Anurag Kashyap: On the verge of biggest coup of the century?

His first film was almost rejected by the censor board for its bold treatment, his consequent films have lifted the veil of idiocy and rhetoric that are part of Indian films and paens are still being written for his interpretation of India’s cult hero Devdas with his Dev D. 


As we peel away layers to the man who stands amidst all this stellar body of work, Anurag Kashyap seems most definitely as a forthcoming champion of a new legion of filmmaking. 

One expects to stump him with a quote ‘Actors are like cattle’ that was a remark made famous by Alfred Hitchcock and he gives you an even more elusive reply and a chuckle, “Although at times I do have to agree with him, but I must say I am lucky to have some actors who are quite the opposite.” Talking about actors, he chooses to comment on some faces that are oft repeated in most of his films. “If given a chance I would cast people like Naseeruddin Shah, Kay Kay Menon and Aditya Shrivastav in all my films as they are such intelligent actors.” 

Few knew that the director took up zoology in college as he nursed aims of becoming a scientist. He says, “Yes I was very keen on the subject and wanted to find a cure for cancer, Aids and Stem cell research. But then I got into the pursuit of cinema and am still at it. Today when I meet many young aspiring filmmakers who are engaging with mediums like short filmmaking looking up to me, my only advice is for them to keep the passion alive for filmmaking. It has happened to me and in time it will to them as well.” 

Having made his base as a writer par excellence in the industry with hits like Satya, Yuva, Water, success came a tad late to the director who waited for years for his film to with his directorial debut. Talking about his journey from theatre to television and films he says, “I am not going to work for other people anymore. I will produce good films and write as when I feel like.” Which leads us to his recent film as a scriptwriter and producer of Udaan. 

He reveals, “When Vikramaditya Motwane, who has been the screenwriter for many of my films came to me with the idea, I told him that there won’t be many people who will make this film so it is better that I make it instead. It is in many ways my story as I left home very early to make a career in films. I’ve stayed out for most of my life and come from a dysfunctional family and you will find that thread in most of my films.” He adds, “Another project that I am working is titled Bombay Velvet which is a dream project because it will have Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and John Abraham to be produced by Danny Boyle. As of now we are in the phase of approaching the actors.” 

As we quiz the director on his absence of strong female protagonists as opposed to male leads, he defends, “Most of the protagonists in my films are somewhere related to the women I have met in real life, which are not many. I have not known many women in my life from close quarters so maybe that explains my partiality to strong male leads. But yes a case in point is that Dev D has had strong female leads.” For someone with experience in theatre, television and films, is there an unfulfilled actor lurking in him we ask? “I’ve only done roles for filmmakers who were my friends or if I thought the role fitted with my mannerisms. I’m very happy making films and behind the camera.” 

As talk veers to his contemporaries, he gives his candid take, “Dibakar Banerjee, Shimit Amin, Raju Hirani are definitely some of my favourites whose work I look forward to and think that they in some way have contributed to alter the shape of Indian cinema.”With an exceptional life that is perhaps on par or even better than many of his reel life protagonists, one cannot help but ask if the maverick plans to pen his biopic anytime soon. “I admire people who have the discipline to sit down and write a novel. I only write when I am depressed or frustrated and there is something of a longing in me to write. Also most of my films and the conflicts that the protagonists go through is somewhere a slice of my own life and I would rather put them on celluloid.” And in this case, we couldn’t agree more!