Exclusive | Anurag Kashyap says Javed Akhtar asked him if he has a problem making money after watching Mukkabaaz: ‘Aapko paise kamane se…’ | Bollywood News

Anurag Kashyap’s films have often been ahead of their time, an observation that has become something of a recurring theme in his career. However, for the filmmaker himself, it’s not always a compliment. In fact, Kashyap has candidly admitted to being irritated when people dismiss his work as “ahead of its time,” especially considering how long it often takes audiences to truly discover his films.
Despite receiving critical acclaim and developing a loyal fanbase, most of Kashyap’s films have struggled to make a major impact at the box office. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, the director reflected on this recurring pattern, sharing a telling anecdote from the screening of his 2018 boxing-love story Mukkabaaz, which involved legendary screenwriter and lyric Javed Akhtar.
“Javed saab ne ek baar meri film dekhi thi Mukkabaaz aur film ke end par unhone mujhe bola tha ki ‘Aapko paise kamane se dikkat hai kya? Kya ho jata agar woh hero jeet jata tha? Toh baaki toh sab sahi ja raha tha’ (Javed saab once watched my film Mukkabaaz, and at the end he told me, ‘Do you have a problem with making money? What would’ve gone wrong if the hero had just won in the end? Everything else was going so well.’)”
Story continues below this ad

Kashyap, who has long admired the iconic screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, said that with his upcoming film Nishaanchi, he’s attempting something in the same spirit, an effort to recreate the kind of grand, emotional storytelling he grew up watching in their films. “For me, this film is a throwback to what I used to love about films as a kid, the ones that Salim-Javed wrote together. And for me, it is an attempt. My first validation I’ll seek from there, from those two, when they watch the film.”
Also Read | 10 years of Bombay Velvet: Anurag Kashyap’s messy love letter to cinema that was never understood
During the same conversation, Kashyap also reflected on his favourite screenplays Salim-Javed. “They are plenty. Right from Zanjeer. They have rarely failed. And Deewaar is a fantastic screenplay, an extraordinary screenplay. For me, Deewaar and even Trishul, they both are great, great films.”
Anurag Kashyap’s next directorial venture, Nishaanchi, is set to release in theatres this Friday. The film also marks the big-screen debut of Aaishvary Thackeray.