Why did Boney Kapoor once offer to buy a flat in Mumbai for Anurag Kashyap? 'Point to any building...'

Today, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is popular for his cult hits like Gangs of Wasseypur and Black Friday, but long before his recognition in Indian cinema, he had faced many struggles in his career. Now, Anurag has opened up about many lesser-known phases of his life, including an unexpected gesture from producer Boney Kapoor.

In a conversation with Komal Nahta on the YouTube show Game Changers, the 53-year-old filmmaker and actor revealed that Boney Kapoor was so impressed by his work that he once made him an extraordinary offer.

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"Boney Kapoor once told me, 'Why don’t you make a film? Just point to any building from Bandra to Juhu, and I will buy you a flat there,'" Anurag recalled. Laughing at the memory, he added, “I thought, if he’s offering me a flat before my film’s release, maybe after it comes out, I’ll get a bungalow!”

Anurag Kashyap on Paanch

Anurag also talked about his directorial debut, Paanch (2003), a movie reportedly inspired by the 1976-77 Joshi-Abhyankar serial murders in Pune. The film did not see a theatrical release due to censorship issues from the CBFC for its violence, language, and depiction of drug use, but was successful in gaining cult status online.

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"I still believe that if Paanch had been released, I would have been a different person. I made Paanch with newcomers to prove that all you need is a story and storytelling, not stars. Even after Black Friday and Wasseypur, I couldn’t prove that point. Eventually, I stopped trying and started detaching," Kashyap shared.

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Anurag Kashyap's journey

Anurag's turning point in his career was Ram Gopal Varma’s Satya (1998) which he co-wrote along with Saurabh Shukla. Though the project was appreciated by many, the road ahead wasn't easy. From multiple scripts being shelved to films stalled mid-production, Kashyap had to deal with several challenges.

The filmmaker also talked about how the film industry once stood united, but now things have changed. "The last time I saw true unity was during Udta Punjab," he said, recalling how several filmmakers came together to fight censorship demands. "After the pandemic, something changed. Everyone is busy proving who’s bigger."

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Anurag Kashyap's latest release

Anurag last directed Nishaanchi starring Aaishvary Thackeray, Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. The film was released on September 19, and the story revolves around crime, betrayal, and redemption in early-2000s India. However, it did not work well at the box office, collecting around ₹0.25 crore on opening day and a total of roughly ₹1.3-1.4 crore in its first 12 days.