Once known for pushing Hindi cinema into uncomfortable, fearless territory, Anurag Kashyap now admits that the space for such filmmaking has shrunk dramatically. The director says the kind of films that once
defined his career would not survive today’s censorship system.
In a recent conversation with Galatta Plus, Kashyap spoke candidly about how often people ask him why he doesn’t return to the raw, uncompromising cinema he was once celebrated for. His answer, he says, is simple: it is no longer possible.
“Today, when I make films, I get things like, why don’t I make a film like Ugly, or Dev.D, or even Gangs of Wasseypur. The thing is, I can’t make it. It won’t pass. It won’t clear the censors. The political scenario has changed. Censorship has changed. Everything has changed. Plus, it’s being run by corporates. Everything is being run by people who don’t have skin in the game,” he said.
Why Kashyap feels Hindi cinema has lost its backbone
Kashyap reflected on how different things were a decade ago, when filmmakers came together to fight censorship, especially during the release of Udta Punjab. According to him, that collective resistance is missing today.
He contrasted this with the southern film industries, which he believes continue to take creative risks because producers remain personally invested in the films they back.
“Why Tamil cinema is great? Why is Malayalam cinema great? Why is Telugu cinema also constantly innovating? They also have these new, low-budget films, I’m not talking about the big ones. I’m talking about films like The Girlfriend, Court: State vs. a Nobody types of films. They’re low-budget, right? Why are they flying? I’m saying it’s because the producer has skin in the game. It’s the old school, where people invested in cinema are producing films. This is not true in Hindi cinema.”
Why he won’t direct Shah Rukh Khan
Kashyap was also asked whether he would ever want to direct Shah Rukh Khan, a collaboration many cinephiles have long imagined. His response was direct and blunt.
“No, I can’t. Because his fan base is huge. Even if he agrees to adhere to my sensibilities, I still can’t do it, because what happens is, when there is a massive fan base, if you disappoint them, they will murder the director.”
