After Five Years on the Shelf, Param Gill’s Bad President Finally Finds Its Audience
2 min read
When Bad President quietly released between late 2020 and early 2021- toward the end of Donald Trump’s first presidential term- its debut was as unusual as the leader it satirised. Director Param Gill remembers a rollout marked by intense political resistance, which left the film with virtually no promotional visibility.
With limited avenues for outreach, the sharp political satire faded almost instantly. “The film came and went and essentially sat on the shelf for five years – nothing happened,” Gill recalls.
Then, in a turn as dramatic as the events that inspired it, the film roared back to life.
Trump’s unexpected return to the White House ignited a sudden, entirely organic surge in viewership. Without any formal marketing, Bad President began trending across platforms and swiftly climbed to the top. “It was completely organic,” Gill says. “The film suddenly found its audience.”
The team, surprised yet energised, believes the film’s timing has finally aligned with public sentiment. Made in the style of bold, Saturday Night Live–esque satire, the film is anchored in real statements and events from Trump’s political journey. “The dialogue is exactly what he said during his campaign,” Gill notes. “This was never about political ideology. It was about presenting a deeply problematic role model whose behaviour echoed globally, inspiring similar leaders in different parts of the world.”
Gill traces the film’s origin to the night of Trump’s 2016 victory. “When he won, I felt America had made a mistake with long-term consequences. We knew his persona from Hollywood. We understood narcissism,” he says. Satire, he felt, was the most honest artistic response. “Art is a mirror to society. Satire reflects exactly what we are doing to ourselves.”
If the film initially struggled due to what Gill calls “Trump fatigue,” the renewed interest has cleared the path for its sequel. “Bad President” explored how he became president the first time. Bad President 2 is about how he returned to power.”
Bolstered by Eddie Griffin’s dynamic performance, Bad President has finally claimed its position in contemporary political cinema – arriving five years late, but at precisely the right moment.
