Latest news with #AnuragKashyap
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
13 years of Gangs of Wasseypur: Meet the gangster films that ran so Anurag Kashyap's film could kill
Recalibrating filmmakers' approaches to violence, language, and storytelling grounded in real India, Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) did more than just revolutionise the Indian gangster cinema. Coal mafia politics and generational vengeance were just two of the themes explored in the film, which gave rise to a new genre of crime dramas that were grounded in reality but unabashedly violent. A still from Gangs of Wasseypur Dive into the wild, intense, and genre-bending world of Anurag Kashyap with No Smoking, Raman Raghav 2.0, Mukkabaaz, and Manmarziyaan—now streaming on OTTplay Premium. In honour of the film's 13th anniversary, we take a look back at five seminal Indian crime dramas that were either inspiration for or served as a precursor to 'Gangs of Wasseypur' Gangster films if you like Gangs of Wasseypur Satya Satya chronicled the criminal underworld of Mumbai in the late 1990s, long before Gangs of Wasseypur introduced gang warfare to Dhanbad. The story of a good guy who becomes entangled in the city's criminal syndicate is told in Satya by Anurag Kashyap and written by Saurabh Shukla. Kashyap would refine his style a decade later, but this film laid the groundwork for it with its groundbreaking realism, unemotional depiction of criminals, and terrifying brutality. The iconic cult hero Bhiku Mhatre, played by Manoj Bajpayee, became the archetype of the complex and erratic gangster seen in independent and over-the-top films today. A pioneer of the "Mumbai Noir" subgenre, Satya introduced hauntingly complex anti-heroes with moral ambiguity to Indian audiences. Shiva While Satya depicted a realistic crime drama, Shiva told the backstory of the enraged youth who confronted systemic corruption. Urban violence, the political-criminal nexus, and the rise of the reluctant gangster were exposed to a generation through the film, which was based on a college campus taken over by gang politics. With fluid camerawork, primal action, and a terrifying Ilaiyaraaja music that highlighted the mounting tension, Ram Gopal Varma introduced a new cinematic grammar to Bollywood with his Hindi version of his own Telugu debut. Shiva, with its famous cycle-chain sequence and gloomy protagonist (Nagarjuna), set the standard for stylised anger and defiance in Indian cinema. As a cult classic, Shiva introduced stylised but realistic gangsterism in Indian cinema, which is driven by social deterioration. Company Company focused on the D-Company, which was loosely based on Dawood Ibrahim and his syndicate, while Gangs of Wasseypur dealt with coal mafia families. The film takes a close look at a multinational crime organisation, revealing its inner workings, goals, and conflicts. Company is one of the most accomplished Indian gangster films ever filmed thanks to Ajay Devgn's chilly portrayal as Malik (read: Dawood), Vivek Oberoi's spectacular debut as his protégé Chandu, and Varma's matter-of-fact storytelling. Company was a global gangster film that echoed Satya in spirit while combining grim reality with geopolitical conflict. D-Day D-Day delves into the realm of espionage, but it remains deeply rooted in mobster legend at its heart. An obvious reference to Dawood Ibrahim is Rishi Kapoor's portrayal of Goldman. To rescue him from Pakistan, the film depicts an undercover Indian operation. The emotional storylines, particularly those of Irrfan and Huma Qureshi, mirror the personal cost shown in Gangs of Wasseypur, yet it incorporates thriller elements. Instead of praising gangsterism, the film depicts the devastation it causes. Among political action-thrillers, D-Day stands out for its unusual use of the gangster genre to explore themes of betrayal, loyalty, and moral grey areas. Khalnayak Years before Gangs of Wasseypur introduced us to Faizal Khan as the multi-layered antihero, Khalnayak introduced us to Ballu, a menacing criminal who questioned Bollywood's simplistic morality. Playing the role of bandit Ballu—who gets out of jail and becomes the subject of a nationwide manhunt—Sanjay Dutt was unnerving and somehow sympathetic. While Satya and Shiva were grounded in harsh realism, Khalnayak painted a more nuanced picture of crime, childhood trauma, and society's failure through the medium of mainstream Bollywood, featuring songs like Choli Ke Peeche. It was Ballu's decision to become a villain that defined him. An important facet that Gangs of Wasseypur would develop with even darker tones was the film's blurring of hero and villain lines, which it laid the groundwork for in Indian cinema. They are a filmy family tree that begins in the coal-soaked alleys of Wasseypur and continues into the neon-lit crime world of Mumbai. Their joint work has documented the unfiltered, savage, and raw side of India. Even though it has been 13 years since Gangs of Wasseypur came out, the film still stands tall on the shoulders of these groundbreaking works of Hindi cinema history.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Alappuzha Gymkhana: Bollywood directors keep talking about ‘rooted cinema', but they have no idea what it even means
