New Delhi: Anurag Kashyap is one of the most influential filmmakers in contemporary Indian cinema. Kashyap, known for his unconventional style and inclination to develop new talent, has already made his mark in the industry. However, the director's box office woes are no secret, and he has repeatedly addressed them. The director recently revealed in an interview why he never attempted to work with big stars like Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan.
"Though I came here to make films, there was a time when I succumbed to it (the habit of chasing stars). Everybody was telling me, 'Without stars you are doing this… imagine what you will do with stars'. That’s when the tide turns the other way and the slide starts," he said during a chat with Puja Talwar.
"If you don’t cater to their fanbase while working with a star, they will cancel you. And, my film did get cancelled because I was making my own movie. I am not catering to anybody’s friends or fanbase," he added.
The filmmaker further mentioned that fans are fanatics in India and explained that it is not possible for SRK or Salman to ignore them ever. "Even when they are experimenting or playing around, they think a lot because if their fanbases get upset, they react very strongly. They go after everyone. After Tubelight, Salman Khan fans went after director Kabir Khan," he said.
Kashyap also discussed 'hero-worshipping,' explaining that it limits actors' ability to experiment.
"There’s no such practice in other countries. So, there you have more freedom and actors also play around. We are driven by hero-worshipping here," he said.
Additionally, Anurag Kashyap said that stars will remain stars even in the OTT era. "OTTs have just thrown open a space for OTT stars too and equalised the game. It ensured that good actors were getting better roles and better pay cheques. Now, a Pankaj Tripathi or a Nawazuddin Siddiqui can lead a film."
Meanwhile, Anurag Kashyap recently praised Alia Bhatt and expressed interest in working with her in another interview. He stated that he would love to work with Alia if it did not have an impact on the film's budget, as he only makes low-budget films.
"I think Alia is one of the best performers in the country, and I always reach out to her after watching her work. But I keep quiet when I don’t like something she’s done. I would love to (work with her) if it doesn’t affect the budget and the dynamics of my film, but it also has to come from the other side," he told Zoom Entertainment.