Whenever I talk about directors who significantly changed the traditional Hindi cinema, Anurag Kashyap’s name always comes up. He isn’t a typical Bollywood director like others who focuses only on big stars, grand sets, and commercially successful formulas. Instead, he focuses more on the script of the story, the characters, and the reality of the world he is trying to show us. His movies often feel raw, real, and sometimes even uncomfortable. But that is what exactly makes them powerful.
Take for example the films like Dev.D, Gangs of Wasseypur, and No Smoking, which have been designated as cult classics. When we watch them for the first time, we might feel confused or think that they are entirely different from what they usually expect. They usually don’t follow the usual hero against villain structure. The characters have multiple flaws in them. The endings aren’t always satisfying and predictable. But slowly, when we think about them later or watch them again, the deeper meaning which it carries with itself starts to unfold. No Smoking, for example, is not just about a man who is trying his best to quit his habit of smoking, it also talks about control, ego, and freedom in a very symbolic way and in a manner that many might not understand for the very first time.
Among all his films, Gulaal stands out as one of his most impactful works and my personal favourite. It is based on student politics and deeply rooted in the Rajasthani elite and great Rajputana class/society and power struggles in a local university setting, but it goes much deeper than that. The film also talks about identity, caste, nationalism, and how easily young minds can be influenced by strong and great political ideas. Even in today’s time, the themes of Gulaal feel relevant. It clearly manages to show how ambition and ideology can sometimes destroy personal relationships and the morality of an individual. Even the music and dialogues of the film add even more depth, making it memorable and nostalgic even after years of its release.
Another important thing about Anurag Kashyap is his way of making films. How he makes films. He prefers real locations instead of big and jam-packed studio sets. He often tends to work with new or lesser known actors. The dialogues sound more natural, sometimes rough also, just like how the common people actually speak. This makes his films feel real, genuine, authentic and grounded.
Anurag Kashyap’s movies may not always be easy to understand at first, but that is what makes them special and different from others. His films grow on us. They stay in your mind for a long time and make you think about them every now and then. Instead of giving easy entertainment like others do, he gives the audience stories that challenge the audience. And while doing so, he in true sense has truly changed the way in which modern Hindi cinema is made and understood.