Mumbai, June 16 (IANS) Actor Rahul Bhat is making a mark for himself on the global stage after his latest outing "Kennedy" premiered at the prestigious New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2025.

Anurag Kashyap's directorial has received an overwhelming response at NYIFF with the first screening turning out to be a house full, forcing the organizers to add a second show of the drama.

In addition to this, Rahul has also received the nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of the titular role of Kennedy.

Spilling his excitement for his nomination, Rahul said, “I’m truly honoured to be nominated for Best Actor at NYIFF. The response in New York has been nothing short of surreal, the first screening of Kennedy sold out in just 40 seconds! A second show had to be added, and that kind of love is incredibly humbling."

"What’s even more heartening is that this isn’t just a one-off, everywhere Kennedy has been screened, it’s sold out within minutes. The response across the world has been overwhelming, and I’m deeply grateful for it," the 'Ugly' actor added.

"Kennedy" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival back in 2024, where it received a 9-minute standing ovation.

Backed by Ranjan Singh and Kabir Ahuja under the banners of Good Bad Films, and Zee Studios, the neo-noir thriller also features Sunny Leone as Charlie, Mohit Takalkar as Rasheed Khan, Abhilash Thapliyal as Chandan, Megha Burman as Anuradha, Karishma Modi as Gunjan, and Jeniffer Piccinato as Mrs. Lokhandwala, along with others.

It narrates the tale of an insomniac ex-police officer named Kennedy, who secretly works for the corrupt system. However, he later goes on the lookout for salvation.

Recently, Rahul made his third appearance at the Cannes Film Festival with his film "Lost and Found in Kumbh".

Up next, Rahul has a captivating psychological thriller in the making. His lineup further includes an ambitious international co-production expected to be announced soon.

--IANS

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