Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has candidly explained why audiences should not expect hard-hitting films like Ugly or Gangs of Wasseypur from him again, citing stricter censorship and a transformed creative environment in Hindi cinema.
In an exclusive interview with Galatta Plus, Kashyap shared his unfiltered views on how the filmmaking landscape in Bollywood has changed since the time his most acclaimed work was released. He said the industry today no longer allows the kind of bold, uncompromising storytelling that once defined his cinema.
Addressing frequent questions from fans, Kashyap said he is often asked why he does not return to films like Ugly, Dev.D, or Gangs of Wasseypur. His answer, he said, is simple.
“Today, when I make films, I get questions like, ‘Why don’t I make a film like Ugly, or Dev.D, or even Gangs of Wasseypur?’ The thing is, I can’t make them. They won’t pass. They won’t clear the censors,” he said.
According to Kashyap, the political, cultural, and regulatory environment has shifted dramatically over the years.
“The political scenario has changed. Censorship has changed. Everything has changed,” he explained, adding that these changes directly affect what kind of cinema can be approved and released.
Kashyap also criticised the growing dominance of corporate structures in Bollywood. He argued that many decision-makers today lack a personal stake in cinema as an art form, which has reduced creative risk-taking.
“Everything is being run by corporations. Everything is being run by people who don’t have skin in the game,” he said.
He contrasted this with smaller, content-driven films such as The Girlfriend and Court: State vs. a Nobody, which he believes succeed because their producers are deeply invested in the stories they tell.
“It’s the old school, where people who invested in cinema are producing films. This is not true in Hindi cinema,” Kashyap noted.
Drawing comparisons, Kashyap praised the Tamil and Malayalam film industries for consistently supporting experimentation and new voices. He said filmmakers in the South receive stronger creative backing, allowing their cinema to evolve.
According to him, while southern industries continue to innovate, Hindi cinema remains constrained by commercial pressures and institutional controls, making it difficult for directors to take the kind of creative risks that once shaped landmark films.
