Anurag Kashyap calls Hindi filmmakers “Dumb” for ignoring core audience; REVEALS Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukkabaaz weren’t released in North India

January 2, 2025 - 2:40 PM IST

Anurag Kashyap has shared his perspective on why South Indian films have captured a significant share of the North Indian market. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Kashyap highlighted how Bollywood’s neglect of its core audience has allowed South cinema to thrive, even with dubbed films.

Anurag Kashyap calls Hindi filmmakers “Dumb” for ignoring core audience; REVEALS Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukkabaaz weren’t released in North India

Anurag Kashyap Recalls Missed Opportunities in Distribution

Kashyap recounted instances from his own career to illustrate Bollywood’s missteps. He revealed that his critically acclaimed films, Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukkabaaz, were not properly distributed in North India due to a flawed strategy by the production house.

“Our audience was ignored collectively. For example, during Covid, I found out that my two films – Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukkabaaz – which now have a very core audience in North India, weren’t released in North India. I found out, during a distribution meeting, that my North Indian films weren’t released across North India because the studio decided that my core audience is in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Hyderabad and that’s it. That’s how dumb they are,” said Kashyap.

He further shared an anecdote about a theatre owner in Bihar who had pleaded with the production house to release the film in his region. However, the request was denied due to the additional costs of making a Digital Cinema Package (DCP).

Anurag Kashyap Shares Thoughts on The Rise of South Cinema

Kashyap explained how South Indian filmmakers have successfully tapped into the Hindi-speaking audience, a segment Bollywood has largely overlooked. He cited the example of the YouTube channel Goldmines, which gained popularity by dubbing South films in Hindi and distributing them widely.

“We make Hindi films but we have ignored the Hindi film audience, and the advantage was taken by this man who created the YouTube channel Goldmines where he started picking films from South at cheap rates, dubbed them and started catering to that Hindi audience. And that audience got built so much that, Pushpa 2’s trailer was released in Patna,” Kashyap noted.

The filmmaker also highlighted how the preferences of the North Indian audience have shifted. Traditionally loyal to Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan, this audience now admires South Indian stars, thanks to the increased accessibility of their films.

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