Manoj Bajpayee recently revealed that Anurag Kashyap was once working on a film for him after the success of Gangs of Wasseypur, but the project never materialized. The actor said Kashyap struggled with the script and eventually dropped the idea. Their bond goes back to Satya (1998), written by Kashyap and directed by Ram Gopal Varma, which made Bajpayee a star as Bhiku Mhatre. The two later worked on Kaun and Shool, but misunderstandings kept them apart for years until they reunited for Gangs of Wasseypur in 2012.
Bajpayee admitted it was unfortunate they could not collaborate more often, as their creative chemistry had the potential to deliver memorable work. We were close to making another film, but Anurag is unpredictable. He realized he couldn’t do justice to the writing, so we left it there, he said. Still, the actor hopes that one day Kashyap may revisit the project without any pressure from him.
Meanwhile, Kashyap is backing Bajpayee’s new film Jugnuma (English title: The Fable), directed by Raam Reddy. After watching it at the New York Film Festival, Kashyap was impressed and chose to present it, bringing other acclaimed South Indian filmmakers like Vetri Maaran, Nag Ashwin, and Lijo Jose Pellissery to support the project.
Bajpayee praised Kashyap’s fearless approach, saying he thrives in chaos, which often leads to brilliant creations. However, he joked that the filmmaker’s messy lifestyle is one trait he finds difficult to accept. Jugnuma releases in theatres this Friday.
