Anurag Kashyap Celebrates Malayalam Cinema’s Boldness, Questions Bollywood’s Risk Appetite

Renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has once again expressed admiration for Malayalam cinema, singling out Rekhachitram, Thudarum, and Eko as standout films from 2025. Speaking in an interaction with Tried and Refused Productions, Kashyap emphasized that Kerala’s film culture driven by educated audiences and strong word-of-mouth creates space for risk-taking and originality.

He contrasted this with Bollywood, where larger budgets and commercial expectations often limit experimentation. Kashyap noted that while Hindi cinema has scale, it rarely nurtures unconventional stories the way Malayalam films do.

Key Highlights:

• Films Praised: Rekhachitram, Thudarum, and Eko hailed for originality and bold narratives.
• Cultural Context: Kerala’s cinephile audience sustains films through word-of-mouth rather than marketing blitz.
• Bollywood Contrast: Kashyap argues risk-taking is harder in Bollywood due to commercial constraints.
• Industry Insight: He watches more Malayalam films weekly than Hindi, citing their creative freshness.
• Upcoming Project: Kashyap is gearing up for the release of his film Kennedy.

His remarks underline the growing recognition of Malayalam cinema as a hub of innovation, challenging Bollywood to rethink its creative boundaries.

Sources: Hindustan Times, Tried and Refused Productions, Foreign Shores NRI News