Anurag Kashyap here. Ask me anything. (Begins 3 pm)

edit: Thank you /u/pseudoforce for reddit gold.

Question	Answer
Anurag, if you wanted to introduce a foreigner to Hindi films, which 3 films (not necessarily yours) would you recommend to start with?	Pyaasa Bandit Queen and a mainstream classic like Lagaan
How do you conceptualise the music for your films? Do you sit with the lyricist and the music director to ensure that the music is coherent with the narrative (I have found that the music in your films is woven intricately with the narrative).	With Music i first look for the right person always a music director who has an inclination to create than to deliver a hit song and then he should have the time i need. Minimum we have taken on any film to create music is 18 months. Bombay Velvet we have already spent 4 years, gulaal we spent 3 years and Gow more than 3 years. Music is developed simultaneously along with the script is why they go together well. Lyricists are more often than not chosen by the music director, he throws choices at me and i respond as yes or know and we discuss the script at every stage amongst ourselves. and whenever we pitch the film its always with ready music. that also explains why i always work with a new music director.
How do you feel about the fact that most of the projects that you are involved in don't belong to that "100 crore club". On a related note, how do you gauge the success of your films?	i will care about the 100 crore club when my film costs more than 50 crore. like with my next BV needs to make more than that to be sustainable for me in the future.
How do people who live in countries where most Bollywood films are not released get access to your films? Would an online distribution schemes for Bollywood films be feasible? Maybe a pay to stream (once) or something similar?	torrents zindabad..other than that we are constantly trying to break into foreign markets , with last few films we have managed to do that in europe. we still need to crack US and UK
100 crore club, Mr Kashyap, you have also said that you want Bollywood to look beyond it, and if they make good, genuinely good movies, they can make a lot more times that through the international market.Do you really think that that's ever gonna happen? Will an Indian movie, even one made by you showcased at Cannes, etc. ever make that kinda money through international distribution?	its happening. our prime responsibility is to make a film that we want to in all honesty and burden ourselves with not more than the recovery of Cost of production. After that its the others that come into play. A film can recover money over a long period of time if its a good film and thats what we should do. but cinema is an expensive art form and Mrinal Sen famously said that,"the day film is as cheap as paper and the camera as inexpensive as the pen i will make whatever you want" until then its always someone else's money we are spending. we like to work backwards and write scripts that can be achieved in the cost it is made at.
How do you get past the censor boards?	Argue when they dont understand and make sure that your film is powerful enough for them to let it go and honest to its milieu so that it does not look like a cheap afterthought
Does he(get through censor board from orginal question)? His first movie is stuck with them yet. And his company's logo seems a tongue in cheek acceptance to getting an A certificate.	first film has been long cleared, its stuck with the producers now
What do you think about the current trend of making 'sequels' which have no relation with the previous movie, if we follow this trend, all Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie could be sequels. This trend makes the entire Hindi Film industry look immature.	to each their own. i dont tell them what not to do and will not allow others to dictate me. filmmaking is also business and we should not forget that if those films that make money are not made then we also wont be allowed to make films. look at europe , the countries that make only art house films have no industry are dependent on the government and institutions for money and those filmmakers get to make one film every six years unlike us who make a film a year
I am from New Delhi, I know there is a sophisticated film industry in the south, why are there not enough steps taken for integration ? I would love to see more movies made by both Hindi and South artists in collaboration.	integration depends on the audiences. now they release regional language films subtitled but are not patronized by the audiences. integration also depends on cultural understanding.
mandatory reddit question , would you rather fight a horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?	a horse sized duck. it will be a fun fight. the other would be irritating.
How do you feel about movie piracy and that a lot of your movies are watched through torrent?	i am thankful to piracy because it saved cinema and my career and i get bothered by it too that because of it our mainstream cinema now world wide has become only about summer blockbusters and superheroes and sequels. torrents have killed meaningful cinema worldwide because they are not like events and people chose to see them on laptops
Why didn't GoW release in cinemas in Australia/New Zealand? I am sure it would have been a hit in cinemas over here!	australia someone did buy it NL i have no idea but it all depends on local distributors and exhibitors.
Will Doga and Bombay Velvet release in cinemas internationally?	BV yes. Ugly so far in Europe, US , Australia and Asia. in january/dec
It is widely known that Script is the most important aspect in the work you do. Have you in the recent past come across a script that blew your mind but you know it is atleast a decade ahead of our times? Even within your fan-base? Care to share a synopsis?	yes the next film by Karan Gaur has a script much ahead of its time. you would love it if you like Shane Carruth
You essentially have been a mentor to tons of new wave artists willing and determined to make a difference to Indian Cinema. Do you feel a strong sense of responsibility towards them, to see them grow to their potential? Do you face a lot of criticism from your producers, friends or family because of this?	I dont feel any responsibility, i do things because i enjoy them or i just dont know how to say No to genuine passion and maybe i am selfish. i see it as the only way to survive . more they exist , longer i will get to make films.
How much scope is there for an Actor to improvise during a scene in an Anurag Kashyap directed film?	a lot, most of the times we improvise
Any India centric issues /events/personality that come to your mind you want to make a film on?	sex lives of our politicians.. imagine those old fogies taking viagra and sitting there waiting , looking down at it for it to rise to the occasion backlit by the sun and then there is a crisis and they have to go and they have to run and be in the middle of it for the photo op and the viagra starts to take effect.. and then he is giving a morality speech
Did you get a chance to watch Moi Marjani? You must be extremely proud of your sister. Care to explain or share a story behind the Curious case of Kashyap family and the movie bug?	i have been proud of my sister for long.. i have been waiting for ages for her to take the plunge directing him
What to you is the Quintessential Indian Indie/parallel/world cinema. Where is it heading? Is it finding enough funding from Production houses now, even for new film-makers? Have the production houses recognized that there is a pretty large audience who wants to watch these films?	i dont want to know where its heading, i am happy that it exists and if we keep at it we will live and expand. supply and demand
As a comedian, I really really hope and wonder if you will ever make an out and out comedy. Your sense of humour is so dark and so funny that the idea of you doing a black comedy is delicious.	been dying to do a comedy. also have a title "how to be a capitalist via socialism"
Doga kab aayega?	Doga aayega.. ussey bananey ke liye jitna paisa chahiye woh tabhi milega jab Bombay Velvet superhit hogi. like GoW led to BV , BV will lead to Doga
What do you think about the current state of Indian film criticism? Also, can you name some of your favorite Indian movie critics/bloggers?	terrible.. there is better criticism on the net
What was Faizal thinking en-route to police station after killing Ramadhir?	he ws only thinking about mohsina
Why don't you work with a music director twice?	amit trivedi is doing BV. i spend a lot of time on music. Amit has been working on BV since Dev.D released. Sneha has been working on Doga since GoW released.
Do you think that Guru Dutt ghost-directed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam?	e was there but lets not take away the credit from Abrar Alvi. He was as much a part of all Gurudutt films as GD was.
why do most of your films depict people in fringes of society? And what is with the deal with the excessive use of swear words?	i love to explore the subcultures.. there is more fun in the forbidden than the obvious. whatever gives me the hard on i go for it.
Why do so many directors debut with critically acclaimed movies and then go on producing average ones?	because they realise how difficult it is to put a film together. first films always give you the most freedom.
Has the movie business become more director-influenced (vs. actor-influenced) over the past 10 years?	i hope it becomes more director driven/influenced
In movie making, what are the primary reasons for there being a theatrical cut and director's cut?	one is vanity ,the other business. i prefer vanity.
When you're watching a movie, how do you know it's well directed?	when your jaw drops
How do actors handle themselves during sex/intimate scenes?	they are most terrified during those scenes and believe thats the least turn on/sexy/ and most difficult thing to do. having sex on camera is the most impersonal thing to do.
How do actors cope with career uncertainty?	they have no choice but to deal with it, those who cant they perish.
What are the best resources to learn acting?	figure it out yourself
Some movies require simulated violent, degenerate, traumatic, and repulsive acts, a role that is extremely arduous emotionally. Hows does this affect actors/directors in their personal lives?	t does not. doing repulsive doesnot effect them because its fake, it just looks real. what affects them is emotionally intense or intimate scenes.
