'Bangalore Days'&nbsp;director Anjali Menon says whenever she tries to do something different in a film, there are people who question her but a director's gender does not matter if the final product is accepted.&nbsp; 
 
Anjali made her feature film debut in 2012 with 'Manjadikuru'&nbsp;and followed it up with the massively successful 'Bangalore Days'&nbsp;in 2014. 
&nbsp; 
When asked if a woman's inputs are often not taken seriously since the industry is run by men, Anjali told an agency, "That happens across the board until the box office rings. If you win the box office, there's no gender. In every film, when I try to do different things people wonder but why?'' 
 
"Earlier, they used to voice it, now they don't do it as much. Every time I do something different, I can see it on their faces. Until finally the results prove it right," she said.&nbsp; 
 
The director was speaking on the sidelines of JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star.&nbsp; 
 
Anjali said it is important to have allies, like a producer and a core team who absolutely believe in a director.&nbsp; 
 
"It's difficult to come by until you grow that network. If I was a guy with a beard and a hat, it would be so much easier in so many different ways. But I am lucky to not have a beard and a hat.'' 
 
"I'm privileged to be a woman and I want that to show in my work as well. It's time we stop defining someone's work through their gender. It needs to show up in the work," she added.&nbsp; 
 
At the festival, the filmmaker is a part of the jury for Oxfam award, where the theme for this year's honour is 'Cinema Beyond Stereotypes.' 
 
Anjali says stereotypes can be used as a means to access people but one should use them smartly to make a larger point and not play to the gallery.&nbsp; 
 
"If I'm told you have to have a male protagonist and then you'll get this kind of budget, then how am I going to bring my sensibility to the table? My film 'Bangalore Days' was a result of that. Even within that, you can jump into the tropes and spin them and subvert the stereotypes,'' she said. 
 
"I love stereotypes. They are the easiest way to access an audience, get into their skin. But you should not leave them as they are. You have to get in there and spin it," she added.&nbsp; 
 
The films in the reckoning for this year's Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award are dramas in various Indian languages, that make compelling social commentary on the current times.

'Bangalore Days' director Anjali Menon says whenever she tries to do something different in a film, there are people who question her but a director's gender does not matter if the final product is accepted.

'Bangalore Days' director Anjali Menon says whenever she tries to do something different in a film, there are people who question her but a director's gender does not matter if the final product is accepted. Anjali made her feature film debut in 2012 with 'Manjadikuru' and followed it up with the massively successful 'Bangalore Days' in 2014. When asked if a woman's inputs are often not taken seriously since the industry is run by men, Anjali told an agency, "That happens across the board until the box office rings. If you win the box office, there's no gender. In every film, when I try to do different things people wonder but why?'' "Earlier, they used to voice it, now they don't do it as much. Every time I do something different, I can see it on their faces. Until finally the results prove it right," she said. The director was speaking on the sidelines of JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star. Anjali said it is important to have allies, like a producer and a core team who absolutely believe in a director. "It's difficult to come by until you grow that network. If I was a guy with a beard and a hat, it would be so much easier in so many different ways. But I am lucky to not have a beard and a hat.'' "I'm privileged to be a woman and I want that to show in my work as well. It's time we stop defining someone's work through their gender. It needs to show up in the work," she added. At the festival, the filmmaker is a part of the jury for Oxfam award, where the theme for this year's honour is 'Cinema Beyond Stereotypes.' Anjali says stereotypes can be used as a means to access people but one should use them smartly to make a larger point and not play to the gallery. "If I'm told you have to have a male protagonist and then you'll get this kind of budget, then how am I going to bring my sensibility to the table? My film 'Bangalore Days' was a result of that. Even within that, you can jump into the tropes and spin them and subvert the stereotypes,'' she said. "I love stereotypes. They are the easiest way to access an audience, get into their skin. But you should not leave them as they are. You have to get in there and spin it," she added. The films in the reckoning for this year's Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award are dramas in various Indian languages, that make compelling social commentary on the current times.

If you win the box office, there's no gender: 'Bangalore Days' director Anjali Menon

With the advent of online video streaming sites, cine-goers now have the choice to sit at home and enjoy films from across the world. Filmmakers, TV producers have also found web a new medium to push content which may not work on the big screen or on TV.&nbsp; 
 
More and more producers are now making films solely for the digital audience. But with the advent of Netflix, Amazon and host of video streaming apps, will cinema halls cease to exist? 
 
