What Anurag Kashyap Said About Backlash Over Excessive Violence In Maharaja

Maharaja, the action thriller headlined by Vijay Sethupathi, features Anurag Kashyap in a menacing role as the main villain. The film, available on Netflix, has drawn praise for the quality of acting and the plot. It has also drawn some criticism for the brutal display of violence. In an interview with The Hindu, Anurag Kashyap has reacted to the debate and also talked about another recent film that has faced flak for its portrayal of violence – Kill. “My latest Tamil flick, like Kill, has drawn a lot of criticism for its violent scenes, but that’s okay because some films will trigger something. I believe violence should look so real and extreme that it actually stops you from doing it,” Anurag said.

Anurag Kashyap, who is set for his Malayalam debut with Ashique Abu’s Rifle Club, also talked about his love for regional films. He opened out how impressed he was with the storytelling in Malayalam films.  People here tell original stories that are unique to each individual. The filmmakers are catering to themselves rather than the market. A movie like Bhramayugam will never be made in black and white in any other industry. It shows that they’re making the films they truly want to make,” Anurag said.

The ace filmmaker said that a lot of regional movies are going beyond the boundaries in an organic way.  “Even the commercial films are genuinely entertaining. In a movie like Avesham, they did not hesitate to cast three influencers in key roles,” Anurag Kashyap said.

Directed and written by Nithilan Saminathan, Maharaja revolves around a barber seeking vengeance after his home is targeted by burglars. On a cryptic note, he tells the police that his “lakshmi” is missing and begins a quest to recover the elusive “lakshmi”.  

Apart from Maharaja, Anurag Kashyap was also seen acting in Disney+ Hotstar’s Bad Cop. The eight-episode crime thriller is directed by Aditya Datt and written by Rensil D’Silva and Rehan Khan. Gulshan Devaiah and Harleen Sethi are also part of the cast.