Kashyap's Bollywood U-Turn: Rebel to Nationalist?

Anurag Kashyap's latest film, 'Bandar', released a few days ago, did not perform well commercially. This has led to an interesting discussion about film reception in the post-COVID era, where predicting audience preferences is challenging. Instead of accepting the film's lack of audience connection, Kashyap attributed its failure to receiving fewer screens than an American film titled 'Obsession'.

This explanation shifted the discourse towards a 'our cinema' versus 'their cinema' argument, with Kashyap questioning the prioritization of foreign films. However, this perspective is notably different from his years of critiquing Bollywood for its creative bankruptcy and profit obsession. Critics find it ironic that the industry he once distanced himself from is now being defended by him.

The article argues against the idea of audiences choosing films out of national duty or exhibitors allocating screens based on geography over demand. It posits that cinema is a market, and theatres respond to consumer behavior. If audiences favor one film over another, it reflects their choices, not a cultural betrayal by exhibitors.

Kashyap's frustration is understandable, as all filmmakers desire audience connection. However, reframing audience rejection as a moral argument is questioned. The piece highlights that audiences did not boycott 'Bandar' but simply chose other films. The author points out the irony of Kashyap, who once questioned entitlement, now seeking preference for his film based on its origin, calling it a 'bandar' (monkey) argument.