Why is Anurag Kashyap leaving Bollywood? Filmmaker calls the Hindi film industry ‘toxic’

Anurag Kashyap has never concealed his disdain for the Bollywood film industry. The filmmaker, who made his big debut with the industry in the late 90s, has finally decided to act on his words by distancing himself from Bollywood.

In a recent interview, Kashyap confirmed that he has “left Mumbai”. “I want to stay away from film people. The industry has become too toxic. Everyone is chasing unrealistic targets, trying to make the next ₹500 and ₹800 crore film. The creative atmosphere is gone,” he shared with The Hindu. Though he did not disclose his new location, a source told the publication that it is in Bangaluru.

Kashyap has often voiced his dissatisfaction with the Bollywood film industry. In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he expressed being “disappointed” and “disgusted” with the “God-like egos” of Bollywood actors. After the release of Sukumar's box office-dominating 2024 Telugu film Pushpa 2: The Rule, he stated that Bollywood could never make a film like that.

Currently, the 52-year-old actor is promoting the Hindi-dubbed version of the 2024 Malayalam film Footage, starring Manju Warrier and Vishak Nair, hitting theatres on March 7.

“The Hema Committee report had come out around the time of Footage’s release. The 2024 Wayanad landslides had also happened. With everything going on in the Malayalam film industry, we decided to hold off for the right time,” the Gangs of Wasseypur director said, explaining the late release.

Kashyap’s recent production, Vaghachipani (Tiger’s Pond), directed by Natesh Hedge, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival last month, making history by being the first Kannada film to do so.