'Hollywood film F1 kyu chali? Brad Pitt aya tha kya promote karne?' - Read Anurag Kashyap's take on film promotions

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has spoken out against the growing trend of excessive film promotions in Bollywood, calling them “pointless” and a “waste of money.”

Anurag Kashyap's take on movie promotions in Bollywood

In a new conversation with film critic Komal Nahta on his podcast, Kashyap argued that the industry needs a clear limit—or “ceiling”—on how much effort and money is spent on marketing films.

The Gangs of Wasseypur director, known for his outspoken opinions, expressed frustration at how the focus on large-scale promotional campaigns often overshadows smaller films that rely on word-of-mouth success.

He said, “Kisi bhi cheez ko mauka nahi milta. Teen din ke beyond. Ek zamane hota tha jab cinema hall kam hote the, lekin word of mouth jyada hota tha.”

(“Nothing gets a fair chance beyond three days. There was a time when there were fewer cinema halls, but word of mouth was stronger.”)

Drawing comparisons with international releases, Kashyap added, “Mera toh simple sa logic he. Demon Slayer kyu chal rahi he? Kaun aya usme se promote karne ke liye? Hollywood film F1 kyu chali? Brad Pitt aya tha kya India promote karne?”

(“My logic is simple. Why did Demon Slayer work? Did anyone from its cast come to promote it? Why did the Hollywood film F1 succeed—did Brad Pitt come to India to promote it?”)

The filmmaker further criticised the disparity in marketing budgets within the industry, saying it unfairly favours big productions. “Promotion is a lot of waste of money. South mein jaisi ceiling hoti he na, yaha pe bhi honi chahiye,” he said.

(“Promotion is a huge waste of money. There should be a ceiling here, just like in the South.”)

He continued, “Yaha pe kisi ki capacity promote karne ki jyada he toh jyada karta he toh chota wala kho jata he… Yaha kaun kitna bada he usi mein khoye hue hein saare ke saare. Aaj Maddock has seen so much success, be happy! Lekin jale bhune he sab log.”

(“If someone can afford to promote more, they do, and the smaller ones get lost. Everyone here is obsessed with showing who’s bigger. Maddock Films has seen so much success—be happy! But everyone’s still bitter and envious.”)

Kashyap’s comments have resonated widely, reigniting the debate around Bollywood’s reliance on large-scale marketing to drive audiences, rather than on the strength of storytelling and organic audience response.

Anurag Kashyap’s Work Front

On the professional front, Kashyap’s last directorial release was Nishaanchi, while his film Bandar premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.

As an actor, he will next be seen as a fearless police officer in Dacoit, an action drama being shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu, alongside Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur.