee Pannu and is trying to track down her kidnapped daughter.
However, one thing must not be overlooked as a sequel of Mardaani has also been made in 2026 and the movie deals with child trafficking.
What Makes Gandhari Different?
All of the above aspects can distinguish the movie concerning the setting and mythology of the film.
A rather big part of the story occurs in the made-up city Joypurra, where behrupias, or the disguisers, have a great importance both in culture and in terms of the plot development.
In fact, the name of the movie refers to the character Gandhari from Mahabharata who makes herself blind since her husband, Dhritarashtra, is already blind.
The parallel between the characters’ actions from the epic story and those from the plot of the movie is established. Nevertheless, Bani goes blind not intentionally but only after her daughter’s kidnapping.
Gandhari Performances: Who Stands Out?
Even though the star of the show is Taapsee Pannu, the rest of the cast must also be praised for its contributions.
In particular, Chhaya Kadam and Mita Vashisht deserve mentioning, as their characters bring some unpredictability to Bani’s path. Those individuals who seem kind and helpful at first could be driven by different motives, resulting in the overall suspenseful feeling when Bani cannot know whether or not to trust somebody.
Ishwak Singh portrays Bani’s husband – Gokul, and he will participate in revealing some details regarding the criminals from Joypurra.
The rest of the cast serves well in building up the mystery parts of the movie, particularly at the point when the relationships among the characters start to unfold. According to NDTV, Kadam and Vashisht delivered strong supporting performances.
Gandhari Story: Does It Work?
This plot hook is a fascinating one due to the fact that the emotional impact is quite easy to understand. The main idea is that a mother loses her daughter and will never give up in her search for her.
However, the movie raises the bar when it begins to explore Joypurra, its mysterious people, trafficking network and its relation to Bani’s life.
This is an interesting element, but it can be viewed as a negative aspect too.
On one hand, it adds something unique to the film. On the other hand, there may be too many twists that can make the plot quite confusing for viewers.
Yet another negative aspect here is the fact that the topic of child-trafficking is quite old in India.
There have been many similar Indian crime films with similar themes.
Gandhari Action Sequences
Action is one of the most compelling elements in the movie.
The transformation of Bani is especially notable since her blindness might have been treated solely as a handicap. However, the movie exploits her blindness to create an entirely new action protagonist.
As she relies more and more on hearing, touch, and instincts as she tracks the people involved in her daughter’s disappearance, there arise possibilities for more intimate fight scenes and encounters where Taapsee Pannu can demonstrate a physically more aggressive aspect of her acting.
For people who are more interested in action thrillers, these scenes are more appealing than other dramatic parts of the movie.
Gandhari Review: Strengths and Weaknesses
| What Works | What Doesn’t |
| Taapsee Pannu’s committed performance | Familiar trafficking premise |
| Strong action sequences | Uneven pacing |
| Chhaya Kadam and Mita Vashisht | Some narrative complexity |
| Emotional mother-daughter motivation | Not every dramatic moment lands |
| Distinctive Joypurra setting | Can feel familiar to crime-thriller viewers |
| Mythological connection | Some ideas compete for attention |
Is Gandhari Worth Watching on Netflix?
There are a number of reasons to see the movie if you like Taapsee Pannu, women action movies, and social thrillers indeed.
The film is worth seeing as a thriller about vengeance and not as a crime thriller that does everything perfectly.
If you appreciate elaborate scenes and an important part played by the protagonist, you will find the movie entertaining, but if you are looking for a unique thriller dedicated to trafficking with great narration throughout the film, you will be disappointed.
The release date of Gandhari on Netflix is September 3, 2026, and according to Netflix, it is a Hindi thriller of 2026 featuring Taapsee Pannu, Ishwak Singh, and Mita Vashisht.
Gandhari Movie Rating
Rating: 3/5
This rating of the film is based on the film that contains excellent central acting, impressive action, and serious issues, but, nevertheless, it also features some flaws in terms of its storyline and predictable premise.
For those fans of Taapsee Pannu, this rating could be considered to be rather conservative, considering the fact that her acting certainly adds to the quality of this film.
As for the thriller genre, Gandhari proves to be predictable.
Final Verdict
The energy that fuels Gandhari is because of the emotional and physical struggle of Bani.
Taapsee Pannu is the powerhouse in the movie, while the rest of the cast provides thrill in her environment. The concept of a blind lady searching for her kidnapped daughter is rather interesting and works well as the foundation of an action thriller.
But nevertheless, the movie is still subjected to all the limitations of its genre, and the story of child trafficking turns out to be predictable, and the plot becomes entangled with new details about the characters.
Conclusion: Gandhari is worth watching once.
FAQs
Is Gandhari worth watching?
Yes. Gandhari is worth watching for Taapsee Pannu’s performance, its action sequences and its emotionally charged mother-daughter storyline. However, viewers looking for a highly original thriller may find some elements familiar.
Where can I watch Gandhari?
Gandhari is available to stream on Netflix. Netflix lists the film as a 2026 thriller starring Taapsee Pannu, Ishwak Singh and Mita Vashisht.
Who plays the lead role in Gandhari?
Taapsee Pannu plays Bani, the mother at the center of the story.
Who directed Gandhari?
Gandhari was directed by Devashish Makhija and written and produced by Kanika Dhillon.
What is Gandhari about?
The film follows Bani, a mother whose daughter is kidnapped during a train journey. After losing her eyesight in the aftermath, Bani enters the mysterious town of Joypurra and attempts to track down the people responsible.
What is the rating of Gandhari?
Our rating for Gandhari is 3 out of 5 stars.
Is Gandhari based on the Mahabharata?
The film’s title and central blindness motif reference Gandhari from the Mahabharata, but the movie tells a contemporary fictional story about a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter.
Is Gandhari similar to Mardaani?
There are similarities because both films involve child trafficking and a determined female protagonist. However, Mardaani centers on a police officer, while Gandhari follows a mother fighting to rescue her daughter.
Who are the main actors in Gandhari?
The main cast includes Taapsee Pannu, Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht and Jatin Sarna.
Final Rating
Gandhari — 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
Best for: Taapsee Pannu fans, action-thriller audiences and viewers interested in socially relevant crime dramas.
Skip it if: You are looking for a completely fresh trafficking thriller or a tightly constructed mystery from beginning to end.
