‘Every good film should be a commercial film’

Amid the constant debate between commercial and non-commercial cinema, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap (above) says that he hopes that every good film will be considered a commercial film. “I’m hoping that every good film is a commercial film... Every good film should be a commercial film. And if the film goes out and people engage in it and it earns money, then it is a commercial film,” he says.

“The first mistake we make is that without even watching the film we tag it as ‘parallel’. Dibakar Banerjee’s upcoming film is not parallel cinema, it is that strong, impactful and good cinema which we’re watching and our audience is going to watch it. And it is that kind of film that I can’t remember how many times I watched it, and get immersed in it every time I watch it.”

Kashyap has supported commercial films such as Ranbir Kapoor-Anushka Sharma-starrer Bombay Velvet which he directed, and Alia Bhatt-Shahid Kapoor’s upcoming film, but had also recently supported non-commercial film Masaan through his production house along with other filmmakers.

The film bagged two awards at the Cannes Film Festival and was critically appreciated in India. Previously, he has also produced smaller films such as Udaan (2010) and Shahid (2013) which have also done well critically and commercially.

About the favourable phase for such cinema, he said: “This has been building up since so many years, and the phase is so good that in every 1-2 months such films are coming out.”

The first mistake we make is that without even watching the film we tag it as ‘parallel’ Anurag Kashyap, filmmaker

PHOTO : AMLAN DUTTA/ HT