In recent years, several Bollywood big-shots with varying degrees of wealth and intelligence have said that South Indian movies are performing better than their Hindi counterparts because they're more 'rooted'. The word has become a part of the lexicon, alongside terms such as 'elevation scene' and 'BGM'. Anurag Kashyap has said it; Javed Akhtar has said it; if they'd asked the women, they'd have said it as well. But what does the word 'rooted' even mean? The one movie that perfectly captures all the ingredients that are missing from Hindi cinema these days, the one movie that Bollywood would do well to emulate, is the Malayalam-language sports comedy Alappuzha Gymkhana, which debuted recently on SonyLIV after an excellent theatrical run. It's as rooted as they come. But the definition of this kind of cinema could vary. While Kashyap thinks that 'rooted' cinema refers to stories of the heartland, Akhtar has complained that Hindi filmmakers are losing touch with the language. He forgets that his own children write in English and have their scripts translated. For most Bollywood producers, 'rooted' is merely a code word for a very specific kind of big-budget movie; the chauvinistic and bombastic sort of cinema popularised by the Telugu industry and bastardised by the north. Also read – Chhaava: Vicky Kaushal's worrisome streak hits an all-time low; who'll take responsibility for inciting violence? Were something like Alappuzha Gymkhana pitched in Bollywood, it would be laughed out of the room. It has no major stars, it has neither scale nor stakes, and most surprisingly (for a sports movie), it has no villain. Directed by Khalid Rehman, Alappuzha Gymkhana is a hang-out movie, where the characters dictate which direction the plot should go in, and not the other way around. It follows a group of teenage boys in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, who concoct the kind of plan that only teenagers staring at an uncertain future can. After flunking their class 12 boards, they decide to enrol at the local sports club and become boxers. This way, they figure, they could probably get into a college through the sports quota. At the same time, they could impress all the girls they have crushes on, get away from their nagging parents for several hours a day, and have a new excuse to chill out with each other. Led by Jojo, the boys aren't defending the world; they're defending their pride. Forget delivering 'larger-than-life' action and spectacle, Alappuzha Gymkhana barely leaves its district. It goes against all the rules that Bollywood has convinced itself it must follow in the post-pandemic era. And this isn't the first time that the Malayalam industry has proven that smaller stories have just as much of a chance at the box office than those hyper-masculine revenge epics that Hindi filmmakers have devoted themselves to aping. Speaking of hyper-masculine cinema, there's a scene in Alappuzha Gymkhana in which Jojo invites his buddies for a house party. He takes the girl he's been talking to up to the bedroom, where she throws him off balance by asking what kind of kiss he'd prefer they get things started with. After panicking for a second, he tells her that he's too nervous to make out, and promptly gets dumped. If this was Rocky Bhai, he'd have physically restrained the girl from leaving the room despite her protests. In case you'd forgotten, this is exactly what happens in the first KGF movie. The blockbuster Kannada film has proven to be incredibly influential, paving the way for a new wave of angry cinema in which everybody shouts at each other. Just because their protagonists hail from villages doesn't make stuff like Kantara and Pushpa 'rooted'. Naslen, who plays Jojo in Alappuzha Gymkhana, broke out with the similarly lowkey Premalu last year. But when Bollywood tries to make small scale films these days, they typically end up being inauthentic farces. Even when they're competently made, like the film Laapataa Ladies, they tend to have a condescending gaze. Heck, Hindi filmmakers can't even be bothered to go shoot in real-life locations, because the people making them have no idea what separates one culture from the other. It's some strange form of reverse racism, where the entirety of the 'north' is presented as a place populated by Thar-driving, pakoda-popping loudmouths. The films Jayeshbhai Jordaar and The Great Indian Family — both were headlined by A-list movie stars and produced by YRF — were shot entirely on indistinguishable soundstages. Read more – Chandu Champion: Kabir Khan's hollow biopic can't stop humiliating its own protagonist The thing that really stands out in Alappuzha Gymkhana, besides the cultural specificity, is how tactile it all seems. Although most of the second half is set inside a stadium and filmed with the sort of music video-style flashiness that Rehman displayed in Thallumala a couple of years ago, the first half unfolds on the streets of Alleppey. It gives the movie character; you can see the post-rain dampness on the narrow lanes, and the paint chipping off the walls of old homes. Jojo and his gang feel like real people, experiencing real growing-pains. They aren't invulnerable superheroes bashing up their enemies. In fact, the inciting incident of the film — the moment that pushes Jojo to enrol at the gymkhana — is when one member of the gang gets sucker punched for flirting with another guy's girlfriend. Rahman's Thallumala kicked off on a similar note, when someone stepped on the protagonist's brand-new sneakers. Malayalam cinema seems to have cracked the code. Even when they make a big-budget superhero movie Minnal Murali, it feels intimate. In Alappuzha Gymkhana, Jojo and his friends' inadequacies manifest during the boxing competition that takes up much of the film's second half. It wouldn't be a spoiler to reveal that Jojo doesn't magically become a heavyweight champion at the end. But he scores something far more valuable: a purpose. A road that could've led him towards drunkenness and despair is, hopefully, avoided. Jojo and his buddies could've very easily turned into Pepe and his gang from Angamaly Diaries, but it seems like they'll turn into the Manjummel Boys instead. Hallelujah. Post Credits Scene is a column in which we dissect new releases every week, with particular focus on context, craft, and characters. Because there's always something to fixate about once the dust has settled. Rohan Naahar is an assistant editor at Indian Express online. He covers pop-culture across formats and mediums. He is a 'Rotten Tomatoes-approved' critic and a member of the Film Critics Guild of India. He previously worked with the Hindustan Times, where he wrote hundreds of film and television reviews, produced videos, and interviewed the biggest names in Indian and international cinema. At the Express, he writes a column titled Post Credits Scene, and has hosted a podcast called Movie Police. You can find him on X at @RohanNaahar, and write to him at He is also on LinkedIn and Instagram. ... Read More
