The Making of Gangs of Wasseypur: Anurag Kashyap’s Journey From 7.5 Hours to a Two-Part Masterpiece
Introduction
The 2012 gangster drama Gangs of Wasseypur remains one of filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s most celebrated movies. Gangs of Wasseypur was released in two parts, and had it been left to Kashyap, he would have released a third part as well. He recently shared that it was Vikramaditya Motwane who ‘saved’ the film from becoming too bloated, and cut down its running time.
The Initial Cut
While speaking to Cyrus Broacha on his podcast Cyrus Says, Kashyap revealed that his first cut of Gangs of Wasseypur was seven and a half hours long. He shared, “I just kept writing. I thought it would be three films. But somehow Vikram(aditya) Motwane came in, saved it, and it ended up as two films. It could have been three films because my first cut was seven and a half hours long.”
Improvisation in Filmmaking
The filmmaker also shared that the second part of Gangs of Wasseypur was “mostly improvised”, something he believes doesn’t happen today since filmmakers are scared of improvisation. In his opinion, they just want to stick to a formula which has brought them success and good numbers.
Quirky Dialogues and Improvisation
- Gangs of Wasseypur, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, also became popular for its quirky dialogues
- The most widely quoted dialogue, “Tumse na no payega”, wasn’t in the script
- It was improvised by Tigmanshu Dhulia, who essayed the role of Ramadhir Singh
Actors’ Freedom to Experiment
Kashyap believes that his actors manage to bring the best out of themselves because he gives them a free pass to experiment. “I just say what not to do, I don’t tell them what to do. I let them go. The good scenes have come out of that only. Scripts should be just a map. That’s why I don’t share my scripts with actors,” Kashyap shared.
The Importance of Organic Performances
According to Kashyap, providing the script to actors can lead to over-rehearsed performances. He prefers giving actors wrong cues and instructions to maintain organicity in their performances. He believes that these natural and unscripted moments are what make a scene truly memorable.
Conclusion
Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur is undoubtedly a masterpiece. The film’s unconventional storytelling, improvised dialogues, and the actors’ freedom to experiment have contributed to its success. To Kashyap, filmmaking is an art form that should allow for spontaneity and authenticity.
Watch | Anurag Kashyap talks about his film Haddi
Anurag Kashyap is currently seen playing a negative role in the ZEE5 film Haddi, which is led by actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
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