Param Gill on Bad President: This was never about political sides

Filmmaker Param Gill’s indie satire Bad President has found fresh global attention years after its initial release. The writer-director, who hails from Moga, Punjab, saw the film recently trend across streaming platforms in the US, where it emerged as a top-ranked title. Released without major studio backing, Bad President tells the story of a corrupt businessman who improbably rises to the highest political office. The exaggerated satire, rooted in real public statements and behaviour, gained traction for its unsettling parallels with reality.

The film initially debuted during the final phase of Donald Trump’s first term but faced political pushback that limited its visibility. With minimal promotion, it failed to reach a wide audience at the time. Years later, following Trump’s return to the presidency, the film resurfaced organically, with viewers reassessing it as timely rather than provocative.

Gill has said the film was never intended as partisan commentary. “This was never about political sides,” he said. “It was about the danger of putting a damaging role model before the world.”

Gill, a practising dentist in the US, has continued pursuing filmmaking independently. A sequel, Bad President 2, is currently in development.