When Anurag Kashyap surprised the censor board with a film without any violence or abuse
Anurag Kashyap shared that when he took his film to the Censor Board, the officials were surprised that it did not contain violence or abusive language, which changed his long-held views on censorship. The filmmaker said he now considers the issue systemic and believes filmmakers should come together to bring about reforms.
Filmmaker and actor Anurag Kashyap, known for his outspoken views on creative freedom, has admitted that his stance on censorship in India has changed over the years. Recently, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ director shared that a personal encounter with the censor board made him look at things differently.
talking with Komal Nahta On his podcast, the filmmaker said, “My views have changed a lot about censorshipAnurag explained that when he took one of his films to the board, their perception changed. “When I took my own film to the censor board, I realized that the people there were not the problem. They were polite and respectful. They were also surprised that my film did not contain violence or abusive language. They laughed and asked me, ‘Sir, why do you keep fighting about compromises and profits?'”
The filmmaker said that the officers were open and honest about their limitations. “He said lovingly, ‘We’re just following the rules and guidelines given to us. If you want change, you filmmakers need to come together and try for it.'”
Kashyap said that this interaction changed the way he looked at censorship – not as a fight against individuals, but as a larger system that needs reform. He believes that lasting change can only come when filmmakers unite to demand better creative freedom.
Although he did not reveal the name of the film he was referring to, Anurag’s latest directorial venture ‘Nishanchi’, a crime drama starring Aishwarya Thackeray, Vedika Pinto and Monica Panwar, released on September 19.