Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has opened up about his frustration with Netflix and the emotional toll it took on him after the streamer shelved a project he spent nearly two years developing. In a new interview with The Juggernaut, the director revealed that he had written a 900-page handwritten script for an ambitious series adaptation of Suketu Mehta’s award-winning book Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found—only for the platform to stop responding and effectively stall the project.
Anurag Kashyap reveals Netflix stalled his dream project after 1.5 years of work: “They ghosted me”
“I Handwrote 900 Pages… and They Ghosted Me”
Kashyap said he had a deep personal connection to the Maximum City project, which he had been pursuing for over two decades.
“I have done the adaptation, but it’s stuck. I have been with the book for 21 years. The scripts are done, but the project is kind of stalled,” he said. “I desperately want to bring it to life. This was the reason why I imploded when it didn’t happen. There’s a reason why I fell sick and everything happened to me. I had invested over one and a half year in Maximum City. I handwrite my scripts. I handwrote 900 pages. So when you put so much effort in a project… and somebody just to save their jobs puts it aside and ghosts you, it breaks you.”
“Netflix Doesn’t Understand Why I’m Angry”
According to Kashyap, Netflix never gave him a clear explanation about why the project was shelved, and no one from the production team approached him directly to discuss issues or offer closure. “Till date, Netflix doesn’t understand what makes me so angry about them,” he said. “It was supposed to be a Netflix project, and they ghosted me. They didn’t even dare to walk up to me and say, ‘We are having a problem. Can we solve it?’ or even, ‘We are not doing it.’ They didn’t have the courage.”
Frustrated by the lack of communication and transparency, Kashyap said he has since distanced himself from the producers and the team involved in the project. He also criticised the larger decision-making culture at the streaming giant.
“I don’t know what the producer did on it… I started the debate because they don’t understand India. They do the same kind of s*ty stuff. I wrote about Ted Sarandos; he does not understand India. What the India office tells them, they believe that bulls***t. They are doing exactly what bad television was doing to India. And they are charging money for it. They don’t understand why they are losing value in the country.”
Despite the setback, Kashyap continues to stay active in the industry. He recently served as an executive producer for Stolen, a thriller directed by debutant Karan Tejpal that premiered at international festivals. His last directorial, Kennedy, has screened at multiple festivals but is yet to receive a release date in India. As an actor, he was recently seen in Rifle Club and is part of Viduthalai Part 2, directed by Vetrimaaran.
BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.