At the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival, actor-director Anurag Kashyap participated in a discussion titled 'Fearless Filmmaking', moderated by film critic Baradwaj Rangan. Anurag Kashyap spoke candidly about the shrinking space for independent voices in Indian cinema, had his reaction to Dhurandhar and the teaser for Yash's Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.

“Making films like Gangs of Wasseypur or Black Friday today is almost impossible,” Anurag Kashyap said, adding that certain subjects have become politically sensitive and are quick to invite controversy.

Referring to global cinema, Anurag Kashyap pointed out that filmmakers in countries such as Iran and Russia continue to make bold films despite operating under far greater restrictions. “Indian directors should draw inspiration from them,” he said.

Speaking about the recent film Dhurandhar, Anurag Kashyap described it as a courageous mainstream attempt but noted that some choices were avoidable. “The dialogue referring to ‘This is the new India’ and a long political monologue were unnecessary. The film’s impact would not have reduced even without them,” he said.

Anurag Kashyap also addressed the tendency to label films as propaganda. “Calling a film propaganda is itself a form of propaganda,” he remarked, adding that Hollywood’s Marvel films propagate American supremacy but are rarely critiqued from that perspective.

Commenting on the teaser of the English-Kannada film Toxic, Anurag Kashyap called it an extremely courageous attempt. He said the backlash it received revealed a cultural double standard. “When male actors display machismo or appear shirtless, it is accepted. But when women celebrate their sexuality, it becomes difficult for many to accept,” he said.

Anurag Kashyap also spoke about his admiration for Kannada literature and confirmed that he is adapting writer Vivek Shanbhag’s novel Ghachar Ghochar into a Kannada film. The project is currently in the scripting stage and will later be made in Hindi as well. Further details about the director and cast will be announced at a later date.

On changing audience habits, Anurag Kashyap noted that viewers increasingly consume films on mobile phones, making it difficult for slow-paced cinema to hold attention. “This is a result of technological change, not the audience’s fault,” he said.

Responding to questions on political cinema, Anurag Kashyap concluded, “In Germany, films against Hitler came only after his death. Everything has its own time.”