Sabar Bonda, the Marathi feature film directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, is hogging the limelight for its unique storyline. Four months after the theatrical release, the award-winning feature film has now made its way to OTT. It is available for streaming on Netflix from February 6, 2026. The story of Sabar Bonda follows the life of two men who struggle hard and remain true to their identities. Amid the buzz surrounding the film, let’s find out whether it is based on a true story.
Is Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s feature directorial debut, Sabar Bonda, based on a real-life incident?
For the unversed, the film was released in India on September 19, 2025. The LGBTQ+ romantic drama won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. The feature film is inspired by director, Rohan’s personal experiences. However, the full story of Sabar Bonda is not real. In a 2025 interview with The Times of India, Rohan revealed that the basic premise of ‘Anand’ going to the village is autobiographical. He shared that in 2016, he went to his ancestral home to perform his father’s last rites. Rohan mentioned that he wanted to escape the rituals, the relatives and the familial pressure. He was quoted as saying:
“I wanted to escape it all. At the time, it wasn’t a film idea, just a thought that stayed with me. Then, in November 2020, I started writing this film. It was like reimagining that time- so, while the basic premise of going to the village is autobiographical, 90% of the story is fiction.”
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