- Anurag Kashyap said compromises in Bollywood start with one initial agreement that is hard to reverse
- He compared Bollywood's situation to opening a door that becomes increasingly difficult to close
- Kashyap stated industry people feel embarrassed about compromises but feel unable to change the situation
Anurag Kashyap has never shied away from speaking his mind. The filmmaker has often been vocal about the pressures within the Hindi film industry and how Bollywood can bend when faced with those in positions of power.
In a recent conversation, he opened up about how people can find themselves trapped after making compromises with those in power, particularly when those decisions come with significant benefits.
Speaking to Janice Sequeira, he compared Bollywood with South film industries and explained why he believes regional cinema is less vulnerable to similar pressures.
Anurag Kashyap On Why Bollywood ‘Bends'
Anurag Kashyap does not necessarily believe people in the film industry make such choices willingly. According to him, the problem begins when someone agrees once and later finds it difficult to reverse that decision.
“I don't think anybody's doing it willingly. Given in, then you are given in forever,” he said.
The filmmaker compared the situation to opening a door that becomes increasingly difficult to close. “Once you've said yes for a bunch of things, then you can't shut it because that one yes also comes with huge amounts of benefits. And once you've taken those benefits, you can't shut the door,” he added.
Anurag Kashyap also said people within the industry are aware of the compromises they make. He claimed that they may feel embarrassed or ashamed about the situation but still can't do anything about it.
“They're aware, they're woken up, they also feel embarrassed, they also sometimes feel ashamed. They also can't do anything about it,” he said.
Why Does Anurag Kashyap Think South Film Industries Are Different?
Anurag Kashyap also explained why he believes southern film industries are less susceptible to such pressures. He pointed to the strong regional identity and culture within these industries.
“Other industries are very regionally strong, but they have a culture which is very strong, which can't be divided on the same lines,” he said.
According to the filmmaker, dependence on the Hindi-speaking market is another factor. He argued that those seeking to expand their reach among Hindi audiences may be more likely to compromise, while southern industries are not as dependent on the Hindi market.
“South doesn't get compromised because they don't depend on Hindi,” he said.