Anurag Kashyap clarifies tweets, says tired of industry being the soft target

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who was trolled for tweeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his Pakistan visit, on Tuesday sought to difuse a row, saying he was not asking the PM to apologise but merely pointing out that film industry was made a scapegoat in the situation.

The 44-year-old director, in series of tweets recently, had questioned why should only Indian filmmakers be targeted for casting Pakistani actors when the PM also made a trip to Lahore last year.

Kashyap said he has to unfortunately “explain my intention behind tweet” as his industry colleagues will suffer for his opinion.

“NO, Anurag Kashyap did not ‘ask the PM to apologise’ (which most of the headlines would want you to believe...), I merely questioned the fairness in judgement of a situation: the PM visited Pakistan for talks at the same time that a filmmaker was working with a Pakistani actor. Neither was aware of future events or mood. Yet only one pays the price,” Kashyap wrote on his Facebook page.

The director, who was speaking against the demand by a section to ban Karan Johar’s film “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” because it has Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, said people from the industry are always the first to be bullied.

“I am tired of the film industry being soft targets. We are damned if we do, damned if we don’t! When we don’t involve ourselves, they ask ‘why is Bollywood quiet now?’ When we involve ourselves, we become the scapegoats to distract you from the real news. Either way they use us to sensationalise news,” Kashyap said.

The director said though the demand to ban the movies starring Pakistani artistes was not made by the government, the elected members should protect people from bullies.

“I’m also well aware that the government did not cry ‘BAN’ or demand that Pakistani artists be sent back. Just as I’m aware that the PM himself doesn’t censor my films. But we elected them and so it is their responsibility to protect us from bullies - media or political parties.

“And when the governing party’s designated members don’t respond in hours of crisis because they are second guessing the mood of the PM then I would rather talk straight to the PM himself.”

Kashyap also questioned the trollers for asking proof of his patriotism. “There was also sarcasm in the tweet that followed;

‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ was for those mindless trollers who constantly ask for proof of your patriotism. Apparently thats all it takes. It was a jibe at them. Patriotic slogans don’t absolve you from it all. I hope this explains .. (sic)” (Also Read in Hindi)