Have heard about you writing your films when drunk.But have you ever directed when drunk ? If yes, how did it pan out ?	i dont write when i am drunk. i used to blog when i was drunk. i have never taken alcohol on my sets but i have made my actors take it a lot of times.
Have watched a pirated copy of it. But will we see Paanch released in the theatres?	no idea and i dont really care anymore
You have played brief roles in a couple of movies.Now,like Tigmanshu,will we see you in a role of considerable length?	no.
How do you think theater background matters for acting? Do you personally feel theater experience makes better actors?	it helps . i like non actors as well. advantage with theatre is that an actor knows how to take directions and understand character. but very rarely a great theatre actor will also make a great cinema actor. they often are loud and depend more on exaggerated body language and dialogue delivery and external factors.
As as addendum, how do you feel about dubbing?	i hate dubbing
What is taking so long for 'Doga'?	moolah. that film will cost a bomb. it needs more money to make it than our blockbusters earn.
Is Udaan really the story of your life? How much does it resemble you?	its 15% my life, 25% vikram"s dad's life and 60 % the truth about small towns
For how many years you had to struggle before you could achieve something substantial in the film industry?	struggle is only in the head and its constant. the external physical struggle is not really a struggle, its a journey and it is enriching and beautiful unfortunately most people want to skip that.
why did critics in india gave "no smoking" such bad reviews?(i watched the film and frankly it was not bad).	not bad is worse than people hating it. i would rather they hate it. and be killed by it.
When you go to a producer with a non romantic,unconventional story do you get weird looks?	i am good with spinning circles around them, an art life teaches you. i dont lie and they do not hear what they dont want to. its akin to i lie and they love me. the fact is no one knows what works.
Why don't you use Piyush Mishra's talent like you did in Gulal? Not that I am complaining about Sneha Khanvilkar's music but but just guest composition wasn't enough. Want more of his, composing, singing, lyrics and acting in your movies.	soon again
am an amateur and have done two shorts... both of them suffer from the amateurish look, jerky camera angles and bad sound... though they do have good concepts, am not able to properly use these tools to create a good short... any tips, suggestions, books to read... anything?!	look through your camera and really look. i guess you are always looking into your own head and hence dont really see whats in front of you. and when you are writing look with in. and best way to write is to bleed.
If I had to see just one of your movies, which one would you recommend ? Which one are you the most proud of ? And why ?	always my next
No Smoking, what was it about really? I know the baba being the devil, the women oppressed, the smoking being an allegory to your own arrogance in terms of making movies, but what was the losing family members, losing fingers, that last scene, that cold place with vodka, the bathtub... Also, any chance for a sequel? I remember you asked SRK to play K, any chance of future collabs with him, now that you're buddies with KJo?	No Smoking was where you saw me jerk off and you either hated it or you loved it but it was me who came. i would like to jerk off again but not in someone else's bedroom. this time i will use my own when i can afford it myself. jokes apart i would love to go into that zone again but with more freedom and when no one else is at risk with it except me.
When does Ugly release? Will it be distributed internationally, like GoW, or will be like Girl In Yellow Boots?	Ugly releases when i find time from BV to release it. soon we will announce its date. this year itself.
What apart from the Ranbir movie? I read you saying that you wanna focus on direction, anything else on the burner after that?	many .. but one at a time, so now its just BV
The movie that went to Cannes with GoW, when does it release?	September 27th hopefully
also there is a question which have bugged many people, in Dev D, Sunil - Factory worker says he slept with Paro and then in one scene Paro says "maine tuhjhe kabhi kuch mana kiya hain kya"did she actually slept with Sunil?	only Paro knows that. I dont think anyone knows a woman well enough to know everything about her. we are the inferior sex to them and lets live with that. i prefer that.
We see a lot of romance/action/crime movies but not many big budget scifi/fantasy movies (ra one was a disaster). What do you think is keeping bollywood at bay? Would you be interested to make a hobbit or harry potter like movie?	hobbit / harry potters can only be made in a language which is universal so that it gets a bigger audience base to recover costs. we are as big as the expanse of our language or our translatability. small budget science fiction we can. maybe someone will.
Talent aside, what are some skills you would like to see in the upcoming directors that you feel the current directors struggle with.	storytelling.
What are the best platforms in India to showcase your independent short films.	internet
How would you define success for a director in our film industry?	success is what gives you freedom to be you.
Would you consider converting the Gangs of Wasseypur into a TV series (something like what Francis Coppola did with the Godfather films)? Even though censorship would be a pain for television, I imagine.	we almost did it for HBO but then it fell through
Are you apprehensive about delving into mainstream cinema (as you have recently been doing) more deeply? And do you not fear that you might lose the place that you carved out for yourself by making offbeat cinema?	i have always believed i am mainstream. i just did'nt have stars. i will lose my place only if i start to get dishonest with my film. if i start to cater to the fandom, either mine or the star's fandom i will fail if not at first then sooner than most. it does not matter who is in the film, what matters is why you are making it and how honest are you to the material and to yourself.
I'm sure there have been moments in your life growing up in India, which you must've replicated in your movies? What's the one most notable incident and a movie scene/act you directed based on it?	too many to recall here.
What are some movies (both Bollywood and Hollywood) which you think are seriously underrated but have some fine film making?	too many to recall here
What do you think about the use of CGI in movies? Although the Indian film industry is catching up, what's your opinion of it?	its both a boon and a curse. sometimes you need it and sometimes its just unnecessary
Who is your favorite Indian director?	guru dutt/ ghatak
What went wrong with the No Smoking, the premise of the movie was very interesting but movie didn't seemed to work as a whole?	i dont know and i dont care anymore. i love that film, loved making it and will do again.
Also can you please provide pointers to your friend Imtiaz Ali on casting, lately he seems terrible at it.	he is not me and he is getting much much better at who he is. he is on a whole different journey of rediscovery. lets stop telling people what to do and start by finding ourselves. and never NEVER put the burden of our expectations on others. What doesn't turn you on gives multiple orgasms to someone else.
The Jesse Randhawa portion was my favorite bit in Gulaal. I think I remember you mentioning at a talk that a lot of backstory element was shot and not used in the final cut. If that's accurate, could you upload it somewhere so fans can watch it?	we have lost all the footage. apologies.
Do you see yourself producing or directing a south indian film if it has a good script or so.	i think we at PHANTOM are about to do that.
Why does Nasir chacha flagellate himslef when Phyjal and his wife are 'doing it',I understand he hits himself when he does something wrong but I did not get it why he hits himself when phyjal is 'doing it'	then he is hitting himself because he is getting aroused by it. its his aural p0rn
There is a quiet character who does not speak in 'gulaal', he is among dukey bana's henchmen how is he related to dukey and his wife, what is he hiding?	he is the priest . he is not hiding anything. his quiet presence is impactful is why i kept him like that. he is the wise man like piyush in GoW.
If you were to remake one movie of RGV (Ramu) in a different way what would it be?What is it that you will change.	none
what is the best way to send a script to you,can we simply e-mail it to you?	send it to anupama bose at phantom
Any plans of making a stoner comedy any time? I think you can definitely give this genre a go.	not me
Is sci fi your thing? Why is there no Indian version of Stanley Kubrick or Anton Tarovsky (inspired, not copy cats)? Is this because the producers consider the audience of today too dumb or what is it?	yaar somebody will do it some day. i cant.
Have you consciously become less approachable than you used to be?	yes. i need to focus on my films. earlier i was approachable because very few approached me . now its crazy. what i do matters more to me. i have stopped producing and its the companies we started which are doing them. i think i have done my bit for others and now i need to be a very selfish filmmaker. its only i , me , myself now.
Paro blows Dev in Dev D when she unzips him in the khet, doesn't she? Hugest dispute between me and my friends ever!	i dont know what she was doing , i was looking at the sky . the sky was so blue and looked so beautiful we forgot to tilt the camera so never saw what she was doing.
What do you think of Rahul Gandhi, and Narendra Modi. If you had to vote for one of them who would it be?	rahul is free for all, modi is all for himself.. both are bad choices. i dont know the right choice.
Best actor you have worked with - Manoj Bajpai or Nawaz?	aditya srivastava. nawaz. i love to shoot them. manoj , KK, Naseer, piyush i love to hear them. ranbir i love to watch in other films, hoping to discover him this time.
have you worked with or know Manish Archarya? in what capacity?	i knew him , he was a friend. we just got a script he was working on before he passed away.
Can you do us a favor and get Amitabh Bachchan and encourage other Actors/Actresses/Directors/producers to do an AMA to help promote films and such?	do it yourself. if they ask i will recommend.
Can you please help and stop those dumb smoking ads before start of every movies??	i will fight against it and will expect all of you to voice it together.

