Anurag Kashyap on Payal Kapadia’s big win: ‘India didn’t have any moment at Cannes’

In Pic: Anurag Kashyap

Anurag Kashyap has made a bold statement saying India cannot claim the victory of Payal Kapadia's film ‘All We Imagine as Light' as the country doesn't support films like these. Kashyap emphasized the need to address this topic properly. According to him, India has stopped supporting cinema that goes to Cannes.

In an interview with PTI, Kashyap shared, "I get very upset when it's said ‘India@Cannes'. This is a boost… a shot in the arm for a lot of independent filmmakers but their victory is their own. India didn't have any moment at Cannes. None of those films are Indian. We need to address it the way it should be addressed. India has stopped supporting such cinema, the kind of cinema that was at Cannes."

The actor-director further shed light on how Payal's film was not funded by India but by France. "Payal Kapadia's film happened because of the French fund. India did not even give the rebate promised to that film. It still has not been given. Sandhya Suri's film was funded by the UK Film Lottery Fund. Karan Kandhari's film was funded by the UK. Konstantin (Bojanov, who directed "The Shameless")'s film was almost self-financed and a company that funded it. He got no support from India. India just likes to take credit for a lot of things. They do not even support these films to release in cinema in India. Payal Kapadia's last film also won at Cannes. Has it released in India? We have two Oscar-nominated documentaries. Did they release in India? The government does not even have a support system for things that bring a lot of soft power, cultural respect to India. Let's stop this useless celebration," Anurag Kashyap added.

On the work front, Anurag Kashyap will star in Bad Cop as the quirky, charming, and deadly villain. Speaking about his role, Anurag Kashyap had earlier said, "I have created a lot of characters that are gory, quirky, dark, and many more things, but believe it or not, it was difficult for me to portray one. Kazbe is someone who doesn't think too much before doing anything; he just does it. He is a dreadful, eccentric, nefarious, and quintessential villain. I had to delve into the intricacies of this character and make it my own."