Intend to start a dialogue through my films: Anurag Kashyap

The filmmaker, whose Mukkabaaz is getting released on Friday, says he's tried to add entertainment value to his film this time in an effort to emulate Rajkumar Hirani's style of filmmaking
Intend to start a dialogue through my films: Anurag Kashyap

Celebrated filmmaker Anurag Kashyap counts himself as a social commentator. His forthcoming sports film Mukkabaaz deals with the struggle of a boxer and with social issues like caste system, youth politics and the power play of people.

Known for his socio-political dramas like Black Friday, Ugly and Gangs Of Wasseypur, what made him make a film on boxing? "I intend to start a dialogue through my films. I am a social commentator as a filmmaker and believe in capturing the complexity of the society as it is. If, after watching the Mukkabaaz, people start talking about the affected area of a sportsman's life and who is responsible for that, I will be happy," the director says.

"The fact is, in our country, people join sports to get a government job and once they get that, they do not want to do that and rather want to play the sport. As a result, they neither become a good officer, nor a sportsman. Ultimately, the result shows on our achievement of medals in international tournaments," he explains.

Kashyap, who is keen on exploring the old storytelling tradition that infuses music and poetry, believes in adding entertainment value to any serious topic. "This time I've have thought about 'How Rajkumar Hirani would do it' because as a filmmaker, he understands the pulse of a common man very well. He took on the education system in 3 Idiots, religion in PK and a subject like Mahatma Gandhi in Munna Bhai. Raju proved that if you can add entertainment, you can reach out to the largest audience with the most serious subjects. I have tried everything in this one -- adding humour, use of music and poetry... I have tried them all," he adds.

The filmmaker believes in the fine line existing between a lyricist and a poet, and so, has used poetry penned by Hussain Haidry for Mukkabaaz.

Being vocal on issues pertaining to the entertainment business, Kashyap prefers to stay as an independent individual. However, he hopes better times prevail for the industry. "I think the larger issue in the business of cinema is different. Things like censorship, forced rule of the interval by exhibitors, difficult distribution of a film in different states are some of them. I think we are living in a country where people want everything free, without responsibility. And they are certainly not ready to pay for entertainment."

Mukkabaaz is set for release this Friday.
 

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