Title: Akhtar saw Mukkabaaz & said, ‘You don’t like making money’: Anurag
In a recent interview, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap revealed that screenwriter Javed Akhtar had a rather unexpected reaction after watching his film, Mukkabaaz. The film, which starred Vineet Kumar Singh as a young boxer from Uttar Pradesh, received critical acclaim but did not perform well at the box office. Now, Anurag has shared what Javed Akhtar told him after watching the film.
According to Anurag, Javed Akhtar said that if he had shown Vineet’s character winning at the end of the film, it would have been a hit. The screenwriter’s exact words were, “You’ve a problem. You don’t like making money.” Anurag has disclosed that Javed Akhtar made this comment after watching the film, and it has left a lasting impression on him.
Mukkabaaz, which was released in 2018, is a sports drama that explores the world of Indian boxing. The film delves into the struggles of a young boxer, Shravan, who hails from a lower-middle-class family. The film’s narrative is gripping, and the performances of the cast, particularly Vineet Kumar Singh, received widespread acclaim. However, despite its critical success, the film did not perform well at the box office.
Anurag Kashyap has said that he would not have made the film if he had to show Vineet’s character winning at the end. According to him, he wanted to show the reality of Indian sports, which is often marred by politics, corruption, and nepotism. By not showing Vineet’s character winning, Anurag aimed to highlight the struggles and challenges that athletes face in India, and to bring attention to the injustices that they often have to endure.
Anurag’s decision to not show Vineet’s character winning was a deliberate choice, and it was not driven by a desire to make the film a commercial success. Instead, it was a creative decision that was rooted in his desire to tell a story that was authentic and honest. As Anurag himself has said, “I wouldn’t have made the film if I had to show Vineet as a winner. I wanted to show the reality of Indian sports.”
Javed Akhtar’s comment, “You don’t like making money,” is a telling one. It suggests that he believes that Anurag’s decision to not show Vineet’s character winning was driven by a desire to make a statement or to provoke a reaction, rather than to create a commercially successful film. While this may be true to some extent, it also ignores the fact that Anurag’s decision was driven by his creative vision and his desire to tell a story that was authentic and honest.
Mukkabaaz is a film that has sparked a lot of debate and discussion, and it is a testament to Anurag’s courage as a filmmaker that he was willing to take risks and challenge the status quo. By not showing Vineet’s character winning, Anurag was able to create a film that was thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, and that challenged viewers to think critically about the world of Indian sports.
In conclusion, Javed Akhtar’s comment, “You don’t like making money,” is a reminder that commercial success is often seen as the ultimate goal of filmmaking. However, for Anurag Kashyap, the goal of filmmaking is to tell a story that is authentic and honest, and to create a film that challenges viewers and sparks a reaction. Mukkabaaz is a film that has achieved this goal, and it is a testament to Anurag’s courage and creativity as a filmmaker.
