Director-actor Anurag Kashyap, who walked the red carpet on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival, said he chose to keep his appearance low-key as the red carpet is “the least important part of the day”.
According to Kashyap, film screenings remain the most significant aspect of the festival — something he feels is constantly overlooked amid India’s obsession with red carpet appearances.
In conversation with film critic Sucharita Tyagi on the sidelines of the 79th edition of the film festival, Kashyap said, “In India, the problem and obsession with Cannes is only to walk the red carpet. They don't understand that there is a festival, and the purpose of it is beyond the red carpet."
“But the thing is, you know, that's the least important part of it. What's more, is the cinema and I don't think people even come here for cinema. Even all the Indian people coming to the market are not watching films. Very rarely do I see someone here,” he continued.
Kashyap, 53, said he was not attending the festival with a film, but to “figure out” several things, as he feels frustrated with the way cinema is currently being made and the growing influence of AI. He added that he had watched five films at the festival so far, including The Electric Kiss, Dua and Nagi Notes.
Explaining why no Indian film made it to this year’s Cannes Film Festival — apart from Shadows of the Moonless Night and Amma Ariyan — Kashyap said producers in India are often too scared of film festivals. As a result, they fail to send entries on time, causing films with the potential to be screened at international festivals to miss out on the opportunity.
On the work front, Kashyap is currently awaiting the release of Bandar, which stars Bobby Deol, Sapna Pabbi, Sanya Malhotra and Saba Azad in key roles. The film is set to hit theatres on June 5.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival taking place on the French Riviera is set to conclude on May 23.