Anurag Kashyap declares his crime drama ‘Nishaanchi’ was a visual superior to Hollywood epic: ‘Better than Sinners’

Anurag Kashyap declares his crime drama ‘Nishaanchi’ a visual superior to Hollywood epic: ‘Better than Sinners’

• Anurag Kashyap says Nishaanchi's VFX surpass Hollywood's Sinners
• Nishaanchi stars Aaishvary Thackeray as twin brothers in Kanpur
• Kashyap lauds Red Chillies for dual roles and special effects

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Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has publicly praised the special effects in his crime drama Nishaanchi—saying that the visual work in the film is superior to that in the Hollywood epic Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan. The comparison comes as Anurag reflects on the technical efforts behind Nishaanchi Part 1 and Part 2, highlighting the unique challenges and creative pride involved in shooting the dual roles at the centre of his narrative.

Nishaanchi, set in Kanpur, centres on twin brothers Babloo and Dabloo, both portrayed by Aaishvary Thackeray, whose intertwined lives unfold amid local rivalries and power struggles. The filmmaker explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India that the film’s special effects were crucial in creating two convincingly distinct characters played by the same actor. “Working with other filmmakers, I am seeing this new style of working. It is coming in and it is everywhere in South. They shoot and they edit right there… They shoot a scene a day; they don't do shots."

He went on to add, "For me, both parts of Nishaanchi, with special effects, with the actor playing two different kind of a double role- which I am very proud of, what Sylvester and Red Chillies has achieved. I can very proudly say that it is better than Sinners. They are really two different people and we shot two months apart. It was not like change your shirt and come. It was all real.”

This isn't the first time Anurag has used Sinners as a reference point. Earlier in 2025, he famously "slammed" the Indian Censor Board (CBFC) for their mandatory anti-smoking disclaimers during screenings of Sinners.

By contrast, Sinners has been celebrated on the global stage for its storytelling and performances, earning a record-setting 16 Academy Award nominations.

Also read: Anurag Kashyap hails Rekhachitram, Thudarum, and Eko: “I see more Malayalam films in a week than Hindi films”

In addition to talking about Nishaanchi, Anurag Kashyap is anticipating the release of his other directorial project, Kennedy, which premiered to acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival and is set for a Zee5 release later this month.