In a candid conversation with Humans of Cinema, Anurag Kashyap addressed the speculation surrounding the possibility of him directing Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Kashyap expressed scepticism about such a collaboration coming to fruition, attributing his reluctance to his belief that he wouldn’t be able to do justice to Khan’s illustrious persona, which his fans adore.
During the interview, Kashyap shared his insights into the cultural phenomenon of hero worship in India.
He elaborated on how societal deficiencies and low self-esteem make the populace yearn for larger-than-life figures, particularly in cinema, where even superheroes seldom conceal their visages entirely to ensure their recognizability.
Discussing the dynamics of fan culture in the modern era, especially with the advent of social media, Kashyap highlighted the intense loyalty and expectations fans have for stars like Shah Rukh Khan.
He pointed out that such fervent fanbases can inadvertently pigeonhole actors into repetitive roles, with any deviation often leading to rejection.
This fear of failing to meet fan expectations or being able to replicate the magical allure associated with Shah Rukh Khan led Kashyap to conclude that a direct collaboration might not be within his directorial compass.
He remarked that the lukewarm reception to Khan’s movie “Fan” was a testament to the challenges of breaking the mould.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan enjoyed an incredibly successful 2023 with smashing hits like “Pathaan”, “Jawaan”, and “Dunki”.
On the other hand, Anurag Kashyap showcased his latest work, “Kennedy”, at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2023 and announced a new project featuring Malayalam cinema’s Joju George in his Hindi debut.