Brand Anurag Kashyap | Statesmen

When we collected votes for first Uttkrishtt, I was a little surprised. Black Friday was rated higher than Mother India, Pyaasa and Sholay. It was #2 on our top Hindi film list. That was a small indication how strongly Brand Anurag Kashyap has evolved over the years. From being the face of independent cinema in this country, today Anurag is perhaps the most respected Indian director. How strong is this brand can be easily gauged by the fact that many people went to see Shanghai because Anurag strongly recommended it (by my personal experience). The reco was all over the papers and people were booking their tickets online.

In intial days, when Anurag was still a student at Hansraj College, Delhi University, he developed an interest in world movies. In a film festival he happened to see Bicycle Thieves and had his Satyajit Ray moment. The impact of de Sica revered neo-realistic film was huge. Like Ray, Anurag decided to take his steps forward in the world of cinema and landed in Mumbai. He joined theatre, tried acting and writing and joined a group of likeminded people. After lot of hardships, he got his big break with Satya. Satya and established him as a script writer. But still a lot was amiss. He was a name in inner circles of industry. Satya was a RGV movie for public. AK was just an unknown entity.

 

Anurag took a step forward and directed Paanch and Black Friday. Paanch was written during his early days in Mumbai when he was a nobody and elements of frustration of a young nobody were visible. Black Friday was a clinical study of Bombay Bomb Blasts. Paanch never saw the daylight however is perhaps one of the most acclaimed work. Black Friday fought court cases and was released. These two movie hardly gave Anurag a financial boost but the acclaim these movies got made a thumping noise. Anurag arrived the scene.

Paanch was banned. Black Friday saw monstrous roadblocks. Still the name evolved. No Smoking came and masses rejected it. People started doubting. Then came Dev D and the duo of Abhay Deol and AK nailed it. The adaptation of Devdas got adulation at Box Office. His repute as a strong storyteller was an established fact. He backed Aamir, Shaitan and Udaan. Each of them changed the outlook of Indian film audience. Despite of his failures on BO for Gulaal and TGIYB, Brand Anurag Kashyap has evolved largely due to multiplex culture and exposure to world cinema due to torrents. Lack of many intelligent makers beyond studio and camps helped his cause and made him the poster boy of Indian Indie.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh