Anurag Kashyap’s Amazing Tale From Scientist To Filmmaker

From aspiring to become a scientist to becoming a filmmaker may sound weird but this is the amazing story of Anurag Kashyap, Indian cinema’s most intelligent filmmaker who has placed Indian cinema to dizzy heights, particularly in International Cinema. 

September 10, marks the birthday of this great filmmaker; Raaga.Com wishes him birthday greeting and peeps into his past how he struggled on the streets of Mumbai, prior to becoming a celebrated filmmaker and why he abandoned his dream to become a scientist. 

Born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Anurag Kashyap aspired to become a scientist hence even completed his graduation in Zoology from Hansraj College (University of Delhi). In an interview he said, “I was an intelligent student and was so gifted that I could memorize entire Biology text but when I was exposed to International Cinema, I was mesmerized by its spell. In ten days I saw 55 movies at an International Film Festival of India. The impact de Sica's BICYCLE THIEVES was so intense that all my passion for Science fizzed out and I joined a street theater to satisfy my carvings for arts and drama.” 

After short stints with street plays Anurag Kashyap caught a train to Mumbai and landed in the dream city with a desire to be a hero. However Anurag Kashyap recalls, “After few days of hunting studios and spending nights on Mumbai pavements with empty stomachs, I realized acting was not my cup of tea and my writing skill at school helped me earn my livelihood.”

Finally his writing skills fetched him Ram Gopal Verma’s SATYA which opened new doors and slowly and gradually Anurag Kashyap claimed the ladders of success. His directorial venture BLACK FRIDAY won him the Grand Jury Prize at the 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (2005), and was a nominee for the "Golden Leopard" (Best Film) at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival (2004).

Today the filmmaker is one of the best directors of Bollywood and is so busy with work that he barely has time for himself. With ten films in the pipeline, and operating out of four offices, he is probably the busiest filmmaker in Bollywood today.