Anurag Kashyap on Bollywood, says, " they don’t have the brains to make a film..."

Anurag kashyap comments on Bollywood filmmakers

Anurag Kashyap has once again expressed his strong views on the current state of the Hindi film industry. In a recent interview, he criticized Bollywood filmmakers, claiming they lack the creative vision and skill to produce films on the scale of Pushpa: The Rise or its sequel Pushpa 2: The Rule.

He emphasized that the success of these Telugu films, particularly the latter which became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2024, highlighted a gap in innovation and storytelling within Bollywood. Kashyap’s comments reflect his ongoing frustration with the industry’s direction and its inability to match the boldness of regional cinema.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Anurag Kashyap expressed that the Hindi film industry has become risk-averse and is no longer willing to take bold chances, saying, “They don’t understand anything. They can’t even make a Pushpa. They cannot, because they don’t have the brains to make a film. They don’t understand what filmmaking is. Pushpa can only be made by Sukumar. In the South, they invest in filmmakers and empower them to make films. Here, everyone is trying to create a universe. Do they understand their own universe and how minuscule they are in it? That’s the ego. When you create a universe, you think you’re God,”

Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa 2: The Rule stars Allu Arjun in the lead role, with Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna in pivotal roles. The film has grossed over ₹1760 crore worldwide and continues to perform well at the box office. It has become the third-highest-grossing Indian film of all time and is expected to soon surpass Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.

Also Read: Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli ring in New Year as they walk hand-in-hand on the streets of Australia, watch

In the same interview, Anurag Kashyap criticized the emerging studio model in Indian filmmaking, claiming it stifles creativity. He pointed to his recent film, Kennedy, which received acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival but struggles to secure a release in India, highlighting the industry's resistance to innovative content. “I’ve detached myself from Kennedy, because I don’t want it to become like Black Friday. I will not let anything pull me down again in life,” mentioned Anurag.

Anurag Kashyap's Kennedy features Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, and it garnered widespread acclaim after its premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The film received positive reviews at various international festivals. Since Kennedy, Anurag has not helmed a new project but has appeared in films such as Leo, Maharaja, and Viduthalai Part 2.