Anurag Kashyap Contemplates Regional Success, Expresses Belief Hindi Audience May Limit His Films’ Box Office Appeal

In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, acclaimed director Anurag Kashyap delves into the challenges he faces with commercial success, revealing his thoughts on why his films struggle at the box office. Kashyap, known for masterpieces like Black Friday and Gangs Of Wasseypur, acknowledges that his commitment to realism might hinder his films’ commercial prospects. He speculates that being a director in Tamil Nadu or Kerala could have yielded better box office results due to a more receptive audience.

During the conversation with Himesh Mankad, Kashyap confesses, “I stay around realism. For that (films with suspension of disbelief that he saw in films of Amitabh Bachchan in the 70s and 80s), you need to go beyond realism. You have to create a sense of world and feeling, which I don’t know. If I was born in Tamil Nadu or Kerala, my film would be more box office friendly because they have that kind of an audience. Or I was born somewhere outside India. But I have to make my films in Hindi only. I was born in Uttar Pradesh. So we can’t do much.”

In the wide-ranging discussion, Kashyap also reflects on the transient nature of film trends, drawing parallels between action films and the now-fading superhero genre. He suggests that those who time their releases with prevailing trends stand to benefit the most in the dynamic landscape of the film industry.

As his co-presentation with Nagraj Manjule, “Kastoori – The Musk,” is set to hit select theaters across India, Kashyap provides updates on his upcoming projects. His film “Kennedy” has garnered acclaim in film festivals and is poised for a theatrical release. Additionally, the director is actively working on more than half a dozen scripts, anticipating their production pending green-light from producers.