Acclaimed filmmaker Anurag Kashyap recently made his acting debut in Malayalam cinema with Aashiq Abu’s daring Western-inspired drama Rifle Club.
Portraying a morally ambiguous arms dealer, Kashyap broke conventional villain tropes with a raw, unapologetic performance that has garnered widespread praise.
“I haven’t even seen the movie yet,” Kashyap admitted during a Zoom interview from Mumbai. Despite this, audiences have embraced his eccentric character, a grieving and vengeful father navigating a morally complex world. A standout scene captures Kashyap’s character trying to dissuade his impulsive son, played by rapper Hanumankind, from a killing spree, showcasing their fractured dynamic.
Kashyap delivered his lines in Malayalam with surprising fluency, despite not knowing the full script before taking the role. His journey into Rifle Club began unconventionally - he volunteered for the role by commenting on Aashiq Abu’s Instagram post. Intrigued by the film’s title and confident in the filmmakers, Kashyap dove in, even agreeing to shave his beard and embrace a bold, potbellied look for his character.
Kashyap embraced the film’s quirky demands with enthusiasm. His first scene featured him in American flag-patterned boxers and a tiger-print shirt, flaunting a “family pack” belly. “Vanity doesn’t exist in Malayalam cinema,” Kashyap remarked, praising its emphasis on character depth and storytelling over physical perfection.
The stark contrast between Kashyap’s chaotic antagonist and the grounded patriarch of the opposing clan, played by Vijayaraghavan, highlighted the film’s moral ambiguity. Kashyap lauded the sharp, fearless writing by Syam Pushkaran and the collaborative spirit of the cast and crew.
Kashyap was struck by the egalitarian work culture of Malayalam cinema, which lacks the star-driven isolation he often encounters in Bollywood. “Everyone is together on set, without entourages or vanity vans. That camaraderie reflects in the film,” he said.
Comparing the industries, Kashyap was critical of Bollywood’s obsession with box-office numbers and formulaic remakes. “Hindi cinema could never make a Rifle Club. They’d rather remake it and lose its soul in the process,” he observed, pointing to the Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys as an example of regional cinema's originality.
Kashyap hinted at a possible move to Kochi, drawn by its inspiring environment and artistic community. “It feels like a place where I can truly write,” he said, expressing a desire to continue exploring challenging roles and projects across industries.
As he navigates this new chapter, Kashyap remains focused on finding his tribe - storytellers who prioritize originality over commerce. “In South India, storytelling always comes first,” he concluded.