Anubhav Sinha says he wants to make horror films despite being scared of the genre
Anubhav Sinha said that he still chooses films on his own terms and wants to make a horror film next time. His comments highlighted both his creative freedom and his fascination with a genre that still haunts him.
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has made a career out of telling stories on his own terms and he says that approach remains unchanged. In an exclusive chat, the director talks about creative freedom, the genres he wants to explore, and why he hopes to make a horror film – even if he finds the genre scary.
Speaking to India Today, Sinha clarified that external pressures never dictated his choice. He said, “Even today I don’t care about it. I make the films I want to make. I am not available for hire as a director. You can offer me a story to which I can subscribe and then I will do it. But I am not a director for hire. I will do whatever I have to do.”
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The director also rejected the idea that anything was stopping him from exploring different types of cinema, saying that time was his only real limitation. “It takes time because I also write. On an average, I make two to three films every three years,” he said.
Horror ranks high among the genres he hopes to tackle next – despite his own fear of such films. Sinha said with a laugh, “I want to make a horror film. I can’t watch horror films, but I want to make one. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horror film with full sound. I just mute it.”
Recalling his experience as a viewer, he admitted that horror comedies could also make him uneasy. “I am one of those who gets scared after seeing Woman. It was supposed to be a fun movie, but even that scares me. I’m such a coward,” he said.
He also recalled seeing Stanley Kubrick for the first time Shining. “I remember the first time I saw ShiningI watched the climax on mute. It wasn’t until much later – quite recently, about a year ago – that I saw it in its entirety,” he revealed.
Despite that fear, Sinha said that the genre continues to appeal to him as a storyteller. “That’s why I want to make a horror film. I think it’s a very fascinating genre, a very fascinating form of storytelling.”
Beyond horror, the filmmaker said he is often drawn to a variety of cinematic genres. He said, “From time to time, the idea of doing a stylish action film, or a musical, or a love story comes to my mind.”
As for what’s next, Sinha admitted that this is the first time in quite some time that he doesn’t have any next project lined up before its release. “This is the first time. Usually, before a film releases, I know about my next film. But this time I was traveling in North India since September and did not get time. But the good news is that I write very fast. If I feel strongly about a film, I can write it in three days.”
Anubhav Sinha’s film, AsiStarring Taapsee Pannu, now streaming on ZEE5.