Anurag Kashyap criticises India’s claim on Payal Kapadia’s Cannes win
Celebrated Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has criticised India's tendency to claim credit for individual achievements on the international stage, specifically highlighting Payal Kapadia's recent win at Cannes 2024. Kashyap, known for his unfiltered opinions, expressed his discontent with the narrative that frames such successes as collective national triumphs without acknowledging the lack of support from the country.
During his interview with PTI, Kashyap said, "I get very upset when it's said 'India@Cannes'. This is a boost… a shot in the arm for a lot of independent filmmakers but their victory is their own. India didn't have any moment at Cannes, not a single of those films are Indian. We need to address it the way it should be addressed. India has stopped supporting such cinema, the kind of cinema that was at Cannes."
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Kashyap pointed out the specific case of Payal Kapadia, whose film "All We Imagine as Light" was backed by French funding rather than Indian support. "Payal Kapadia's film happened because of the French fund. India did not even give the rebate promised to that film. Still, it has not been given," he stated.
He highlighted that other filmmakers such as Sandhya Suri and Karan Kandhari also relied on foreign funding, with no financial assistance from India. He added that Konstantin Bojanov's film "The Shameless" was nearly self-financed, receiving no help from Indian sources.
"India just likes to take credit for a lot of things. They do not even support these films to release in cinemas in India. Payal Kapadia's last film also won at Cannes. Has it been released in India? We have two Oscar-nominated documentaries. Did they release in India?" Kashyap questioned, emphasising the lack of a supportive ecosystem for films that bring international recognition to India.
He urged for a change in the narrative, saying, "Let's stop this useless celebration."
Kashyap's career is a witness to his struggles with the Indian film industry's support system. His directorial debut, "Paanch", never saw a release, while his second film, "Black Friday", faced significant delays due to its controversial subject matter. Despite these challenges, Kashyap rose to prominence with critically acclaimed films like "Dev D", "Gulaal", "Gangs of Wasseypur", "Mukkabaaz", and the web-series "Sacred Games".
Currently, Kashyap is set to appear as the antagonist in the Vijay Sethupathi starrer "Maharaja", and his upcoming neo-noir thriller "Kennedy" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2023, marking yet another significant moment in his illustrious career.
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