Anurag Kashyap Revealed His Turbulent Journey After Netflix Shelved His Maximum City

Anurag Kashyap, the renowned filmmaker, recently opened up about the emotional and physical turmoil he faced after Netflix cancelled his ambitious project, Maximum City. The series, based on Suketu Mehta's book Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found, was in development for two years before being shelved by the streamer. Kashyap revealed that this setback led to a heart attack and subsequent rehabilitation.

Kashyap shared that Netflix executives had already decided to shelve the project after reading part one, but nobody had the courage to inform him. He continued working on it, investing two years of his life, only to face a massive implosion. The emotional distress was compounded by the fact that the executives who greenlit the project hadn't even read the original book.

The toll on Kashyap's physical health was severe. He suffered a heart attack, got a stent, and was put on blood thinners. He also developed asthma and started drinking heavily, leading to rehab. His time in rehabilitation was further complicated by a ligament tear in his right leg, which worsened due to delayed diagnosis.

Kashyap's experience has given him insight into the changing streaming ecosystem in India. He believes that platforms initially supported daring storytelling but now prioritize subscriber growth over quality content. A senior Netflix executive reportedly said India is just a "dumping ground" for content. Kashyap has since moved on, focusing on new projects like Kennedy, which helped him recover from the setback. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing creative vision and quality over commercial interests.