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Anurag Kashyap reveals how the Hindi film industry avoided him, branding him “bad news” and saying he was “losing his way.” The filmmaker shares why South India embraced him.
Anurag Kashyap has candidly revealed how several in the Hindi film industry “avoided” him, calling him “bad news” and claiming he was “losing his way.”
Anurag Kashyap has never been one to shy away from honesty, but that very candour, he says, has cost him dearly in the Hindi film industry. In December last year, the filmmaker revealed that he was considering relocating to South India, and now, in a candid conversation with Sudhir Srinivasan on his YouTube channel, he explained why.
The Gangs of Wasseypur director admitted that the atmosphere in Bollywood had become suffocating for him—full of judgment, whispers, and avoidance. “So many filmmakers who I am inspired by came to the screening of my film Kennedy. But in the Hindi film industry, people have been avoiding me. Because they think I am bad news. Because I have no filter, and if they get associated with me, then they might not get backing from a studio,” he shared.
In stark contrast, Kashyap described the warmth and acceptance he found down South. “Here in the South, they have so much love for me, and they are saying that we are here because we used to watch your films. Suddenly, things like [that made me think] why am I in a place where I am told that people are talking about your alcoholism, people are talking about your depression, people are thinking that you are losing your way. They are coming to be my saviour, to save me from myself.”
The director revealed that his time shooting Rifle Club became a turning point, a life-changing experience that gave him perspective. “One thing I did was I stopped watching Hindi films. I started watching a lot of first-time filmmaker films and a lot of Malayalam films. Something very strange happened when I went to shoot Rifle Club, that was a life-changing experience for me…” he said.
Having battled depression, Kashyap said the acceptance he received in the South helped him heal without judgment or labels. “There were no reminders of my alcoholism or anything else. I automatically stopped drinking and started writing and exercising,” he noted.
Now, feeling renewed, Kashyap is ready to bring his next directorial to the audience. His upcoming film Nishaanchi releases on September 19 and stars debutant Aaishvary Thackeray alongside Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra.
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
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