Anurag Kashyap Says 'Bandar' Criticism Was 'Valid': 'What Came Out Was Not My Final Cut'

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's Bandar, which released last month, received praise from critics and strong love for Bobby Deol's performance in it. But, it also faced considerable backlash from some viewers who felt the film—that follows a former television star accused of sexually assaulting a woman—was misogynistic and out of step with the MeToo Movement.

Kashyap has now admitted that the criticisms carried weight, and revealed why he refrained from promotional interviews around the time of its release.

During an interaction with Indian comedian Kunal Kamra on his YouTube channel, Kamra brought up that Kashyap had asked him not to watch Bandar. Upon asking why, the director replied, "When I said don’t watch, it’s because I can’t own up… If you noticed, I didn’t give any interviews on the film. Because whatever came out is not my final cut. So, the criticisms that came the movie’s way are quite valid... It became kind of lopsided. Because I wanted to put out something I could stand up for. As a result, I couldn’t stand up against the criticisms against the movie."

When Kamra inquired why there still isn’t a proper system that protects the director’s cut and allows it to be released as the official version, the director responded that paperwork "doesn’t matter anymore, as it is "extremely complicated," especially when something doesn't release on time, it comes down to the costs.

"So, it becomes a liability when a film is delayed. It gets out of hand. Paperwork is generally between two people so when the studio takes over, then the idea to release it is in entirely their hands,” he adds.

He also maintained that there aren't many players left in the production business now, and only a handful of big entities.

"Choice is limited. As a result, many independent films get stuck because they (the production companies) do 4-5 films and release them together,” he said, admitting that the criticism the film received was valid. "That’s why I won’t say anything against it.”

Coming back to Bandar, Kashyap expressed relief for the section of the audience that could still view it in a "neutral" way.

“Those who could see my intention, they didn’t need to watch it, because they already know what’s being shown. The problem is with those who don’t know what it’s about and they need to watch it to understand the perspective," he said.