Anurag Kashyap Criticizes Bollywood: ‘Disgusted with the Industry, Considering Move to South Cinema’
Anurag Kashyap, celebrated for his unique cinematic style, has often defied conventional Bollywood norms with cult films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Dev D.
However, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Kashyap expressed profound dissatisfaction with the current state of the Hindi film industry, announcing his decision to leave Mumbai for the South.
“Now it is difficult for me to go out and experiment as it comes at a cost, which makes my producers think about profit and margins,” he said.
“Right from the beginning, before the film starts, it becomes about how to sell it. So, the joy of filmmaking is sucked out. That’s why I want to move out of Mumbai next year. I am going to the South. I want to go where there is stimulation. Otherwise, I will die as an old man. I am so disappointed and disgusted by my own industry. I am disgusted by the mindset.”
The Decline of Creativity in Hindi Cinema
Kashyap criticized Bollywood’s reluctance to take risks, pointing out that films like Manjummel Boys would not be produced in Hindi but might later be remade if successful.
“The mindset is to remake what’s already worked. They won’t try anything new,” he said.
He also highlighted the shifting priorities among actors. According to Kashyap, the focus has shifted from acting to achieving stardom.
“Nobody wants to act—they all want to be stars,” he stated, criticizing talent agencies for prioritizing gym sessions over acting workshops.
“They will brainwash them and tell them what they need to do to become a star. They won’t send them to workshops but to the gym—it’s all glam-glam because they have to be massive stars.”
Talent Agencies and Their Role
Kashyap accused talent agencies of exploiting young actors and creating barriers between them and filmmakers.
He recounted an incident where an actor, under agency advice, disappeared only to return for guidance after being dropped by the agency.
“This is what the agency does—they just make money off you. They aren’t invested in building new careers,” he said. Kashyap also lamented how some actors he considered friends have ghosted him in pursuit of stardom.
The Success of Regional Cinema
Kashyap lauded South Indian filmmakers, particularly Sukumar, the director of Pushpa: The Rise and its sequel Pushpa 2: The Rule, which became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024.
He emphasized that such films reflect the investment and empowerment of filmmakers in the South, contrasting this with Bollywood’s obsession with creating cinematic universes.
“They can’t even make a Pushpa. They don’t understand what filmmaking is. Pushpa can only be made by Sukumar,” he said.
Challenges with Kennedy and Other Projects
Kashyap’s film Kennedy garnered acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival but struggled to secure a release in India. He revealed that five of his projects are currently in limbo.
“Where is Kennedy? It’s in the hands of some people who’ve never made films before. Now, the directive given to them is to up the share prices, generate profits, cost recovery… That’s all there is. Nobody is interested in films,” he lamented.
Kashyap admitted to detaching himself emotionally from his unreleased projects, stating, “I’ve detached myself from Kennedy because I don’t want it to become like Black Friday. I will not let anything pull me down again in life.”
Personal Struggles and Moving Forward
Kashyap also opened up about his emotional struggles, including Netflix’s last-minute cancellation of his series adaptation of Maximum City, which left him heartbroken and led to a prolonged period of depression.
Despite these setbacks, Kashyap remains determined to move forward, albeit with diminished energy for fighting the industry’s barriers.
