Well known film director, writer, editor, producer Anurag Kashyap is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. For his contributions to film, the Government of France awarded him the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2013. Here’s our guide to some of his greatest works and lesser known facts about him
He came from Varanasi to Mumbai to pursue his career in the Film Industry, with only Rs. 5000 in his pocket. Soon after the money ran out he had to spend his time on the streets
The Lunchbox is a film produced by Anurag Kashyap, The film was screened at International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and later won the Critics Week Viewer’s Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d'Or.
His debut movie was 'Black Friday' starring Kay Menon in the lead role, but its release got delayed because of the Censor Board. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival.
Anurag Kashyap is famous giving us cinema that defies norms and conventions. He also founded his film production called ‘Anurag Kashyap Pvt. Ltd.’
'Bombay Velvet' was Kashyap's dream project and its failure was a huge disappointment to him. In an interview with critic Rajeev Masand, Kashyap stated that at one point he wanted to leave India because he felt that people here did not understand his films
The following year, Kashyap collaborated again with Ekta Kapoor to produce 'Udta Punjab' (2016), a crime drama, that documents the substance abuse in the Indian state of Punjab. Udta Punjab generated controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification demanded extensive censorship before its theatrical release, citing that the portrayal of Punjab in it was negative.
His company Phantom Films, dissolved in 2018 in response to a sexual assault complaint filed by a former employee against co-founder and filmmaker Vikas Bahl.
He prefers shooting on real locations by employing guerrilla-filmmaking techniques with hidden cameras, he often encourages his actors to improvise their dialogues on set.
He co-directed India's first Netflix Original series, the crime-thriller 'Sacred Games'. It is the only Indian series to be featrured and discussed on The New York Times.
Kashyap's work inspired British director Danny Boyle, who has cited 'Black Friday' and 'Satya' as the inspirations for his Academy Award-winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire' (2008). Boyle stated that a chase in one of the opening scenes of Slumdog Millionaire, was based on a ‘12-minute police chase through the crowded Dharavi slum’ in 'Black Friday'.