[deleted]

the more cinema i see by people from around the world , i feel so awed and jealous with what they all can achieve and makes me feel very small so i try to compete. i always tell people that the worst thing that can happen to anyone is that he is the best, the first in the race. one should always be lagging behind so that he is motivated to keep on running. running is more important than winning the race.

okay i am done. now i have the Qtiyapa guys waiting to make Qtiya out of me. had lot of fun. lets do it again soon

Anurag, if you wanted to introduce a foreigner to Hindi films, which 3 films (not necessarily yours) would you recommend to start with?

Pyaasa Bandit Queen and a mainstream classic like Lagaan

Welcome to Reddit, Mr. Kashyap

At the risk of sounding over dramatic, I'll have you know that me and my friends consider you to be a beacon of hope in the capitalistic cesspool that Bollywood seems destined to become. I just have one question:

How do you get past the censor boards?

Argue when they dont understand and make sure that your film is powerful enough for them to let it go and honest to its milieu so that it does not look like a cheap afterthought

I've had one of the rarest, and most prized opportunities to smoke some of the good stuff with Anurag and discussing No Smoking.

I was driving down Yari Road when I stopped at a panwadi to pick up some cigarettes. A friend of mine got off to get it. Just then, spotted Anurag on the phone outside a coffee shop trying to haul a rickshaw. I knew where he stayed. Stopped and offered to drop him. Anurag got in, still on the phone and confused as f*ck. We drove off forgetting about our friend (still at the panwadi buying cigarettes). Drove till Anurag's house. Parked nearby. Anurag was still on the phone. He gestured to us, apologetically. We didn't care. Anurag Kashyap was in our car. By the time he was done with the phonecall, we'd already rolled a couple. Then we smoked and spoke about No Smoking, how UTV gave him his current car (The Fiat Linea) as a gift after Dev D, about The Girl in The Yellow Boots being his next film.

Anurag told us how he was raising money for that film with help from his friends. (Could you tell us that story? It seemed so interesting) 30 minutes later, he left.

Our friend was still at the panwadi. And he hates us till date for leaving him there.

What a cool night it was. Wonder if Anurag remembers it at all.

i remember it.

Thanks for doing the IAMA, huge fan here. Seen all your films, here are my questions:

• How do you conceptualise the music for your films? Do you sit with the lyricist and the music director to ensure that the music is coherent with the narrative (I have found that the music in your films is woven intricately with the narrative).
• How do you feel about the fact that most of the projects that you are involved in don't belong to that "100 crore club". On a related note, how do you gauge the success of your films?
• You seem to be encouraging (through your production house) a lot of new and independent film makers? How do you select which films to produce?
• How do people who live in countries where most Bollywood films are not released get access to your films? Would an online distribution schemes for Bollywood films be feasible? Maybe a pay to stream (once) or something similar?

With Music i first look for the right person always a music director who has an inclination to create than to deliver a hit song and then he should have the time i need. Minimum we have taken on any film to create music is 18 months. Bombay Velvet we have already spent 4 years, gulaal we spent 3 years and Gow more than 3 years. Music is developed simultaneously along with the script is why they go together well. Lyricists are more often than not chosen by the music director, he throws choices at me and i respond as yes or know and we discuss the script at every stage amongst ourselves. and whenever we pitch the film its always with ready music. that also explains why i always work with a new music director. 2.i will care about the 100 crore club when my film costs more than 50 crore. like with my next BV needs to make more than that to be sustainable for me in the future. 3.torrents zindabad..other than that we are constantly trying to break into foreign markets , with last few films we have managed to do that in europe. we still need to crack US and UK

Re: 100 crore club, Mr Kashyap, you have also said that you want Bollywood to look beyond it, and if they make good, genuinely good movies, they can make a lot more times that through the international market.

Do you really think that that's ever gonna happen? Will an Indian movie, even one made by you showcased at Cannes, etc. ever make that kinda money through international distribution?

its happening. our prime responsibility is to make a film that we want to in all honesty and burden ourselves with not more than the recovery of Cost of production. After that its the others that come into play. A film can recover money over a long period of time if its a good film and thats what we should do. but cinema is an expensive art form and Mrinal Sen famously said that,"the day film is as cheap as paper and the camera as inexpensive as the pen i will make whatever you want" until then its always someone else's money we are spending. we like to work backwards and write scripts that can be achieved in the cost it is made at.

Hello Anurag! Big Fan.

My Questions :

• It is widely known that Script is the most important aspect in the work you do. Have you in the recent past come across a script that blew your mind but you know it is atleast a decade ahead of our times? Even within your fan-base? Care to share a synopsis?

• You essentially have been a mentor to tons of new wave artists willing and determined to make a difference to Indian Cinema. Do you feel a strong sense of responsibility towards them, to see them grow to their potential? Do you face a lot of criticism from your producers, friends or family because of this?

• How much scope is there for an Actor to improvise during a scene in an Anurag Kashyap directed film?

• Any India centric issues /events/personality that come to your mind you want to make a film on?

• Did you get a chance to watch Moi Marjani? You must be extremely proud of your sister. Care to explain or share a story behind the Curious case of Kashyap family and the movie bug?

• Which was easier to you? direct Thigmanshu Dhulia or to act for him?

• What to you is the Quintessential Indian Indie/parallel/world cinema. Where is it heading? Is it finding enough funding from Production houses now, even for new film-makers? Have the production houses recognized that there is a pretty large audience who wants to watch these films?

• Any Professional regrets you might have?

1.yes the next film by Karan Gaur has a script much ahead of its time. you would love it if you like Shane Carruth 2.i dont feel any responsibility, i do things because i enjoy them or i just dont know how to say No to genuine passion and maybe i am selfish. i see it as the only way to survive . more they exist , longer i will get to make films. 3.a lot, most of the times we improvise 4.sex lives of our politicians.. imagine those old fogies taking viagra and sitting there waiting , looking down at it for it to rise to the occasion backlit by the sun and then there is a crisis and they have to go and they have to run and be in the middle of it for the photo op and the viagra starts to take effect.. and then he is giving a morality speech 5.i have been proud of my sister for long.. i have been waiting for ages for her to take the plunge directing him 6.i dont want to know where its heading, i am happy that it exists and if we keep at it we will live and expand. supply and demand 7.whats the point.. most regrets are personal

1. Why do so many directors debut with critically acclaimed movies and then go on producing average ones?

2. Has the movie business become more director-influenced (vs. actor-influenced) over the past 10 years?

3. In movie making, what are the primary reasons for there being a theatrical cut and director's cut?

4. When you're watching a movie, how do you know it's well directed?

5. How do actors handle themselves during sex/intimate scenes?

6. How do actors cope with career uncertainty?

7. What are the best resources to learn acting?

8. Some movies require simulated violent, degenerate, traumatic, and repulsive acts, a role that is extremely arduous emotionally. Hows does this affect actors/directors in their personal lives?

because they realise how difficult it is to put a film together. first films always give you the most freedom. 2.i hope it becomes more director driven/influenced 3.one is vanity ,the other business. i prefer vanity. 4. when your jaw drops 5. they are most terrified during those scenes and believe thats the least turn on/sexy/ and most difficult thing to do. having sex on camera is the most impersonal thing to do. 6. they have no choice but to deal with it, those who cant they perish. 7. figure it out yourself 8.it does not. doing repulsive doesnot effect them because its fake, it just looks real. what affects them is emotionally intense or intimate scenes.

because they realise how difficult it is to put a film together. first films always give you the most freedom. 2.i hope it becomes more director driven/influenced 3.one is vanity ,the other business. i prefer vanity. 4. when your jaw drops 5. they are most terrified during those scenes and believe thats the least turn on/sexy/ and most difficult thing to do. having sex on camera is the most impersonal thing to do. 6. they have no choice but to deal with it, those who cant they perish. 7. figure it out yourself 8.it does not. doing repulsive doesnot effect them because its fake, it just looks real. what affects them is emotionally intense or intimate scenes.

• What do you think about the current trend of making 'sequels' which have no relation with the previous movie, if we follow this trend, all Tim Burton and Johnny Depp movie could be sequels. This trend makes the entire Hindi Film industry look immature.

• I am from New Delhi, I know there is a sophisticated film industry in the south, why are there not enough steps taken for integration ? I would love to see more movies made by both Hindi and South artists in collaboration.

• most underrated Indian movie made after 2000 which eveyrone should see once.

• mandatory reddit question , would you rather fight a horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?

1. to each their own. i dont tell them what not to do and will not allow others to dictate me. filmmaking is also business and we should not forget that if those films that make money are not made then we also wont be allowed to make films. look at europe , the countries that make only art house films have no industry are dependent on the government and institutions for money and those filmmakers get to make one film every six years unlike us who make a film a year

2. integration depends on the audiences. now they release regional language films subtitled but are not patronized by the audiences. integration also depends on cultural understanding.

3. a horse sized duck. it will be a fun fight. the other would be irritating.

Baap re....... 21 minutes mein 41 questions.. shaant, /r/india people.

Anurag, why do most of your films depict people in fringes of society? And what is with the deal with the excessive use of swear words?

i love to explore the subcultures.. there is more fun in the forbidden than the obvious. whatever gives me the hard on i go for it.

1.Have heard about you writing your films when drunk.But have you ever directed when drunk ? If yes, how did it pan out ?

2.Have watched a pirated copy of it. But will we see Paanch released in the theatres?

3.You have played brief roles in a couple of movies.Now,like Tigmanshu,will we see you in a role of considerable length?

i dont write when i am drunk. i used to blog when i was drunk. i have never taken alcohol on my sets but i have made my actors take it a lot of times. 2. no idea and i dont really care anymore 3. no.

also there is a question which have bugged many people, in Dev D, Sunil - Factory worker says he slept with Paro and then in one scene Paro says "maine tuhjhe kabhi kuch mana kiya hain kya"

• did she actually slept with Sunil?

1. only Paro knows that. I dont think anyone knows a woman well enough to know everything about her. we are the inferior sex to them and lets live with that. i prefer that.

Welcome Anurag, hardcore fan here. I have watched many of the films you have been associated with. Many of which I have watched online, except for Ugly, which i cant find online. So following up to that..

• 1) How do you feel about movie piracy and that a lot of your movies are watched through torrent?

• 2) Why didn't GoW release in cinemas in Australia/New Zealand? I am sure it would have been a hit in cinemas over here!

• 3) Will Doga and Bombay Velvet release in cinemas internationally?

1. i am thankful to piracy because it saved cinema and my career and i get bothered by it too that because of it our mainstream cinema now world wide has become only about summer blockbusters and superheroes and sequels. torrents have killed meaningful cinema worldwide because they are not like events and people chose to see them on laptops
2. australia someone did buy it NL i have no idea but it all depends on local distributors and exhibitors.
3. BV yes. Ugly so far in Europe, US , Australia and Asia. in january/dec

ignoring to answer other questions for obvious reasons

No Smoking, what was it about really? I know the baba being the devil, the women oppressed, the smoking being an allegory to your own arrogance in terms of making movies, but what was the losing family members, losing fingers, that last scene, that cold place with vodka, the bathtub... Also, any chance for a sequel? I remember you asked SRK to play K, any chance of future collabs with him, now that you're buddies with KJo?

When does Ugly release? Will it be distributed internationally, like GoW, or will be like Girl In Yellow Boots?

What apart from the Ranbir movie? I read you saying that you wanna focus on direction, anything else on the burner after that?

The movie that went to Cannes with GoW, when does it release?

No Smoking was where you saw me jerk off and you either hated it or you loved it but it was me who came. i would like to jerk off again but not in someone else's bedroom. this time i will use my own when i can afford it myself. jokes apart i would love to go into that zone again but with more freedom and when no one else is at risk with it except me. 2. Ugly releases when i find time from BV to release it. soon we will announce its date. this year itself. 3. many .. but one at a time, so now its just BV 4. September 27th hopefully

What is the one question that you wish an interview would ask, and hasn't till date?

Would you like a drink?

Hello Anurag!

I've just graduated from uni where my final dissertation looked at the possible westernisation/modernisation of modern Indian film music - not the songs, but rather the background music as it is very rarely explored.

Gangs of Wasseypur turned out to be a massive part of the writing, so, I just wanted to say a massive thanks for creating a brilliant film, helping me get a First Class degree and to let you know you've got some fans over here in Scotland.

Take it easy!

you would love the background score Amit Trivedi has done for Lootera.

Hi sir, big fan of yours from Pakistan. Love all your movies, specially Gulaal. Gangs of Wasseypur is very well known here. I have 2 questions:

1) Have you heard Pakistani music? The music in Dev.D (for instance the rock version of emotional attyachaar) reminded of the style which is seen in Pakistani music often. Have you listened to Junoon? Or Vital Signs? Or Noori?

2) Why are the awards so wrong in India? I get that there need to be blockbuster entertaining movies but the awards should go to quality material. I remember Koi Milgaya (the alien film with Hrithik Roshan) won and Yuva by Mani Ratnam didn't. Is there any way to fix this? I was very surprised when Udaan won, how can the award ceremonies be fixed so they focus on quality (like they did with Udaan)?

1.yes i am a fan. 2.why do you want to fix it. the resentment generates more creativity. their acceptance of all things brilliant will kill the joy of rebellion.

am an amateur and have done two shorts... both of them suffer from the amateurish look, jerky camera angles and bad sound... though they do have good concepts, am not able to properly use these tools to create a good short... any tips, suggestions, books to read... anything?!

look through your camera and really look. i guess you are always looking into your own head and hence dont really see whats in front of you. and when you are writing look with in. and best way to write is to bleed.

Hi Anurag,

As a comedian, I really really hope and wonder if you will ever make an out and out comedy. Your sense of humour is so dark and so funny that the idea of you doing a black comedy is delicious.

Huge huge fan.

been dying to do a comedy. also have a title "how to be a capitalist via socialism"

1) Doga kab aayega?

2) What do you think about the current state of Indian film criticism? Also, can you name some of your favorite Indian movie critics/bloggers?

3) GOW SPOILER - What was Faizal thinking en-route to police station after killing Ramadhir? /GOW SPOILER

4) Why don't you work with a music director twice?

5) Do you think that Guru Dutt ghost-directed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam?

6) In his somewhat critical GOW 1 review, Raja Sen got two facts of the story wrong. Does it bother you when people who can't even get the plot points right bash your movies?

7) That Girl in Yellow Boots aapki 'Kareeb' thi kya?

Doga aayega.. ussey bananey ke liye jitna paisa chahiye woh tabhi milega jab Bombay Velvet superhit hogi. like GoW led to BV , BV will lead to Doga 2.terrible.. there is better criticism on the net 3.he ws only thinking about mohsina 4.amit trivedi is doing BV. i spend a lot of time on music. Amit has been working on BV since Dev.D released. Sneha has been working on Doga since GoW released. 5. he was there but lets not take away the credit from Abrar Alvi. He was as much a part of all Gurudutt films as GD was.

Would you want to venture into mythological animation movies? If yes, what would your favourite Indian myth character be?

kamdev

• What is your take on people downloading movies? I downloaded GoW1 coz it was not in cinemas and DVD wasn't out. Then watched the 2nd movie in theater and even have the DVD. I rarely watch Hindi movies in theater or even spend money on DVDs.

• Do you advise Kalki on the roles she takes? Badtameez Dil?

• How was your experience with KJO while working on Bombay Talkies? I understand you had your own part to direct but what was your experience with him overall?

• What's your take on BS, like Himmatwala, which Bollywood produces at large than life level and scale? You have worked with Danny Boyle and know and meet other non Bollywood directors, do they talk about all these BS?

Thanks and a big fan here. :-)

1. if the film is not in the theatre and you download it, what can i say. good for you that you saw it, good for me that you saw it.
2. no i dont
3. he is super fun and really a great guy. he also has become a great friend and i love him.
4. i dont have a take on it.

Big fan. But what's with almost every film using shocking language/violence and other such devices? We have seen Kashyap's A Clockwork Orange films, we want to see more of Udaan or A Separation now :-)

Anything in near future?

bhai mujhey apna karney de, tu apna kar.

Welcome to reddit! We see a lot of romance/action/crime movies but not many big budget scifi/fantasy movies (ra one was a disaster). What do you think is keeping bollywood at bay? Would you be interested to make a hobbit or harry potter like movie?

hobbit / harry potters can only be made in a language which is universal so that it gets a bigger audience base to recover costs. we are as big as the expanse of our language or our translatability. small budget science fiction we can. maybe someone will.

Hi Anurag! Big fan!

1. What is your advice to an aspiring filmmaker in India, who wants to make good quality films and not usual commercial flicks.

2. What is your creative process?

3. What is your religious worldview, if you don't mind answering that?

4. Do you think films should care about social issues, or only focus on entertainment? I am asking this because 3 idiots was a poor execution of a valid problem, and it would have been better if they had stayed away from it.

5. How do you believe piracy can be dealt with? Do you see it as a problem?

1. Start with a short. Begin and see where it takes you.
2. i first get excited about something and tell others and see how they react. then i write.
3. i am an atheist. Cinema is the only religion i believe in.
4. i dont care. it differs from person to person.
5. yes both a boon and a problem. we can not avoid it and we have to deal with it. the only way to avoid piracy is to remove all profit driven digital boundaries.

[deleted]

always my next

So.. i've got no clue who you are. Did not see any of your movies. Just got 1 question: Which movie would you recommend i watch first? And greetings for the Netherlands!

i am a filmmaker in india. black friday is a good suggestion

Thanks for the AMA! Just one question as rest all have already bombarded with theirs.

What is taking so long for 'Doga'?

1 moolah. that film will cost a bomb. it needs more money to make it than our blockbusters earn.

Hey Anurag, I love your films. May I suggest a Kickstarter campaign à la Zach Braff's Wish I was Here or Rob Thomas's Veronica Mars? I know it won't be near enough to fully fund the project, but something is better than nothing, right?

Doga needs more than Kickstarter can generate. i regularly donate for films at kickstarter. if Doga was possible there i would fund myself.

Huge fan of your movies. Thank you for discovering and bringing in so many amazing talents in Indian cinemas.

Here is my question:

Who is your favorite Indian director?

What went wrong with the No Smoking, the premise of the movie was very interesting but movie didn't seemed to work as a whole?

Also can you please provide pointers to your friend Imtiaz Ali on casting, lately he seems terrible at it.

1. guru dutt/ ghatak
2. i dont know and i dont care anymore. i love that film, loved making it and will do again.
3. he is not me and he is getting much much better at who he is. he is on a whole different journey of rediscovery. lets stop telling people what to do and start by finding ourselves. and never NEVER put the burden of our expectations on others. What doesn't turn you on gives multiple orgasms to someone else.

Sorry, but who are you? I'm genuinely interested.

i have more fun than most

Anurag thank you for this

Who is the most humble actor have worked with?

Shah ruh khan looks like he would be great fun to work with and just a fun guy to spend time with, is he as fun outside of the theatre as he looks on the award shows?

1. Amitabh Bachchan, Nowaz, Aditya Srivastav. 2.he is fun and charismatic in person. hope that one day we see that intelligence and person that he is translated on screen.

Hello Anurag.

• How do you think theater background matters for acting? Do you personally feel theater experience makes better actors?

• As as addendum, how do you feel about dubbing?

1. it helps . i like non actors as well. advantage with theatre is that an actor knows how to take directions and understand character. but very rarely a great theatre actor will also make a great cinema actor. they often are loud and depend more on exaggerated body language and dialogue delivery and external factors.
2. i hate dubbing

Hi Anurag, have you watched Gunda ? If yes :),your thoughts please

its a classic

Hi Anurag, Nawazuddin Siddiqui's made a funny video about "How To Make Sure Your Film Goes to Cannes"? Just wondering what are your views?

i love that video. Nowaz is not just funny he is actually very perceptive and ironical. in that video he says what everyone who does not go to cannes say and he plays it absolutely straight. i love him to death.

thanks for doing this AMA...

• why did critics in india gave "no smoking" such bad reviews?(i watched the film and frankly it was not bad).

• When you go to a producer with a non romantic,unconventional story do you get weird looks?

and finally thank you for making gangs of wasseypur!

1. not bad is worse than people hating it. i would rather they hate it. and be killed by it.
2. i am good with spinning circles around them, an art life teaches you. i dont lie and they do not hear what they dont want to. its akin to i lie and they love me. the fact is no one knows what works.

Why don't you use Piyush Mishra's talent like you did in Gulal? Not that I am complaining about Sneha Khanvilkar's music but but just guest composition wasn't enough. Want more of his, composing, singing, lyrics and acting in your movies.

soon again

About reusing talent,you have used KK Menon right from 'Last train to Mahakali' to Gulaal. Will he be working with you soon again?

KKMenon is back in Bombay Velvet. We start again with that film.

Anurag Sir, Why is it that you haven't collaborated with Naseeruddin Sir so far?

really want to and will soon.

Hi Anurag

You've often mentioned that you read a lot of Hindi literature, in your early years. What are all the books your read, and how did it add to your cinematic sensibilities?

yaar i was 16 when i read them. i remember mansarovar. i also read a lot of pulp. every single experience you have or books you read or films you watch or mistake you make enriches you and what you do.

I see a lot of similarities (blood, profanity, music, style) between your films and Tarantino. Do you feel you have (consciously or otherwise) been inspired by his films?

no. but yes Pulp fiction was a big influence on dialogue writing of Paanch

Given that you mentioned torrents, how do you feel about Netflix-like services like spuul.com? I wish they had more of your work on there.

its good. but i like my films on big screen. but yeah its good for revenues.

Is Udaan really the story of your life? How much does it resemble you? For how many years you had to struggle before you could achieve something substantial in the film industry?

1. its 15% my life, 25% vikram"s dad's life and 60 % the truth about small towns
2. struggle is only in the head and its constant. the external physical struggle is not really a struggle, its a journey and it is enriching and beautiful unfortunately most people want to skip that.

Thanks for this AMA. Huge fan here.

How did you explain the role of ardhnarishwar (Gulaal) to people , so they would look at it exactly the way you visualized?

i just did it because it looked interesting.

Bas 2 writing related sawaal:

1. Have you ever felt what you might be writing might not turn out great? What do you do in order to keep on writing.

2. There are theories about handful plots/ story lines being repeated over time. How do you convince yourself that what you are writing will be 'original' enough?

Ek ghanta lag gaya mereko questions frame karne mein. Writer apne aap ko kyu hi bolta hu :|

i just write. masturbation is the biggest medicine to writers block. i better all my writing while directing. nothing will ever be perfect and people who fear the imperfection should stop trying to create. in order to create the perfect you have to improvise on the imperfect. and that will happen only after you finish writing. 2.i dont try to be original. i just try to have fun and be "IN IT"

Best actor you have worked with - Manoj Bajpai or Nawaz?

aditya srivastava. nawaz. i love to shoot them. manoj , KK, Naseer, piyush i love to hear them.

ranbir i love to watch in other films, hoping to discover him this time.

Namaskar Anurag Kashyap. Thanks for this doing AMA. I love all of your films, A few questions i would like to get answered-

• What made you come to the field of direction? Is there is some movie which inspired you or it was decided from the very past that you are going to do something related to cinema.

• How do you feel when you see a thelawala selling pirated DVD's of your movie?

• A chodu movie like 'Barfi' was india's official entry for Oscar's. Your views on it. What inspires you to continue despite of all these odds?

bhai aap der se aaye hain. i continue because there is no other way. would rather continue than sit back and wait for others to do it for me. baaki sab ka ek hi jawab hai 'how do you breathe when there is so much disease/strife/war around you.'

Hi,

Do you see yourself producing or directing a south indian film if it has a good script or so.

i think we at PHANTOM are about to do that.

Paro blows Dev in Dev D when she unzips him in the khet, doesn't she? Hugest dispute between me and my friends ever!

Also, with this AMA, you've upped your cool quotient by like a gazillion. Thanks :)

i dont know what she was doing , i was looking at the sky . the sky was so blue and looked so beautiful we forgot to tilt the camera so never saw what she was doing.

Hi Anurag. The Jesse Randhawa portion was my favorite bit in Gulaal. I think I remember you mentioning at a talk that a lot of backstory element was shot and not used in the final cut. If that's accurate, could you upload it somewhere so fans can watch it?

we have lost all the footage. apologies.

[deleted]

i just begin with writing scene 1. and see where it takes me. obviously a lot of reading has gone into it beforehand. go with the flow. like hemingway said. Bleed.

Needless to say I am a huge fan of your work. Ever since I heard that faint Pink Floyd tune in Gulaal, you have been one of the few Indian directors I have developed a serious taste for. As an aspiring director, I would like to ask you a few questions.

1. Talent aside, what are some skills you would like to see in the upcoming directors that you feel the current directors struggle with.
2. What are the best platforms in India to showcase your independent short films.
3. How would you define success for a director in our film industry?
4. Would you consider converting the Gangs of Wasseypur into a TV series (something like what Francis Coppola did with the Godfather films)? Even though censorship would be a pain for television, I imagine.

Thanks a lot for doing this AMA.

1. storytelling.
2. internet
3. success is what gives you freedom to be you.
4. we almost did it for HBO but then it fell through.

1. Work more with international crews. Take lead.
2. Never underestimate Kalki, she's your lucky star.
3. Don't be so selfish that it's against your self interest, learn from Paanch.
4. Amir Khan needs an Anil Kapoor and you can do it, be more open to moulding classic actors to your own tune.
5. Theatre actors are bad with bad directors but soul creepy with good ones like you, don't underestimate them.
6. Even if you disregard all of the above, just good luck man, you've already made a great contribution to cinema.

thanks for everything. will remember that

thanks for doing this ama! Is there any actor or actress that you would love to direct but haven't yet got the chance?

dilip kumar

Hello good sir, your movies are definitely among the more progressive ones coming out of Bombay. Many thanks for doing this AMA.

I have a couple of questions if you can answer them please-

1. Any plans of making a stoner comedy any time? I think you can definitely give this genre a go.

2. Is sci fi your thing? Why is there no Indian version of Stanley Kubrick or Anton Tarovsky (inspired, not copy cats)? Is this because the producers consider the audience of today too dumb or what is it?

1. not me
2. yaar somebody will do it some day. i cant.

Have you consciously become less approachable than you used to be?

yes. i need to focus on my films. earlier i was approachable because very few approached me . now its crazy. what i do matters more to me. i have stopped producing and its the companies we started which are doing them. i think i have done my bit for others and now i need to be a very selfish filmmaker. its only i , me , myself now.

[deleted]

plagiarism is everywhere. we are just too anal about it. Godard famously said, it does not matter where you borrow it from, what matters is where you take it to.

Anurag, die hard fan here. One of my friends has quit his job and his busting his chops to become a director because of you. Could you tell me who your influences are? We would love to watch the kind of cinema that nurtured your vision.

start with scorsese

Would you consider producing/supporting directors from the south/kollywood?

yes anytime/ all the time

A fan of your work here.

Something which I have always wanted to ask. Is it easier to fathom a story of darkness, inner demons and consequences as a director as compared to a new take on something positive in life?

Your movies speak about a society that is bleak, ravaged and is inhibited by people who are at war with their own selves. Have you ever thought of exploring the concept of presenting a positive theme in a new way, not in a formula based happy ending scenario but in a direction which would make us viewers think about little nuances which we missed in the theme while focusing on the bigger picture at life?

1. yes. positive is oft repeated way of psychologically telling ourselves " i am ok, you are ok" . the only self help i believe in his whats achieved in the privacy of a bedroom/bathroom.
2. someone else is doing that. i will do what matters to me at that time. i would rather do a kickass comedy than do something with a social message.

Hello sir, huge fan of Gulaal and I also had the pleasure of chatting with you once, after "The Dark Knight Rises" at IMAX.

My question is, will we ever see a low budget, tight script sci-fi movie like 'Moon', 'The Man From Earth' from you? Because if it has to come from anyone in Bollywood, it has to be you. One epic sci-fi movie to inspire thousands of people even in the smallest towns would set their imaginations rolling.

upstream color dekho from me i dont want anyone to expect anything

Hi, Mr. Kashyap. Big fan of your work.

Gulaal and No Smoking are two of my favourite movies.

My question is, are you apprehensive about delving into mainstream cinema (as you have recently been doing) more deeply? And do you not fear that you might lose the place that you carved out for yourself by making offbeat cinema?

1. i have always believed i am mainstream. i just did'nt have stars. i will lose my place only if i start to get dishonest with my film. if i start to cater to the fandom, either mine or the star's fandom i will fail if not at first then sooner than most. it does not matter who is in the film, what matters is why you are making it and how honest are you to the material and to yourself.

What do you think of Rahul Gandhi, and Narendra Modi. If you had to vote for one of them who would it be?

rahul is free for all, modi is all for himself.. both are bad choices. i dont know the right choice.

Earlier there was a trend of star kids, now even models are being recruited largely over real actors as leads in movies despite their acting skills. In such a scenario how would you like to encourage strugglers to make a mark in the film industry?

by casting them.

I am huge fan of Gangs of Wasseypur and was just wondering what motivated you to do film like that?

only reason was "Wasseypur" itself.

Sir, I've been a huge fan of yours since I saw the premiere of "Dev D" in New York. Abhay Deol actually came out and did a q&a which I thought was great. Just wanted to ask, as an aspiring singer/songwriter from Islamabad, Pakistan, how do I go about trying to land a gig at UTV Spotboy writing scripts and/or acting? Cheers!

contact them and send them a script. first write then sell. thinking about doing it is wasting time

In last 8 years of being here in canada, i have watched only two bollywood movies, which were gulaal and gangs of wasseypur 1. Thank you very much for making movies with substance in it instead of douchy nonsense bollywood puts out on a wholesale level (which i stopped following long time ago). gulaal was abosultely amazing. My curiosity is about the plot, how did the decision making process around it went, when jadwal got killed, i was shocked and thought, that was such a cool character, why not keep him around in the story (somehow :)? Any chance of developing that story further? thanks again and keep doing what you do.

gulal is done and over with. it was then and i am now. have written about it then on my blogs. you can find it on tumbhi.com

Q. Is it true that media conglomerates (Viacom, UTV, Paramount, Fox etc) have a lot more say in the creative content and its presentation than before?

Q. Have the media houses cartelized against any movie star who refuses to follow the line in accordance with these houses?

1. media houses follow any and everything that sells. media houses are essentially listed companies who work with investors money and they are run by people who keep needing that money and do not want to lose their jobs. in order to keep the jobs they need to show return on investment so the do what sells. this is an article i wrote for Outlook back in 2004 http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?224117 . hope it will help.

1. it entirely depends on you. everyone can have a say in the matter if you are not sure about it and no one can tell you what to do if you generate enough confidence. A good filmmaker is 50 percent a great manager. filmmaking is 50 % creativity and 50 % people management.

Hello Mr.Kashyap.

I don't watch movies much. The only flick of yours I was fortunate to watch was Dev D.

Naive question, but still...

The drunkeness and off the edge portrayal of the protagonist in Dev D was too good. Reminded me of myself in certain situations.

Did you ever get smashed like that for over a period of time ?

yes many times post paanch and pre Dev.D

Writing/directing, which one is closer to your heart? I think I read something about this, but I'm not sure, have you directed anything that you haven't written yourself (apart from Girl in Yellow Boots?). Do you plan to do that (more)?

I know that you become "honorary" participants in a few movies, but how many movies will AKFPL release this year?

TV! You direct a bunch of ads, any plans to get into TV, even if through AKFPL?

Tarantino has frequently maintained that he does not wanna direct after reaching a certain age. Do you think that holds true for all movie makers? Will you be doing this till you can?

1. directing and writing for myself.
2. we are hoping to release peddlers, lunchbox, michael and monsoon shootout this year
3. i am doing tv for sony with Big B
4. abhi to main jawan hoon.

hello sir,you make absolutely exhilarating cinema.loved GoW,Gulaal,Dev D.just wanted to ask 1-Why does kiran shed a tear at the end of Gulaal...is she happy that finally they are getting legitimacy or does she realise that she was also just another pawn in the game of power for karan. 2-A request-PLEASE use more of Piyush Mishra. 3-How does your family percieve you now..Now that you are successful in the more acceptable sense of having money in bank account....own a car.......Now that you come on tv....get awarded by foreign governments....Also do they see your films? 4-A book/writer you would recommend. 5-Advice you would give to your 20-year old self.

Thanks a lot.You Rock.Keep making great cinema.Cheers!!

1. because Kiran is happy that her brother has been legitimised and for her the whole journey was so traumatic but in the end what she lived for actually happens. she is no longer illegitimate. 2.piyush and i would be collaborating musically on another film soon with manoj bajpayee acting in it but that will be post BV .
2. Ever since Satya came out my family has been proud of me and been accepting of all choices i have made. they see all my films but not neccessary that they like them. They are too conservative to understand Yellow Boots or Dev.D , nevertheless they accept me and my thought process.
3. Read James M cain and Camus' "The Outsider" and i love Chester himes, and Chandler and hamett and reed farell coleman, Ken Bruen, Jason starr. i love soho crime and hard case crime labels. i love kerouac and ginsberg and salinger.
4. jo hua sab theek tha nahi to jo hoon woh nahi hota.

Hello Ji,

-Why does Nasir chacha flagellate himslef when Phyjal and his wife are 'doing it',I understand he hits himself when he does something wrong but I did not get it why he hits himself when phyjal is 'doing it'

-There is a quiet character who does not speak in 'gulaal', he is among dukey bana's henchmen how is he related to dukey and his wife, what is he hiding?

-If you were to remake one movie of RGV (Ramu) in a different way what would it be?What is it that you will change.

-what is the best way to send a script to you,can we simply e-mail it to you?

then he is hitting himself because he is getting aroused by it. its his aural porn. 2.he is the priest . he is not hiding anything. his quiet presence is impactful is why i kept him like that. he is the wise man like piyush in GoW. 3.none 4.send it to anupama bose at phantom

Hi AK,

Thanks for giving us Paanch and GoW.

• I'm sure there have been moments in your life growing up in India, which you must've replicated in your movies? What's the one most notable incident and a movie scene/act you directed based on it?
• What are some movies (both Bollywood and Hollywood) which you think are seriously underrated but have some fine film making?
• What do you think about the use of CGI in movies? Although the Indian film industry is catching up, what's your opinion of it?

Thanks for giving us the awesome film work. I'm sick of all the Bollywood 'masala' flicks and it being just a money milking cow.

1. too many to recall here.
2. too many to recall here
3. its both a boon and a curse. sometimes you need it and sometimes its just unnecessary

Hello sir, i have been learning how to and making short films for the last four years but haven't really found a platform to show or audience to show my films. (yes they are on youtube.) The couple of competitions i sent my films to, declared the entries from various institutes and organisations as their winners. What is a better way of showcasing or atleast getting a genuine opinion for your work?

you keep doing them , and your work will one day take you wherever you want to go. every opinion however critical is always good or bad depending on how objectively you see it. there are no shortcuts.

Sir,

1. What do you think has been the most fulfilling experience- as a writer or a director?

2. Your 'karmabhoomi' is Bombay. Is Bombay Velvet some sort of a tribute to the city?

3. For someone who is part of a generation whose childhood has been coloured by popular Hindi cinema, have you ever considered making those sort of movies again? GoW had a similar theme (revenge). But, what about something else?

4. Do you consider yourself a voyeur or a manipulator of stories when you tell one via your movies?

Thank you for the opportunity. About time! :)

1. i enjoy making all films i do. i enjoy the process of making it more, i hate the prostitution i have to do at the time of its release but we are contractually bound. and i am over it by the time it releases.
2. Bombay Velvet is my big vet dream. its the beginning of my bombay trilogy which i got inspired to do after i read the LA Quartet by james ellroy. that inspired me to dig into the dark trenches of the history of Bombay. and i found a treasure trove that is neverending.
3. i love the mainstream of the 70s. and would love to do it someday.
4. a voyeur and a mischief monger.

what is your knowledge about pakistani cinema anurag? any fav actors?

i have only seen khamosh paani, burqa killer film, khuda ke liye, bol and josh. love the first two. bought the argument of the KKL and Bol and appreciate josh

Do you watch movies of other Indian languages and think of making them better through remake?

yes i watch them, no i dont want to better them

AK, Your fan here since I saw Black Friday in PIFF before it was taken off the screen. Dug the every single torrent site to find Paanch. Been fascinated since I read an article on you in India Today that quoted a censor board member demanding you to be banned from making cinema due to gore scenes in Paanch.

Well, here's a question straight from Barcelona.. When are you making Guru duty biopic and Doga? I am sure Bombay Velvet would be awesome. But can't wait for these two.

Kudos, sir!

no GuruDutt biopic.. Doga later

Welcome /u/anuragkashyap

Thanks for doing the AMA! I'm a huge fan of yours! I have some questions if you can answer it! I'd appreciated it! Thanks again for doing the AMA!

Q1. have you worked with or know Manish Archarya? in what capacity?

Q2. Can you do us a favor and get Amitabh Bachchan and encourage other Actors/Actresses/Directors/producers to do an AMA to help promote films and such?

Q3. Can you please help and stop those dumb smoking ads before start of every movies??

Q4. How can I go to an event like Cannes Festival? Or is it by invitation? (Not familiar with that, would be great if you can explain)

1. i knew him , he was a friend. we just got a script he was working on before he passed away. 2.do it yourself. if they ask i will recommend.
2. i will fight against it and will expect all of you to voice it together.

It's a widespread opinion that Indian movies have huge impact on people's life. A simple example.

what do you think?

Also your take on piracy?

1. i think GoW
2. udan kabootar, pigeon fly, look dekho aasman sky

Hey Anurag !

how about a futuristic sci fi Bollywood movie ? For some reason we only tend to accept sci fi from foreign countries, why don't you change that ?

how about it

From the wikipedia article about you :

Kashyap watched Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver at Nair's place—on a "bad vcr" and using a "mutilated tape"; the film fascinated him.

What other films(or books) would you say prompted, inspired and fascinated the writer in you in the beginning ?**

easy riders raging bulls. the kid stays in the picture. kurosawa's biography. hitchcock by truffaut screenwriters on screenwriting

Hey again, two quick questions. After having quit the workforce, I am now attempting to write after years of repressing that due paternal and ecosystem pressure. My first project is screenplay so I can fund my living expenses while continuing to write for a living. My questions: 1) while writing a bollywood script, how much of an eye should I keep on the commercial viability and audience sensibilities as opposed to having artistic freedom and being honest to the narrative. Ideally I would like to continue writing for a living for which success can be a requisite.

1. nobody writes for a living except the lady who wrote harry potter. true writers live to write and they get by. 2.you just write and keep an eye on the paper and nothing else.

Customary AMA question: Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses, or 1 horse-sized duck??

I am hoping that this is the first question you answer! :D

Ninja EDIT: Gulaal ftw!

already replied