EXCLUSIVE | Anurag Kashyap: 'Got many opportunities early in my career as an actor, and failed in each of them'

Anurag Kashyap, Zeeshan Ayyub, and Akshat Ajay Sharma have come together for Zee5’s film Haddi that’s currently streaming on the platform. It’s not just a story about a transgender but reflects on many aspects of a character’s life and the turmoil it has to go through.

In an exclusive interview with Firstpost that happened few days before the release of the film, Kashyap spoke about acting in the film, Sharma opened up on turning director and making his first film, and Ayyub talked about how life and career have been post Article 15.

Edited excerpts from the interview

Akshat, you have been an assistant director to Anurag Kashyap and now you’re directing him and that too in your first film. How does it feel?

It was a whole new experience but not that different too. When we used to work with him, there was a certain sense of freedom and responsibility; there was always a room for improvisation and he used to see whether it works for him or not. It was always this responsibility that gave us the confidence to make a film.

Anurag, you’re acting in the film but since this is Akshat’s first film, did you have any inputs or ideas during the making?

I don’t interfere at all, I just ask questions once or twice but that’s about it. This is his film and he’s also very stubborn about it; I can guide him in how to deal with situations but not in the process of filmmaking. If he goes wrong, it has to be his own mistake, let him create his own success and mistakes.

Zeeshan, what attracted you towards your character in Haddi and the script overall?

The first was the basic idea to have a transgender protagonist, and then my character that is lovable and entertaining. I was getting the opportunity to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Anurag Kashyap; one of my biggest takeaways has been getting to romance Nawaz (smiles).

Also, you were always making very interesting choices as an actor, but post Article 15, your trajectory completely changed. How much do you feel you’ve grown as an actor?

Post Article 15, I had to handle the entire world of the narrative on my shoulders and that was the confidence filmmakers began showing towards me. I was being given a parallel track in the story which the audiences could observe, because prior to that, I was standing in one corner. The problem that happened because of this was that I began getting way too many righteous characters. But Article 15 will always be a special film because it gave me a chance to be seen as a protagonist. It changed my graph.

Anurag, much before becoming a director, you were an actor, one of your earlier roles was in the 2000 film called Gang. How do you see your journey as an actor?

There was a time when I was doing a lot of theatre and tried to be an actor, and I got a lot of opportunities very early, as way back as 1993, opportunities a lot of new actors don’t get. I failed in each one of them, and it taught me how not to direct actors.

Also, it has been more than 30 years for you in the industry and Mumbai. How much do you feel they both have changed and evolved?

I’ve seen Bombay disintegrate, it’s not the same city I came to. I say this is a city that’s always under construction. The Hindi film industry has evolved a lot, and filmmaking has become quite expensive, and the sensibilities have evolved a lot too. A lot of things about representation, rights, recognition are being spoken about; there was a time when we made a lot of films on the Zamindari system but now it’s gone.

Zeeshan, filmmakers like Ali Abbas Zafar, Kangana Ranaut, and now Akshat, they all have made their first films with you. What’s the difference between working with a new director as compared to an experienced one?

The process is different with each of them. It’s not necessary a director completely trusts his process if he’s making his third or fourth film. With Akshat, I didn’t feel he was making his first film, he knew what he wanted to do. With Ali, during Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, he was also aware what kind of cinema he wanted to make. During Manikarnika, I only had to shoot for 4-5 days but Kangana knew how to shoot a scene technically. I don’t feel at times that I’m working with a first time director.

Anurag, what do you have to say about Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Zeeshan Ayyub’s growth as actors?

I’m very happy. They were always very good actors and it’s great to see them being cast as protagonists and their potential being recognized, there can be shows and films built around them which is fantastic for filmmakers. This gives a lot of hope to the future Zeeshans and Nawazs.

And Haddi comes out on September 7, so does Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan, and you celebrate your birthday on the 10th. Are you excited for this weekend?

I’m excited for the great three weeks, I’m off on the 7th and I’ll come back after three weeks (Laughs).