"Cinema halls will always stay. We as filmmakers will make films for all kinds of mediums but cinema halls will remain for people like us. That won't go," says filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.&nbsp; 
 
Kashyap along with Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar directs <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-lust-stories-trailer-karan-johar-dibakar-banerjee-zoya-akhtar-and-anurag-kashyap-reunite-for-anthology-film-on-love-and-desire-137984">Netflix's new film 'Lust Stories' which is a sequel of sorts to 2013 film 'Bombay Talkies'.&nbsp;</a> 
 
The anthology will have four distinct stories- each directed by the four filmmakers- with a common theme- lust.&nbsp; 
 
Anurag's film features Radhika Apte in the lead. Without divulging much about his film, Kashyap urged us to watch the film. " See the film. It's about a woman who is very contradictory in life. I am not sure if she wants love or not in her life. She seems very confused. But watch the film to understand what she is all about. I made a film and decided to follow her character. I really don’t know her actually," the director said ambiguously.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-lust-stories-review-the-film-is-lot-more-than-the-four-letter-word-and-thank-god-for-that-144329">Also read:&nbsp;'Lust Stories' is a lot more than the four-letter word and thank god for that</a> 
 
The film will release on Netflix on June 15th but Kashyap isn't worried that the reach of his film would be limited. "I am very happy the way Lust Stories has shaped up. It's okay that the film is not getting a theatrical release. I make films, that is my job. Now, it is up to people if they want to watch it or not- irrespective of the medium." 
 
The director feels that both digital and cinema halls can co-exist. "They will always co-exist. Digital won’t take over. Some films will stay in web format, some for cinema."&nbsp; 
 
Kashyap was in the capital city to launch the Delhi edition of MAMI year-round programme. The programme intends to showcase latest, talked-about- films from across the world to select audience each month. The Mumbai edition is already a hit and now the organisers have planned to take it outside Mumbai. Lauding the initiative to bring world and Indian cinema to Delhi, Kashyap rued that no such festival existed back when he was in Delhi studying at Delhi University.&nbsp; 
 
"We didn’t have anything like this back when I was in college. There used to be only IFFI and there was no awareness about the festivals. I discovered IFFI in '93 and I was in Delhi since 1989. Had I discovered IFFI back then instead of waiting in the canteen for that girl – I could have watched a lot of films," Kashyap admits with a grin. 
 
Calling MAMI an important platform for smaller films and indies, Kashayp said, "It is an important platform for opening up cinema to the world. Which is why it matters."&nbsp;

Apart from 'Lust Stories', Kashyap's upcoming projects include web series 'Sacred Games' which he is co-directing with Vikramaditya Motwane. It marks Saif Ali Khan's debut in web space and co-stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. The series will be on Netflix in July. Kashyap is also directing 'Manmarziyaan' which stars Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal which is slated to release later in 2018.

Anurag Kashyap speaks to WION about the relevance of cinema halls in digital age and his latest film 'Lust Stories'.

With the advent of online video streaming sites, cine-goers now have the choice to sit at home and enjoy films from across the world. Filmmakers, TV producers have also found web a new medium to push content which may not work on the big screen or on TV. More and more producers are now making films solely for the digital audience. But with the advent of Netflix, Amazon and host of video streaming apps, will cinema halls cease to exist? "Cinema halls will always stay. We as filmmakers will make films for all kinds of mediums but cinema halls will remain for people like us. That won't go," says filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Kashyap along with Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar directs Netflix's new film 'Lust Stories' which is a sequel of sorts to 2013 film 'Bombay Talkies'. The anthology will have four distinct stories- each directed by the four filmmakers- with a common theme- lust. Anurag's film features Radhika Apte in the lead. Without divulging much about his film, Kashyap urged us to watch the film. " See the film. It's about a woman who is very contradictory in life. I am not sure if she wants love or not in her life. She seems very confused. But watch the film to understand what she is all about. I made a film and decided to follow her character. I really don’t know her actually," the director said ambiguously. Also read: 'Lust Stories' is a lot more than the four-letter word and thank god for that The film will release on Netflix on June 15th but Kashyap isn't worried that the reach of his film would be limited. "I am very happy the way Lust Stories has shaped up. It's okay that the film is not getting a theatrical release. I make films, that is my job. Now, it is up to people if they want to watch it or not- irrespective of the medium." The director feels that both digital and cinema halls can co-exist. "They will always co-exist. Digital won’t take over. Some films will stay in web format, some for cinema." Kashyap was in the capital city to launch the Delhi edition of MAMI year-round programme. The programme intends to showcase latest, talked-about- films from across the world to select audience each month. The Mumbai edition is already a hit and now the organisers have planned to take it outside Mumbai. Lauding the initiative to bring world and Indian cinema to Delhi, Kashyap rued that no such festival existed back when he was in Delhi studying at Delhi University. "We didn’t have anything like this back when I was in college. There used to be only IFFI and there was no awareness about the festivals. I discovered IFFI in '93 and I was in Delhi since 1989. Had I discovered IFFI back then instead of waiting in the canteen for that girl – I could have watched a lot of films," Kashyap admits with a grin. Calling MAMI an important platform for smaller films and indies, Kashayp said, "It is an important platform for opening up cinema to the world. Which is why it matters." Apart from 'Lust Stories', Kashyap's upcoming projects include web series 'Sacred Games' which he is co-directing with Vikramaditya Motwane. It marks Saif Ali Khan's debut in web space and co-stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. The series will be on Netflix in July. Kashyap is also directing 'Manmarziyaan' which stars Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal which is slated to release later in 2018.

Cinema halls will always stay, despite online video streaming platforms: Anurag Kashyap

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If you win the box office, there's no gender: 'Bangalore Days' director Anjali Menon

Cinema halls will always stay, despite online video streaming platforms: Anurag Kashyap