‘Audience below 30 is mature’

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Stills from Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana

Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2, Chittagong, Aiyyaa and Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana have a common thread. Yes, they are all interesting films belonging to various genres but they are also backed by a name that has become synonymous with quality cinema. Meet director, producer Anurag Kashyap, who has never stuck to conventions.

At a time when ‘experimental cinema’ was not the order of the day, he went ahead and made films like Paanch and Dev D. While the former didn’t see the light of the day, the latter opened to mixed response. Nothing deterred him. Ahead of the release of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, whose promos have been liked by all, Kashyap says, “When I read the script of Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, I found it belonged to a zone we have almost forgotten. It reminded me of Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee kind of gentle comedies. I immediately decided to take it up as a producer.”
The film revolves around the hunt for a secret recipe, Chicken Khurana, that had made the Khurana Dhaba famous.
Asked how he chooses the various genres, he says, “I simply choose the stories that appeal to me as an audience. I enjoy watching everything from political thrillers, action flicks to comedy and romance. There is no set formula for choosing a certain film.” He also adds that if one makes a film that excites oneself, then the audience will follow.
Although GoW 1 and 2 have managed to register themselves as the year’s biggest hits, Kashyap has had to face flak for the rampant use of curse words in them. On being asked about the criticism, Kashyap says, “Youngsters these days have so much of exposure with Internet and television. I don’t know how these morality issues even come to the fore. The audience below 30 is mature enough to understand why and when are certain things portrayed.”
He adds that the audiences’ taste is changing, they are willing to watch any film that is presented well and have become more receptive.
As most of his films manage to garner positive response from critics and masses alike, he says that pressure works for him. “It always helps me to go over the edge and prevents me from becoming monotonous. I like it,” he signs off.