Kashyap, who made waves with ‘Black Friday’, ‘Dev.D’, and the cult-classic ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, didn’t hold back when asked about the challenges he continues to face.
Image Source: X
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is known for speaking his mind—and this time, he’s got something important to say about the state of cinema today.
In a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, the director opened up about the “creative desperation” that many filmmakers are facing, especially when their films don’t align with mainstream market demands or algorithm-based expectations.
Advertisement
Anurag Kashyap, who made waves with ‘Black Friday’, ‘Dev.D’, and the cult-classic ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, didn’t hold back when asked about the challenges he continues to face.
Advertisement
“There’s a creative desperation we all have to deal with individually,” he said. “We want to make good films, but people do not understand them. The more good films that get released, the more audiences—and decision-makers—will realize they shouldn’t rely only on box office numbers or data analytics.”
The director revealed a startling fact—five of his films have yet to be released. His very first film, ‘Paanch’, never hit theatres due to censorship issues. “Out of these five, two are finally releasing. And hopefully, the third one will also get its due soon,” he shared.
This isn’t new territory for Kashyap. He’s always walked the offbeat path, often finding critical acclaim but not always commercial support. After starting out as a writer on Ram Gopal Varma’s gritty ‘Satya’ in 1998, Kashyap made his directorial debut with ‘Paanch’, which was shelved by the censor board.
His next big outing, ‘Black Friday’—a searing look at the 1993 Bombay bombings—was delayed by legal hurdles but eventually released in 2007 to strong reviews.
Not all his projects have been hits. Films like ‘No Smoking’ failed to connect with audiences, but Kashyap bounced back with bold choices like ‘Dev.D’, ‘Gulaal’, and ‘That Girl in Yellow Boots’.
His breakthrough moment came with ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ in 2012, a sprawling two-part gangster epic that earned him massive critical and fan acclaim.
Kashyap’s filmography also includes notable productions like ‘The Lunchbox’ (2013), which earned a BAFTA nomination, and ‘Shahid’ (2012), both of which he co-produced. He’s explored genres ranging from horror to political drama, with films like ‘Ugly’, ‘Raman Raghav 2.0’, and ‘Mukkabaaz’.
In 2018, he ventured into the OTT world with the co-direction of ‘Sacred Games’, India’s first Netflix Original, which became an instant hit.
Despite his accolades—including four Filmfare Awards and being named a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by France in 2013—Kashyap says the struggle for truly creative storytelling remains constant.
Advertisement
