"Disgusted" By Bollywood, Anurag Kashyap Shares Plans To Relocate To South India

Anurag Kashyap, the renowned filmmaker behind iconic films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Dev D, has expressed his disillusionment with Bollywood and revealed plans to leave Mumbai for the South of India. He criticized the industry's shift towards profit-driven filmmaking, which, he says, has made it difficult to experiment creatively. Anurag's frustrations with Bollywood's commercial focus led him to declare that he's moving out next year to seek a more stimulating environment for his work.

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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Anurag Kashyap shared how the pressure to prioritize profits over artistic expression has drained the joy from filmmaking. He stated, “Right from the beginning before the film starts, it becomes about how to sell it. The joy of filmmaking is sucked out.” The filmmaker further explained that in Bollywood, producers are more concerned with making money than supporting new, innovative films. This shift has led him to a conclusion: he must leave Mumbai for the South, where he believes filmmakers are given more creative freedom.

Dev D director also pointed out that Bollywood's reluctance to take risks has resulted in an over-reliance on remakes and formulas. He criticized the industry's habit of acquiring the rights to successful films from other regions, such as the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys, only to remake them rather than make something original. He stressed that this attitude reflects a fear of innovation, something that is thriving in the South.

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The filmmaker's frustration isn't just with the industry's commercial mindset but also with the "star culture" that dominates Bollywood. He expressed disappointment with how actors are now treated as stars first, rather than artists. Anurag described how agencies focus on glamorizing actors and making them marketable, rather than fostering genuine acting talent. He also mentioned the pressure placed on actors to conform to certain physical ideals, with agencies prioritizing gym sessions over acting workshops.

Anurag Kashyap’s decision to relocate to the South comes after years of grappling with the changes in Bollywood. While he remains involved in South Indian cinema, both as an actor and collaborator, his departure signals a broader critique of the industry’s current direction. He concluded, “I want to go where there is stimulation. Otherwise, I will die as an old man.”