Anurag Kashyap Addresses Pankaj Jha's 'Spineless' Comment On Him After Getting Replaced In 'GOW'

Anurag Kashyap is a well-known Bollywood filmmaker. He has a remarkable ability to make small towns-based films that often include violence and humor. Apart from his movies, the director frequently makes headlines for his candid statements and honest views on cinema. Recently, Pankaj Jha, who has often worked with Anurag Kashyap, allegedly called him ‘spineless.’ In an interview with India Today, Anurag replied to the statement.

Anurag Kashyap gave his reaction to Pankaj Jha's 'spineless' statement

When asked about Pankaj Jha's statement, Anurag Kashyap said he didn't remember the exact incident. But Pankaj Jha wasn't available when the team was supposed to begin the shoot for Gangs of Wasseypur. They were working on a limited budget, and he could not wait any longer. As a result, he went ahead and casted Pankaj Tripathi for the role. The film was a big success, and the role made Pankaj Tripathi immensely popular among fans. He was quoted as saying:

“I don’t remember what exactly happened. But we were shooting for The Girl in Yellow Boots and he had moved to Osho in Pune to paint. We were supposed to start shooting for Gangs of Wasseypur and he (Pankaj Jha) was unavailable. We were on a tight budget and could not wait for him. We made the film in a very different condition and budget. Now, he may be thinking that after 20 years, he could have become Pankaj Tripathi.”

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Anurag revealed that Pankaj Jha has been his go-to actor

Anurag Kashyap worked with Pankaj Jha in films like Gulaal and Black Friday. He revealed that Pankaj Jha had been his go-to actor whenever he required someone for specific roles. Further, the director said that he would love to collaborate with the actor again. However, he isn't accessible every time.

Pankaj Jha had called Anurag Kashyap ‘spineless’ and ‘Timid’

Pankaj Jha, who is seen playing the 'Vidhayak Ji' role in the Panchayat series, was interviewed by Digital Commentary. In the interview, he said that he had discussed playing the role of 'Sultan Qureshi' in Gangs of Wasseypur. Later, he learned that Pankaj Tripathi had been finalised for the role. He said:

"While films like 'Satya' and 'Gulaal' create actors, they also make directors. But there are so many timid and spineless people here that they can’t even keep their word. Nevertheless, I still love Anurag very much and have no complaints against anyone.”

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Pankaj later issued a clarification on his statement

When the statement went viral, Pankaj Jha clarified that he didn't mention any specific name in his statement. Also, he alleged that the publications twisted the statements. He elaborated, saying:

“I never mentioned the name of any Tripathi in any of my interviews so far. You can go listen to all of my interviews; you will know I haven’t mentioned anybody’s name at all. Media always needs masala, I never said anything such, they just made it up.”

What do you think about Anurag Kashyap's reply to Pankaj Jha's statement?

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