Anurag Kashyap On Not Working With Established Actors Like Aamir Khan And Ranbir Kapoor: ‘They Want Safe, Blockbuster Roles’

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap recently shared some hard truths in an honest interview with The Juggernaut. He spoke about his creative challenges, his falling out with Netflix, and why he prefers working with new actors instead of big Bollywood stars.

Here’s What Anurag Kashyap Said

Anurag said he chooses newcomers because they are passionate and willing to give their all. He explained, “For me, it’s not about launching someone. It’s about working with committed actors. Established stars often want safe, blockbuster roles. But I want people who’ll give everything to a role, whether it takes three months or a year.”

He added, “Stars like Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, when they commit, they commit. But most mainstream actors are juggling too many projects.”

Filmmaker On Netflix Ghosting Him After 900 Pages Of Work

Kashyap opened up about his experience with Netflix and how they dropped his project without any explanation. He had been working on an adaptation of Maximum City by Suketu Mehta and even wrote the full script by hand.

He said, “I handwrote 900 pages for that project, more than the book itself. Netflix ghosted me without a single email or explanation. They didn’t even have the courage to tell me it was shelved. To this day, they don’t understand why I’m angry.”

He also shared his frustration with the platform’s India strategy. “They don’t understand India. They believe whatever the India office tells them, which is often misguided. All the good shows they have - Trial by Fire, Kota Factory - were acquired, not produced by them.”

According to Kashyap, Netflix relies too much on algorithms and repeats old TV formulas. He added, Indian audiences are smarter. They’re watching Korean dramas instead of local content.”

Anurag Kashyap On His Acting Career

While Anurag has been appearing more on screen lately, he made it clear that directing remains his main focus. He shared, “Acting is fun but not as engaging as filmmaking.”

He even shared a tough moment from shooting Maharaja. “I tore my shoulder while shooting the climax and did the rest of the scene with one arm.”

Kashyap was recently involved in Stolen, directed by first-time filmmaker Karan Tejpal. His film, Kennedy, is still awaiting an official release date in India.