Perry Bhandal

Perry Bhandal (born 12 January 1968) is a British film director, screenwriter, producer, and author. He is known for the films Interview with a Hitman, The Last Boy, and the generatively produced series Okay, It’s Time to Go. He is also the author of _prelude, a collection of short stories and artwork, and The Winter Man, a crime thriller novel.

Early life Bhandal was born in Taplow, England, and is of Sikh heritage. He received a BSc from the University of Manchester, followed by M.A. degrees in film and creative writing from Brunel University.

Career In May 2009, Bhandal founded the film production company Kirlian Pictures and began developing his debut feature, Interview with a Hitman.

Bhandal directed his second feature, the Rumi-inspired science fiction fantasy thriller The Last Boy, in 2017. The film was released in 2019.

In 2024, Bhandal wrote, directed and produced Okay, It’s Time to Go, an initial dystopian film project created using generative tools. The work explores the societal consequences of a fictional consumer suicide device known as the “Stopwatch”, examining themes including personal autonomy, population collapse, technology, corporate power and the ethics of choice.

The project was later substantially reworked and expanded into a 2026 feature-length dystopian anthology film, structured around three connected stories set in the world of AltarCorp and the Stopwatch. The completed feature, listed by Kirlian Pictures as running 1 hr 51 min, was released for direct streaming through Bhandal’s Kirlian Pictures platform.

In May 2025, Bhandal was featured in a Franceinfo article on the growing use of generative technology in auteur cinema at the Cannes Film Festival. Describing his work on the series, he said: “If I want to use special effects that would cost $10 million to make, I can now.” Reflecting on his creative process, Bhandal drew a comparison with George Lucas's approach to character design on Revenge of the Sith, noting: “I do the same, but with a simple computer.” Bhandal has described generative tools as “the most powerful equaliser in cinema history”, highlighting their role in enabling independent filmmakers to create work that previously would have required significant budgets and large teams.

Publications _prelude – a collection of short stories and artwork (2020), The Winter Man – a crime thriller novel (2020),

Filmography

Feature films YearTitleCredited as Director Screenwriter Producer 2012 Interview with a Hitman 2019 The Last Boy 2026 Okay, It’s Time to Go