Last Man in Tower trailer: Manoj Bajpayee takes on an entire housing society in this gripping redevelopment drama

Based on the 2011 bestselling novel by Booker Prize-winning author Aravind Adiga, the film is directed by Ben Rekhi and backed by Rana Daggubati's Spirit Media.

Imagine standing your ground to protect your home, only to have your entire neighbourhood turn against you. That's the dilemma at the heart of Last Man in Tower, featuring Manoj Bajpayee, Divya Dutta and Boman Irani. Based on the 2011 bestselling novel of the same name by Booker Prize-winning author Aravind Adiga, the film is directed by Ben Rekhi and backed by Rana Daggubati's Spirit Media.

Last Man in Tower trailer: Manoj Bajpayee's fight to save his home puts him against Divya Dutta and Boman Irani.

Trailer breakdown of Last Man in Tower

The trailer was unveiled on November 3 in which Manoj Bajpayee plays Yogesh Mishra, a retired physics teacher who refuses to give up his Mumbai apartment even after the rest of his housing society agrees to redevelopment. While his neighbours see the offer as a chance to move into better homes and improve their lives, Yogesh isn't ready to walk away from a place filled with years of memories. For him, leaving the apartment means leaving behind a life he has built over the years.

His stand brings him up against Sangita Puri (Divya Dutta), a housewife who sees the redevelopment as a chance to secure a better future for her special-needs son. She has her own reasons for wanting the deal to go through, and Yogesh's refusal only adds to her frustration. What starts as a disagreement over a building soon becomes a deeply personal clash between two people who see their futures very differently.

The situation gets more complicated with developer Dharmen Shah (Boman Irani) pushing to take the project forward. As the dispute drags on, the once-friendly housing society begins to change. Neighbours who have spent years living alongside each other find themselves on opposite sides, and Yogesh is gradually pushed away by the very community he is trying to hold on to.

What the actors have to say

Manoj Bajpayee, who plays Yogesh Mishra, said it was the character's conflicting nature that made him take up the role. Talking about what appealed to him, he said, “What drew me to Last Man in Tower was the complexity of Yogesh Mishra. He is a man who stands firmly by his beliefs, yet the story leaves you questioning whether he is right or wrong. As an actor, I found that ambiguity fascinating because it allowed me to explore the many layers of a character who is stubborn, vulnerable and deeply attached to his home and the memories it holds. In a city like Mumbai, where redevelopment has become part of everyday life and familiar buildings are constantly making way for new ones, the film looks at the human side of this change - what it means for families, the memories they leave behind and the uncertainty or excitement of starting afresh”.

Divya Dutta, meanwhile, spoke about how the film looks at people and their choices without judging them. She was particularly pleased that audiences could understand Sangita's motivations, even if they did not agree with her behaviour. She said, “What drew me to Last Man in Tower was the way it explores human behaviour and the choices people make without viewing them through a simple lens of right and wrong. Everyone has their own circumstances, aspirations and reasons for acting the way they do, which makes the conflict deeply relatable. I’m especially happy with the response to my role. While audiences may not have agreed with her aggression, they understood where she was coming from and what shaped her choices. As an actor, knowing that people could connect with her, even when they didn’t necessarily agree with her, is incredibly rewarding.”

What the director and producer have to say

Director Ben Rekhi spoke about the experience of bringing the film to the screen, crediting the team behind it, including producer Rana Daggubati and screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala.

He said, “It’s been a deeply fulfilling experience bringing Last Man in Tower to life with an incredible team top to bottom, from Rana Daggubati producing, to Sooni Taraporevala scripting, all based on Aravind Adiga’s incredible book. The most rewarding part has been witnessing the power of Manoj and Boman - two giants of cinema - working together for the first time in this film. Last Man in Tower is an urgent story about holding onto community and family through turbulent times, a story that has only become more relevant with time”.

Producer Rana Daggubati of Spirit Media highlighted the emotional core of the story and the contribution of its ensemble cast. He said, “Last Man in Tower is a deeply human story. There is something very compelling about the way it explores the choices we make and the things we hold on to. The entire ensemble of cast let by Manoj, Divya, Boman bring an incredible depth to their characters.”

Last Man in Tower will premiere on Zee 5 on November 6, 2026.