The filmmaker hopes to get back to just directing films for the next four years
He is severely jetlagged but still takes time out to type in his response to our report ‘‘Is Anurag Kashyap on a churning spree?’ (January 18, HitList).u00a0
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Currently in Utah, USA as a jury member for the Sundance Film Festival and to present a screening of his last directorial release Gangs of Wasseypur at the gala, Kashyap comes clean on his ideas on cinema, team building and the Hindi film industry…
Compared to other producers, don't you think you're part of too many projects at the same time?
All these projects have been made over a long period of time. I am not a producer per se. I participate in exciting projects and I see myself as a bouncing board, who bridges new talent with the old system. No wonder it consumes a lot of time! Anyway, I have asked my team to let me direct for the next four years in peace.
What do you enjoy more — directing or producing?
I enjoy directing more than anything in this world. And I hate producing! I enjoy seeing others films getting made, watching dreams getting realised. I see the filmmaker's dreams, frustration, anger, confusion, mistakes, heartaches followed by their joy and celebration that comes after so much longing. I see it every day.
And what drives you as a filmmaker?
I just love films and there is so many changes taking place all the time. The new voices are so exciting and they are all around you — the images, the action, the music, there is just so much around.
Do you see yourself directing a lighter movie anytime soon?
Yeah, why not? When a light script like that makes sense to me, I will. By the way, my short film for Bombay Talkies is a ‘light’ one.
A quintessential outsider yourself, you’re launching new faces with no filmi background…
Having done it is a high. But I did it because it needed to be done. We needed to get away from the objectification of everything. The new talent will bring in new ideas, set new boundaries for us to break, and of course, will bring in new money.
Also, you’re a mentor to several people in the industry today…
Yaar, I just wanted Raj Kumar (Gupta)’s Aamir to get made and then Vikram (Motwane)'s Udaan happened. Phir to sab apni apni script le ke aaney lag gaye. Yeh sab kab shuru hua bata sakta hoon but how it went from there, I don’t know. It almost started to threaten my personal life. Now I’ve decided to step back and let others take over.
Bollywood has moved from cities to smaller towns in search of better stories. Your comment?
Good. It was high time our cinema became about us. Like we can clearly see now, there is more India in our films and that’s a great thing.
Tell us about your role at Sundance?
This is my first time here and it’s minus 11 degrees Celsius! Too cold. I’m part of the jury for the World Cinema-Drama section. Baaki dekhte hain kya hota hai aage…u00a0
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