
After calling out Bollywood over unreasonable costs of filmmaking, director-actor Anurag Kashyap now has his knives out against the streaming platforms in India.
Kashyap, known for directing iconic films like Gulaal and Gangs of Wasseypur, said the people running OTT platforms have come from the television industry and have absolutely no inkling of how cinema works.
"What is their only motive? Subscribers. And to increase subscriber base, they have to dumb it down. The top streamers are multinationals. They're not Indian-origin companies. They're answerable, so they're scared to take risks. In every way, it's a leash for creativity," Kashyap said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India.
The AK vs AK director also mentioned that nowadays, streaming platforms only pick up movies that have been released in theatres.
He added that executives in streaming platforms have high-paying jobs and a lifestyle, which they do not want to lose and there are very few people who he can even have a creative conversation with.
"OTTs came in and disrupted the system. First, they gave high prices, and then they lowered the prices. Now, nobody is willing to come down. Which is good, because one day, everybody will fall. And I'm waiting for everybody to fall, because then it'll be a great time to make films again. After we hit rock-bottom, we will make films again. Golden times are coming."
In the same interview, he also attacked the Hindi film industry, saying that he is moving out of Mumbai. He said that the joy of filmmaking has been "sucked out" and that there is an increased focus on profitability instead of creativity.
He also called out the talent management agencies for exploiting young actors for profits and putting stardom above talent development. He added that he will focus on making movies in the southern film industry.
Moreover, he said that Bollywood directors lack the "brains" to make a film Pushpa: The Rise or Pushpa 2: The Rule. "Pushpa can only be made by Sukumar. In the South, they invest in filmmakers and empower them to make films. Here, everyone is trying to create a universe."
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