India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi set to release this September, fans say moment hai
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is set to return to the big screen with his upcoming intense crime drama 'Nishaanchi', which is slated to hit theatres on September 19, 2025. The film also marks the acting debut of Aaishvary the release date, the makers dropped a striking promo video. "Lights Camera Action. Yeh fillam dekhne ke liye taiyyar ho jao #Nishaanchi, releasing at a theatre near you, September 19 @kumudkmishra @mohdzeeshanayyub @cinemakasam @raiajayg @sylvesterfonseca @artb @singvikram.83 @shruti_kapoor_21 @ohflipfilms (sic)," read the caption. advertisementDescribed as a gripping story filled with love, crime, betrayal, and redemption, 'Nishaanchi' features a strong star cast including Monika Panwar, known for 'Khauf', Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra. Promo video for Anurag Kashyap's 'Nishaanchi'. (Photo Credit: Instagram/amazonmgmstudios) Following the announcement, fans shared their excitement about 'Nishaanchi' on social media. One fan wrote, "Always come with something fresh.. Anurag sir (sic)." Another commented, "Moment hai." A user shared, "Anurag Kashyap hi ek aisa director hai jiski naam par log films dekhte hain. (Anurag Kashyap is the kind of director people watch films for, just because of his name.)" Fans' reactions after the announcement. (Photo Credit: Instagram/amazonmgmstudios) advertisementReacting to the filmmaker's return to gritty storytelling, a fan remarked, "After wandering around here and there making films like choked, almost pyar, dobara. That no one will remember. Finally u r back to ur roots (sic)." Fans reaction after announcement. (Photo Credit: Instagram/amazonmgmstudios) Opening up about the project, Anurag Kashyap said in a statement, 'We wrote 'Nishaanchi' in 2016. Since then, I have been looking to make this film the way it should be, and was looking for a studio who trusted me to do that, whole heartedly. Amazon MGM loved it, believed in it, and became the wall behind us. This is exactly what happened with all my films that people love - they were backed by great producers and great Studios. 'Nishaanchi' is a story full of raw human emotions, love, lust, power, crime and punishment, betrayal, redemption and the consequences of it all."'Nishaanchi' is produced by Ajay Rai and Ranjan Singh under Jar Pictures, in association with Flip Films, and will be distributed by Amazon MGM Watch
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Anurag Kashyap's new film titled Nishaanchi, to release on this date
Anurag Kashyap's new film is titled Nishaanchi, which will be released in theatres on September 19 this year, the makers announced on Monday. Touted as a 'raw and gritty crime drama', the film stars debutant Aaishvary Thackeray, Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra in pivotal roles. As per a press release, 'The film delves into the complex lives of two brothers who walk starkly different paths, uncovering how their choices shape their destinies.' Amazon MGM Studios made the announcement by sharing a short promo which briefly features visuals of the film over a folk song. Speaking about the film, Anurag said, 'We wrote Nishaanchi in 2016. Since then, I have been looking to make this film the way it should be, and was looking for a studio who trusted me to do that, whole heartedly. Amazon MGM loved it, believed in it, and became the wall behind us. This is exactly what happened with all my films that people love - they were backed by great producers and great Studios.' He added that the film is a story of 'raw human emotions, love, lust, power, crime and punishment, betrayal, redemption and the consequences of it all'.
United News of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- United News of India
Anurag Kashyap's intense crime drama 'Nishaanchi' set for Sep 19 premiere
Mumbai, June 17 (UNI) "Nishaanchi", a brooding crime drama directed by Anurag Kashyap, is set to premiere in cinemas on September 19. Kashyap disclosed that the script for the film was written in 2016. Since then, he has been looking to make the film "the way it should be", and was looking for a studio which would trust him to do that. "Amazon MGM loved it, believed in it, and became the wall behind us. This is exactly what happened with all my films that people love – they were backed by great producers and great studios," he said. At the heart of the narrative lie two brothers whose divergent paths expose them to the raw edges of love, betrayal, guilt and survival. 'Nishaanchi' is a story full of raw human emotions, love, lust, power, crime and punishment, betrayal, redemption and the consequences of it all. I have been extremely fortunate to find a bunch of good people and superb actors and my most beautiful crew to tell this story in the best possible way that I would have wanted," said Kashyap. Produced under the banner of Jar Pictures in association with Flip Films, the film is backed by by Ajay Rai and Ranjan Singh. Aishwarya Thackeray has entered the world of acting with the film "Nishaanchi", in which she is accompanied by Vedika Pinto, Monica Panwar, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub and Kumud Mishra in the lead roles. UNI NST SSP
