Chhaava director weighs in on Anurag leaving Bollywood: 'Sensibility nahi hai audience ka taste accept....'

Filmmaker Laxman Utekar, whose recent directorial Chhaava achieved massive box office numbers, has responded sharply to fellow director Anurag Kashyap’s decision to distance himself from the Hindi film industry. In a conversation with Mama’s Couch, Utekar questioned the tendency of some filmmakers to label Bollywood as “toxic” when their films do not resonate with the audience.

In his remarks, Laxman directly addressed Anurag’s statement about quitting Bollywood and relocating to the South, saying, “Chale jao chod kar, beshak chale jao, jisko nahi rehna, chale jao koi zabadasti nahi kar raha hai.” He added that the film industry is a space that demands mental and creative satisfaction. Without that, he believes, making a great film is not possible. “Agar aapka mann nahi hai yahan rehne ka toh aap great film kaise banaoge? Aap chale jao, isse acha,” he stated.

Laxman also reacted to Anurag’s comments about the audience’s lack of sensibility to appreciate his kind of cinema. According to him, it’s not the audience’s sensibility that’s the problem, but perhaps the filmmaker’s. “Woh galat bol rahe hai jab woh kehte hai ki audience ko sensibilities nahi hai unki film accept karne ki… balki unki sensibility nahi hai audience ka taste accept karne ki,” Laxman said.

He pointed out that films like Baahubali, RRR, Pushpa, and even Chhaava had earned between Rs 800 to Rs 1200 crore, which, according to him, challenged the belief that cinema was dying. He believed such box office numbers clearly showed that cinema was still thriving. He further added that it was the filmmakers who needed to change their sensibility, as they were stuck in the past.

According to the filmmaker, cinema changes every three years, and creators must evolve with time. He believes storytelling should connect especially with middle- and lower-class audiences who buy tickets and come to theatres.

Anurag Kashyap, in an earlier interview with The Hindu, had shared his disillusionment with the Hindi film world, saying, “The industry has become too toxic… Everyone is chasing unrealistic targets.” He also disclosed that he has moved out of Mumbai and is now trying to build his space in the South film industry.

Chhaava, starring Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, and Akshaye Khanna, has collected ?807 crore globally and stands as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year.