It was only a matter of time before someone cast Anurag Kashyap and Gulshan Devaiah together in a raunchy crime thriller. Kashyap, the acclaimed director of films such as gangs of wasseypur And uglyhas carved out a lucrative second career playing agents of corruption and crooks. And Devaiah, who began his career under Kashyap’s tutelage, has thrived on streaming, as the successes of both have brought them together. Duranga And roar — plus a bizarre cameo guns and roses – Has shown.
In Bad CopPremiering on Disney+ Hotstar on June 21 and adapted from a German television series by RTL, Devaiah and Kashyap go head to head in a tale of cops, criminals, crazy twists and some slo-mo-assisted gun fu. The series is directed by Aditya Datt (Commando 3) and is the first novel presented by Freemantle India.
We asked Kashyap, who plays the villain in the Tamil film opposite Vijay Sethupathi KingThat’s what attracts him to these roles. It’s a stereotype he likes, as opposed to someone like Rick Dalton, the fading movie star played by Leonardo DiCaprio Once Upon a Time in Hollywood…,
“I love dying. I tell my directors to give me incredible death scenes,” Kashyap smiles.Laughs).” He said his favorite death scene is when Quentin Tarantino explodes at the end of his movie. Django Unchained (2012). “My biggest fantasy is that, at the end of my life, I will get Amit Trivedi or AR Rahman to write a song and put together all my death scenes.”
“But why are you talking about the death scenes?” Devaiah, dressed in a light pink suit, interrupts. “What has that got to do with this? Bad Cop,
“No, I mean I don’t have any problem playing a bad character,” Kashyap explains.
“In the hope that you get a chance to die in that story…” Gulshan said jokingly.
Anurag Kashyap in a scene from ‘Bad Cop’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Their friendship is a delight to watch, as Kashyap (along with Kalki Koechlin) wrote one of the funniest characters in Gulshan’s filmography. the girl with the yellow shoes (2010), the actor comes across as a Kannada-accented gangster who breaks down in a massage parlour while he gets some help. “The script said I would break down,” recalls Gulshan. “But I was left to improvise its exact intensity or timing. Anurag gives his actors that freedom. Looking back, I think that scene was a bit too pampering.”
the bigger picture
it’s all fun and games Bad Cop Junket Other issues loom larger, though. Kashyap in a recent interview railed against India’s tendency to “take credit” for the achievements of independent filmmakers. The surge of national pride that followed Payal Kapadia and Anasuya Sengupta winning top honours at the Cannes Film Festival last month was tempered by the fact – raised earlier by Resul Pookutty – that their films were international co-productions, and far from the mainstream.
“Any artistic endeavour that is risky and challenging will need support,” says Kashyap. “There was a time when the strongest cinema in this country came out of the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Even in recent decades, films like Lunchbox (2012) and My Own the girl with the yellow shoes (2010) couldn’t have been made without their help. But I don’t know how much they do now.”
He says he has not attended the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa as well as Film Bazaar, the official film market organised by the NFDC, for many years. “I know a lot of subsidies and discounts have been announced. One of my films went to a festival. A fund (Film Promotion Fund, in 2016) was announced to provide financial support to films selected for festivals. But I did not get any support and neither did any of our films. There are many announcements, but nothing happens (Announcements are made, but nothing comes out of it).”
As many have pointed out, there is also the threat of preferential treatment of filmmakers based on their political views and affiliations. In recent times, films with ideologies linked to the ruling dispensation have been given tax-free status in several states. Kashyap has also faced confrontations with the ruling establishment. Two of his films in 2018-2019, boxer And bull’s eyeHe was denied shooting incentives under the Uttar Pradesh government’s film scheme. “My producer suffered losses because of me…because I talk a lot,” he says.
Anurag Kashyap in a scene from the film ‘Maharaja’ | Photo Credit: @jungleemusictamil/Youtube
The streaming space doesn’t seem free or open any more. Kashyap believes that a hard-hitting, socio-politically engaged series Sacred Games — which he co-directed with Vikramaditya Motwane and Neeraj Ghaywan — cannot be made in the current climate. Sacred Games This happened because it got the green signal from America and not from India. My show Maximum City Cancelled on Netflix. Dibakar Banerjee’s film (Tees) is stuck. Whoever is currently in a position to make decisions, their choices are determined by a lot of external factors. It’s not like they have any personal problems.”
Has the recent Lok Sabha election results given him hope for a freer artistic environment? Kashyap says, “I don’t think so. I will continue making films in whatever environment I am in. Where do the best films in the world come from? Iran, China, Russia? In those countries, the repression is at another level, yet that is what makes you creative. The best literature, the best art always emerges from the lack of complete freedom. Yes, as an artist one does feel restricted. At the same time, it is my responsibility to find ways to tell my story.”
Villains Inc.
Coming back to his acting work, Anurag says that his character in the film Bad CopGangster Kazbe is completely different from the character he plays KingHer third Tamil film Imaikka Nodigal and a cameo Leo,
Anurag Kashyap in a scene from the film ‘Maharaja’ | Photo Credit: @jungleemusictamil/Youtube
“Kazbe is a more performative criminal while my role King It’s quite realistic. Director Nithilan Swaminathan has made a great film. It’s like a South Korean revenge film made in India.” Kashyap has a long-standing relationship with Vijay Sethupathi and respects the actor a lot. “We worked together Imaikka NodigalI was the first person to cast him men don’t feel pain (2018), but ultimately it didn’t work out.”
Kashyap is also making his acting debut in Malayalam with Aashiq Abu’s upcoming film. Rifle ClubThe film also stars Dileesh Pothan and Soubin Shahir. Another Tamil film, one 2 oneis on the cards with Sundar C.
“I really enjoy working in southern cinema,” says Kashyap. “There are no vanity vans on Malayalam film sets, for example, no unnecessary expense or showbiz (Show). Everyone is passionate about making great cinema. Unlike Bollywood, where we don’t make films but ‘projects’.”
