Anurag Kashyap on challenges faced by filmmakers: 'Today, making films like 'Gangs of Wasseypur', 'Black Friday' is impossible'

Anurag Kashyap said that making some kinds of films has become ‘impossible’ in the current political climate, where movies often run into controversies. Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, the filmmaker and actor spoke about the duty of filmmakers to protect and support free speech.At the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival held on Saturday, Anurag joined a discussion on cinema, politics, and technology during a session titled ‘Fearless Filmmaking’, moderated by film critic Baradwaj Rangan. Sharing his thoughts on the challenges faced by filmmakers today, Anurag pointed out how shifting political sensitivities have made it harder to tell certain stories. He said, “In today's times, making films like 'Gangs of Wasseypur' or 'Black Friday' is impossible. Some subjects have become politically sensitive and lead to controversies. Directors from countries like Iran or Russia are making films despite facing far greater restrictions than us. Indian directors should draw inspiration from them.” During the session, Anurag was asked why mainstream cinema today lacks political films. He responded thoughtfully, saying, “In Germany, films against Hitler came only after Hitler died. Everything requires its own time.”Anurag made his directorial debut with ‘Black Friday’, a film based on the Mumbai Police’s probe into the 1993 Bombay blasts. The movie featured Kay Kay Menon, Aditya Srivastava, and Pawan Malhotra in key roles. He later directed ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, a two-part crime saga that’s often hailed as one of India’s greatest films. The cast included Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadha, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Huma Qureshi, Pankaj Tripathi, Piyush Mishra, and Zeeshan Ayyub.Kashyap’s latest film is the two-part ‘Nishaanchi’. The first part was released in theatres last year, and the second part came out on a streaming platform. His long-delayed movie ‘Kennedy’, starring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, is also set to release in India soon. It was announced on Saturday that the film will stream on Zee5, but the release date hasn’t been shared yet.