It is always a treat to watch movies by directors who have solid personalities because, in a way, they are able to channel their charisma, their anger, or their compassion rivetingly on screen. With regards to Indian cinema, Anurag Kashyap and Sandeep Reddy Vanga are among those few filmmakers who have these intriguing larger than life personalities which come forward quite naturally during their interactions with media houses, often becoming the talk of the town, much like their highly debated films. While Sandeep Reddy Vanga has emphasised more on character-driven stories in the early start of his career, Anurag Kashyap has relied heavily on thematic value in most of his films.
In 2019, Sandeep Reddy Vanga caused a surge with Kabir Singh, a remake of his successful Telugu movie, Arjun Reddy. A section of society severely disapproved of the misogynistic male character and highlighted its negative impact on the audience. Regardless of the backlash, the film emerged as a Blockbuster and Vanga came up with a striking reply to all his naysayers in an interview with Anupama Chopra, quoting: “They are calling this a violent film. I’ll show them what a violent film is…” He acted upon his statement and has welcomed enough criticism regarding the portrayal of different relationships with his newly released movie, Animal.
Similarly, Anurag Kashyap encountered several bans and allegations and found it extremely difficult to release his films at the beginning of his career. His first film, Paanch, was never released because of the numerous challenges faced by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and the producers. The cycle repeated with his second film, Black Friday, slated to be released in 2004 but finally did in 2007 because of the ban imposed by the High Court. Later, it was revoked by the Supreme Court after an appeal was filed by the Mid Day against the decision. Amalgamating his frustration and resentment towards the system, Kashyap made his third film under the cover of being a campaign for anti-smoking, which was far from the truth, called No Smoking.
We see both of these movies from the perspective of the main protagonists with a particular vice, eventually driving them crazy. In No Smoking, the character, “K”, is addicted to smoking, whereas in Animal, the character, “Ranvijay Singh”, is obsessively in love with his father. At several instances in the film, both of these characters are notified by the people around them of their unhealthy fanatical actions, often hinting at them being mentally sick. Yet, these characters are so taken by their obsession that they remain self-assured of whatever they are doing, whether smoking excessively even at the cost of themselves and their close ones’ lives or killing countless people in the shadow of protecting the father, seems justified in their eyes.
While these narratives and characters do hold their individual ground and border on becoming huge topics of debate in society and creative circles, they act as a medium for the directors to put forward their ideology as a creator in a more direct manner where we as audience and consumers of these stories find the difference between the two getting blurred. Interestingly, they have made use of the same tool they were criticised upon to punch back at the system oppressing them as they put across their point by showcasing the kind of cinema that appeals to them and they wish to make in the future.
In Animal, the protagonist suffers several injuries leading to multiple physical complications, including becoming deaf after a massive combat action sequence. It is much like Vanga rising above the backlash he received by presenting something even more gruesome and violent. While in No Smoking, the titular character completely evolves and becomes one with the system and the vicious cycle, still possessing the moral ambiguity in his acts to fulfil his lost desire. Time and over, Kashyap and his stories have gone through various shifts, with the later ones in his career having a bit more commercial sensibility, though not entirely robbed of his artistic touch and exploration of lesser talked about themes.
I am very intrigued by what the future has in store with regard to the films made by both Anurag Kashyap and Sandeep Reddy Vanga. While the last few films of Kashyap have been disappointing from his standards, the storm of criticism has continued to come Vanga's way with Animal. With Kennedy getting screened at all the major film festivals this year, I am hopeful to see Kashyap returning to his prime. And there seems to be no one stopping Vanga as he has lashed out at critics again in recent interviews and promised more chaos with his future ventures. Regardless of whatever happens, what I am sure about is that there is going to be plenty to unfold and discuss!
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