Anurag Kashyap on Moving Away From Bollywood: “Surviving Here is Impossible”

In Bollywood egos, Anurag Kashyap revealed, were what Basil Joseph referred to when he said he ‘wasted’ time in 2021, despite directing the Tovino Thomas-starrer Minnal Murali in Malayalam, where he was touted as the next big thing.

Anurag Kashyap on Joseph’s Shaktimaan Struggle

It’s no secret that filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has moved away from Bollywood recently and has ventured into other film industries in the South as an actor. In an interview with Chalchitra Talks, he recalled bumping into Malayalam actor-filmmaker Basil Joseph, who wanted to make Shaktimaan, at an award show. He says Basil told him he ‘wasted’ two years in Bollywood over the superhero film. Here’s what he said. (Also Read: Anurag Kashyap says Bollywood isn’t united; feels happy at others’ misfortune: ‘Khush hote hai uski film flop ho gayi’ )

In 2021, when Basil directed the Tovino Thomas-starrer Minnal Murali in Malayalam, he was touted to be the next big thing. There was a buzz about him venturing into Hindi with the on-screen adaptation of the hit TV show Shaktimaan, with Ranveer Singh playing the lead. However, four years later, the project seems to have been put on ice.

Bollywood Egos and Survival Struggles

Anurag revealed in the interview that Basil spoke to him about the project. Praising him for his work, he said, “I met Basil Joseph recently because I went to the Malayali Manorama awards. He has done such good acting… I’ve never seen such a good common man hero, protagonist, antagonist, or whatever role. I asked him, “How do you do it?” You acted in Ponman, directed by Minnal Murali. He told me, “I wasted two years of my life trying to do Shaktimaan,” encountering Bollywood egos.

The filmmaker-actor claimed that Basil also told stories of the Bollywood egos he had to battle, asking Anurag how he even survives here. “God, how do you survive in that industry (Bollywood)? He just exactly said what I feel here. I said I can’t; that’s why I moved away. That man wasted two years here. He was telling stories of people’s egos while laughing. He said, What kind of industry is that?”

Anurag and Basil Joseph’s Current Projects

This year, Basil starred in Pravinkoodu Shappu, Ponman, and Maranamass, apart from playing a cameo in Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam. He will soon star in Sudha Kongara’s Tamil film Parasakthi with Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela. Anurag’s Nishaanchi was released in theatres on 19 September. His film Bandar with Bobby Deol is yet to be released. As an actor, he last starred in the Malayalam film Rifle Club. He will soon star in the Telugu film Dacoit and the Tamil film One 2 One.