Anurag Kashyap, a director celebrated for his unfiltered opinions and raw storytelling, recently shared a startling sentiment about ‘Gangs of Wasseypur,’ a film that has since achieved cult status. In a conversation on a digital documentary podcast, Kashyap confessed, “Mujhe Wasseypur se saqt nafrat hai. Jab bhi koi aadmi bolta hai na, ‘Sir Wasseypur,’ man karta hai joota utarkar maru.” This translates to, “I absolutely hate Wasseypur. Whenever someone mentions it, I feel like taking off my shoe and hitting them.”
Kashyap clarified that his strong aversion isn’t towards the film itself, but rather towards the way it was perceived and received by audiences upon its initial release. He lamented that had his film garnered more support in theaters, it could have significantly altered his career trajectory and financial stability.
“When Wasseypur was released, you didn’t watch it. It ran in theaters for just four days before ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ took over,” Kashyap recounted. “In those four days, the film earned ₹22 crore, yet the studio declared it a flop. And now, you expect me to make another film like that? Why should I? Why should I make it for you?
If you had gone to the cinema hall to watch my film, my household would have been supported by it. But it’s not. If you’re making films just for profit and loss, then you’re in the wrong place,” he explained.
Released in two parts in 2012, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ is widely regarded as a seminal work in Indian cinema. The crime drama, set against the backdrop of Dhanbad, Jharkhand, delves into the multi-generational feud between families involved in the coal mafia. Its distinctive blend of gritty realism, dark humor, and memorable characters, particularly Manoj Bajpayee as Sardar Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Faizal Khan, significantly influenced the Indian gangster film genre. Despite a modest box office performance initially, the movie later garnered a devoted following, earning critical acclaim and becoming a beloved classic among cinephiles globally.
Kashyap’s latest directorial venture, ‘Nishaanchi,’ is set to revisit his signature raw storytelling style while incorporating a more expansive, cinematic scale. The film features newcomer Aaishvary Thackeray in a double role, alongside Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra. The film reportedly grossed ₹1.3 crore at the box office.