Happy Birthday Anurag Kashyap: 7 times the Black Friday director kicked up row

It is generally the box office records that earn you big name in Bollywood. However, Anurag Kashyap doesn't follow the league, he says what he believes in and that very well reflects in his works too. From Black Friday to Gangs of Wasseypur, Kashyap is seen pushing the boundaries, always.

Unlike other filmmakers who pefer to work on sugary plots, Kashyap never shies away from showcasing the dark and harrowing realities. Off-screen too, he is a man who has the courage to voice his opinion. And controversies follow him.

As the filmmaker turns 45, let's take a look at the moments when he stood up for what he believed right:

Kashyap's dig at Big B's acting skills:

Kashyap in 2005 took a dig at Amitabh Bachchan's acting skills when Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Black was released. Though, reportedly it didn't go down well with the 74-year-old actor, it didn't escalate much. However, five years later, Kashyap blamed Big B for allegedly pushing the release date of Shonali Bose's Chittagong so that Abhishek Bachchan's Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey makes profit.

The filmmaker stated on social media: "See Chittagong, a far superior film made on the same subject as Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey.. At 1/8 th the cost, far superior actors and immense passion... Producers decided to sit on it, because of a phone call from someone, because that someone was trying desperately to save his son's career... welcome to Bollywood, where whose son you are outshines all the hard work and passion and potential and talent. KHJJS came and went, now what?"

A furious Big B told Bangalore Mirror: "This is incorrect and baseless and I do not wish to dignify this undignified remark by commenting on it."

 Fallout with Salman and Arbaaz Khan

People in the industry avoid messing up with Salman Khan for obvious reasons. However, Kashyap doesn't really fall into that category. The war of tweets was however not directly with the superstar but his brother Arbaaz.

It happened when the news of Abhinav Kashyap, brother of Anurag, being dropped as the director of Dabangg sequel came to light. The Black Friday director stood up for his brother and tweeted: "Salman Khan thinks he made my brother's life, hope he does the same for Arbaaz when he does Dabangg 2."

Arbaaz tweeted in response claiming that Abhinav opted out Dabang 2 for some personal and professional reasons. He also said that they gave Abhinav an opportunity when his own brother (Anurag) did not help him.

Though, Anurag publicly apologised releasing that it was his mistake, it didn't go down well with the Khan brothers.

Love-hate relationship with Karan Johar

Kashyap lashed out at Karan Johar by allegedly calling the latter's popular talk show Koffee with Karan a crappy show. Later, the two reportedly patched up and the Bombay Velvet director even supported KJo during the Aye Dil Hai Muskil controversy.

PM Modi controversy

The director's tweet addressed to PM Modi, came soon after the 'ban' on Pakistani artists, also kicked up a storm. Kashyap tweeted: "Sir you haven't yet said sorry for your trip to meet the Pakistani PM... It was dec 25th. Same time KJo was shooting ADHM? Why?" 

Though, Kashyap's intention was to voice his support for producer Karan Johar, whose film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was blocked from release by the Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) in four states.

The tweet landed him in trouble and he faced a backlash online. Later, he clarified his statement in a Facebook post.

 Controversy with Ram Gopal Varma

When Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag was released, the Gangs of Wasseypur director reportedly said: "I can't see the Ramuji I used to know, at all now. I have stopped watching his films completely. I see the trailers of his movies and tell him what I feel about them. I fear that if I see his movies and don't like them, I might walk up to him and tell him things he may not want to hear."

Varma didn't hit back at that time but took his revenge when Anurag's Bombay Velvet didn't do well.  He tweeted: "The bottom line is everyone makes an AAG and till he makes his own AAG he will bitch about others' AAGS until he too burns in his own AAG." ."

Anurag's reply to it was: "@RGVzoomin sir i love you too much... now put that ***** aside and sleep. Lots of kisses."

Things seemed sorted after RGV said in his concluding tweet: "I suggest that we both have coffee with Karan. And in the course of having coffee with Karan maybe we can learn from him how not to make Aags and make Kuch Kuchs."

 Shared female journalist's contact details

The filmmaker got into trouble after he shared the screenshot of a female journalist's contact number. He shared it on facebook saying: "This is the media outside my house when I am not there...looking for a headline."

After the lady started getting calls and lewd messages from strangers, she informed her organisation about Anurag's act. The filmmaker later removed the post but the damage was already done. According to Spotboye, Prabal Pratap Singh, the Consulting Editor of a national news channel said: "Anurag has deleted the post from his Facebook account, but we still want an apology from his end. My legal team is looking into the matter as to what action we should take."

 Hate-hate relationship with CBFC

Anurag Kashyap's hate-hate relationship with Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is well known and it remains the same, irrespective of the government at the centre. Most of his films boast of abusive language, violence, sensitive themes and other aspects that are strongly objected to by the censor board. His film Black Friday had been held up for two years by CBFC following its objections.

The film is based on the book by Hussain Zaidi about the 1993 Bombay bombings and verdict of the case was pending at that time. However, it was released in 2007 and won critical appreciation.

CBFC wasn't kind to him again in the case of Udta Punjab that dealt with the drug menace in Punjab. Pahlaj Nihalani-led censor board demanded 89 cuts, including removal of the word Punjab from the title as the movie allegedly defamed the state and the government. The movie was finally released with one cut after Bombay high court ordered in favour of Kashyap in a landmark judgement.