Anurag Kashyap ‘hates’ Gangs of Wasseypur; but not for the reasons you can think of - find out more

Anurag Kashyap ‘hates’ Gangs of Wasseypur; but not for the reasons you can think of - find out more

Anurag Kashyap, whose name is synonymous with raw and offbeat cinema in India, has sparked a fresh round of debate and disbelief among cinephiles. In a recent podcast with Digital Documentary, the director made a startling confession about his cult-classic film Gangs of Wasseypur, saying, “Mujhe Wasseypur se saqt nafrat hai. Jab bhi koi aadmi bolta hai na, ‘Sir Wasseypur,’ man karta hai joota utarkar maru.”

But his disdain isn’t for the film itself, it’s for how audiences treated it when it mattered most. Elaborating on his feelings, Anurag Kashyap revealed that the now-iconic film didn’t receive the support it needed during its theatrical release. “Jab Wasseypur release hui, tab to tumne dekhi nahi. Chaar din chali thi theatre mein. Phir cinema hall mein Tiger Zinda Hai aa gayi. Chaar din mein uss picture ne 22 crore kamaye. Studio usko flop bolta hai, aur uss film ko lekar aap chahte ho ki main dobara banaun? Kyu banaun main?”

According to him, Gangs of Wasseypur earned approximately Rs 22 crore in just four days before Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger took over screens. Yet, the studio still labelled it a flop. The director expressed how that lack of initial support impacted not just the film, but his livelihood. “Agar tum meri film cinema hall mein jaakar dekhte, to mera ghar usse chal raha hota.”

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Released in two parts in 2012, Gangs of Wasseypur has since become a benchmark in Indian cinema. Set amidst the coal mafia wars of Dhanbad, Jharkhand, the sprawling crime epic introduced audiences to unforgettable characters like Sardar Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) and Faizal Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Though it didn’t break records at the time of release, Wasseypur slowly climbed to cult status, both in India and abroad. Its influence seeped into pop culture, film schools, and even meme pages. But for Anurag Kashyap, the delayed recognition came with mixed feelings.

Despite his frustration, he continues to take unconventional risks. His latest directorial venture, Nishaanchi, is being positioned as a blend of his trademark rawness with a more commercial, “filmy” scale. The film stars debutant Aaishvary Thackeray in a dual role, along with actors Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra.