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Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, known for cult classics like Gangs of Wasseypur and Black Friday, never had an easy start in the Hindi film industry. A boy from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, who grew up loving cinema, Anurag arrived in Mumbai in the early 1990s with dreams of making films — but his journey was anything but smooth. Many of the projects he wrote in his early years never materialised — some were shelved, while others were left incomplete after the director passed away. His first major breakthrough came in 1998 when he met Ram Gopal Varma, who was impressed by one of his earlier scripts titled Auto Narayan. Varma roped him in to co-write his now-iconic crime drama Satya (1998) along with actor-writer Saurabh Shukla. Around the same time, Anurag was also working closely with filmmaker Shivam Nair.
It was during this period that Anurag came across case files on the Joshi-Abhyankar serial murders that took place in Pune in 1976. The story inspired him to write and direct his debut film, Paanch. However, the film never saw a theatrical release, as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) refused clearance, citing its unapologetic depiction of sex, drugs, and violence.
Before the censorship issue, Anurag had been confident about the film and eager for its release. In a recent conversation with Komal Nahta on his YouTube show Game Changers, the filmmaker recalled how producer Boney Kapoor offered him a film after being impressed with his work.
“I still believe that if Paanch had released, I would have been a different person,” Anurag shared. “Boney Kapoor once told me, ‘Why don’t you make a film? Just point to any building from Bandra to Juhu, and I will buy you a flat there.’” He laughed, recalling his younger self’s maive optimism: “I thought, if he’s offering me a flat before my film’s release, maybe after it comes out, I will get a bungalow!”
But Paanch was never officially released — a turning point that grounded him and reminded him of why he came to Mumbai in the first place. “That’s when I realised I made a film with newcomers to prove a point — that you need a story and storytelling, not stars. Even after Black Friday and Gangs of Wasseypur, I couldn’t prove that point. Eventually, I stopped trying to prove anything and started detaching.”
Anurag, who has been vocal about his disillusionment with the Hindi film industry, blames the loss of unity for its current state.
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“There was a time when the industry stood together — like during Udta Punjab,” he said. “That was the last time I saw true solidarity.” Recalling the difficult phase when Reliance backed out midway from his film Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat, he shared how several filmmakers rallied behind him.
“When I was stuck making Almost Pyaar, everyone came forward to help — Vishal Bhardwaj, Rajkumar Hirani, and Imtiaz Ali. Vishal gave suggestions, Imtiaz shared ideas, and Raju Hirani even edited my film for two weeks. I told Vicky Kaushal I needed him for four days but couldn’t pay him — and he still agreed. That was real support,” he said.
He also drew parallels between Udta Punjab and Paanch, saying Udta Punjab could have met the same fate if the industry hadn’t united. When the CBFC demanded 89 cuts and asked the makers to remove all references to Punjab, the entire industry — from Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt to Ram Gopal Varma, Aamir Khan, and Imtiaz Ali — stood with Anurag. He was one of the producers of the film.
“That solidarity ensured the film saw the light of day.” However, he believes the spirit of collaboration disappeared post-pandemic. “I think the shift happened after COVID-19. People saw obscene amounts of money on OTT, and something changed. Now, everyone is caught up in proving who’s bigger,” he said.
