"I went into deep depression."
Anurag Kashyap recently opened up about a challenging phase in his career that spiralled into a tumultuous period marked by alcoholism and depression.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Kashyap delved into the aftermath of the controversy surrounding the series Tandav and its profound impact on both his professional and personal life.
The controversy originated from objectionable content in Tandav, notably a scene featuring actor Mohd.
Zeeshan Ayyub’s portrayal of Lord Shiva drew significant political criticism aimed at the streaming platform Amazon Prime Video.
Subsequently, Netflix distanced itself from Kashyap’s adaptation of Suketu Mehta’s revered work, Maximum City, ultimately resulting in the shelving of the project.
While there was no explicit communication from Netflix, Kashyap inferred potential reasons, suspecting the content’s provocative nature or its perceived liability to the platform.
Expressing profound disappointment over the setback, Kashyap described Maximum City as his most authentic and significant creation to date.
He invested substantial time and effort into the project, making the shelving of it particularly devastating.
This setback took a toll on Anurag Kashyap’s mental health, leading to excessive alcohol consumption and, shockingly, two heart attacks.
He shared, “Maximum City was where all my energy went. I was heartbroken.
“I totally lost it. After the film got shelved, I went into deep depression and took to drinking alcohol.”
Anurag Kashyap also revealed that he suffered two heart attacks during this period and reflected on the trajectory of OTT (Over-The-Top) platforms.
He expressed disappointment, stating, “Streaming was finally the space I was waiting for.
“The disappointment is it was supposed to be a revolution, but it was not.
“Like social media, it was supposed to empower people, but it became a tool.”
His critique extended beyond personal challenges, lamenting the evolution of OTT platforms and drawing parallels to the disillusionment seen in the trajectory of social media.
Kashyap, a pioneer of the OTT wave with Vikramaditya Motwane through the groundbreaking series Sacred Games, emphasised his initial anticipation of these platforms as revolutionary spaces that ultimately fell short of empowering creators and audiences.
Despite these setbacks, Anurag Kashyap’s resilience and creative legacy remain influential, with his past works like Sacred Games standing as testaments to his visionary storytelling in Indian cinema.
His candid revelations shed light on the challenges faced by creators in an evolving media landscape.
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