There are few filmmakers in India as unapologetically honest as Anurag Kashyap. Known for his raw storytelling and unconventional cinema, Anurag Kashyap has often walked the fine line between brilliance and backlash.
But even for a director as daring as him, his 2015 period drama Bombay Velvet proved to be a turning point that left emotional and professional scars.
Reflecting on that time, Anurag Kashyap called the post-production phase of Bombay Velvet “the worst experience” of his life. He admitted that the film’s failure had a lasting impact on him, saying that it became a personal trauma because he couldn’t truly take ownership of it. He explained that while shooting the film was creatively fulfilling, the aftermath was overwhelming. For the first time, he faced a wave of negativity that shook his confidence.
The ambitious film, based on historian Gyan Prakash’s Mumbai Fables, was made on a massive budget of around ₹90 crore but managed to earn only ₹43 crore globally. Released with high expectations, it failed to connect with audiences or critics, leaving Anurag Kashyap disheartened.
In hindsight, the director said that the experience changed his relationship with filmmaking. After Bombay Velvet, he decided to scale down his work dramatically. He shared that he asked a production house how much they would trust him with if he did not reveal his script or cast and they offered him ₹3.5 crore. Having gone from ₹90 crore to ₹3.5 crore, Anurag Kashyap said he made that choice deliberately to avoid getting trapped by the pressure of big budgets.
He also reflected on how the industry’s obsession with commercial success can corner even seasoned filmmakers. He said that many directors end up spending their careers trying to prove they can make a “big hit” after a major flop. He himself decided not to fall into that trap and instead return to making intimate, honest stories.
Anurag Kashyap also spoke about the crucial role of producers in a director’s journey. He said that while a director might steer the vision, a producer’s stability and trust are what hold a film together. He described a good producer as the “mother of the film”, someone whose confidence allows the creative process to flourish. When that trust wavers, he said, the director feels it immediately.
When asked for an example of when that support faltered, Anurag Kashyap pointed to Bombay Velvet. He revealed that everyone involved had become nervous about the film’s length and cost. The team insisted on cutting significant portions, including childhood scenes of the lead characters, to make it shorter and more “commercial”. Anurag Kashyap admitted that he gave in to that pressure but regretted it later. He believed that keeping those 25 minutes might have made the film stronger, even if it would not turn into a blockbuster.
Released in May 2015, Bombay Velvet, co-produced by Anurag Kashyap was a visually ambitious project that recreated 1960s Bombay through grand sets and detailed storytelling. Despite an impressive cast that included Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar in his acting debut, the film was declared a major box office failure.
Looking back now, Anurag Kashyap says the experience taught him to stay grounded and focus on what he loves the most, telling stories that are true to his voice, no matter how big or small the budget. In failure, he found not defeat but the courage to start again on his own terms.
