Anurag Kashyap Issues Apology Amid Brahmin Remark Controversy, Speaks Out Against Threats to Family

Anurag Kashyap Issues Apology Over Controversial Brahmin Remark Amidst ‘Phule’ Backlash and Threats to Family

Again the storm gathers around filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Known for his outspoken views on uncomfortable truths, heavy fire was directed toward him for a controversial comment he made against the Brahmin community in an ongoing row around the release of his upcoming film Phule. After the row quickly gained momentum, the director found himself on the receiving end of intense backlash, with even his daughter, friends, and colleagues being threatened. Anurag has now released an apology.

The controversy arose from Anurag’s blistering attack on the Central Board of Film Certification and a subsequent remark seen as derogatory toward the Brahmins. While defending the film Phule, based on the lives of social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, Anurag responded harshly to online trolls. Following that, larger forms of recourse were sought against him by way of a formal complaint and demands for legal actions against him.

Apology Note by Anurag Kashyap on Instagram

On Instagram, Anurag stated that he stands by everything he said but regrets the trouble and hurt this has caused especially to the women around him. He continued at length,

“This is my apology, not for my post but for that one line taken out of context and the brewing hatred. No action or speech is worth your daughter, family, friends and colleagues getting rape and death threats from the kingpins of sanskar.”

He further said that all the insults were fine, but his family should have been excluded.

“Said words can’t be taken back and I won’t take them back either, but if you need an apology from me, then here it is. Brahmins, spare the women. Even scriptures teach this. Decide which Brahmin you truly are. My apology to you.”

He ended the post with a pointed caption: “Manuwaadiyon aur gair sanskaari Brahmino ke liye. Maafi (Apology to Manuwadis and uncultured Brahmins).”

This sentence, along with the original comments, has continued to split the internet, with many laying the charge of hate speech on the filmmaker, while others, however, stand by the fact that his anger is based on the increasing censorship and caste discrimination in the media.

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Background of the Controversial Matter

The words were directed against an online user who had told him: “Brahmins are your father.” With regard to this insult, Anurag laid his words in a foul way saying,

“Brahmin pe main m*****a.. koi problem (I’ll urinate on Brahmins… any problem)?”

With the screenshot appearing on his Instagram Story, he defended the comment saying that people were deliberately ignoring the context behind his remark. He claimed he was targeting only those who hide behind scriptures and exert superiority over others.

“These people will be fools to me, who all their life hide behind scriptures, do not do any meaningful work, humiliate others, and speak highly of themselves.”

Regardless of the crudeness of the language, Kashyap maintained that his was an expression borne out of years of systemic inequality and pushback that himself and other filmmakers experience when attempting to shed light on caste-based topics.

More Legal Trouble for Kashyap

As expected, Anurag’s statement did not sit well with many, especially members of the Brahmin congregation. A complaint was formally filed against him by an advocate based in Mumbai. The complaint requested FIR from Mumbai Police and appropriate legal action for not disturbing public peace.

The lawyer questioned on Twitter,

“If any action or statement by an individual poses a potential threat to public order, it must be addressed as per the due process of law to ensure the safety and well-being of society.”
As of today, it is not clear whether Mumbai Police has registered an FIR against Anurag Kashyap.

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What Started the Controversy? The Film ‘Phule’ Censorship Row

The whole uproar against Anurag Kashyap began after he came to the support of the film Phule, which was asked by the CBFC to make several changes before a ‘U’ certificate could be given. The film, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekha, tells the story of the lives and struggles of social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, who opposed caste oppression and worked for women’s education.
The CBFC asked for many cuts, including the deletion of the words “Mang”, “Mahar” and “Peshwai”, and changing the expression “3,000 saal purani ghulami” to “kai saal purani ghulami” (slavery of many years). Director Ananth Mahadevan agreed to the changes but was then criticized by one section of the Brahmin community.

Initially set for release on April 11, protests delayed the release date to April 25. Critics claim censoring the historical truth amounts to a new form of oppression and that Phule should be freely and fairly viewed without interference from religion and caste.

A Deeply Divided Digital Space

Anurag’s words have ignited fierce debate across social media platforms. Some condemn the language he has used as inappropriate and abusive, whereas for many others, the real problem is that the system silences voices speaking against casteism. More voices join healthy anguish over personal trauma, particularly when one hears of death and rape threats received by his daughter and colleagues just because of his remark.

Supporters contend that Phule-the film-is one of those few films that cover this painful chapter of India’s history and, more importantly, speaks about caste-based oppression, an aspect that is rarely recognized and pitched in mainstream cinema. It is, therefore, more an issue beyond Anurag’s language than the lengths some are willing to adopt to bury uncomfortable truths.

In the end: A Dilemma for Filmmakers

Anurag Kashyap’s apology may bring closure to this controversy or not; however, it does represent the struggles of an outspoken creator in a society awakening to issues such as censorship, tradition, and social reform. Even as he states the position he has taken and the discomfort he has expressed because of the suffering caused to his loved ones, the fact remains that it will take time for the wounds to heal.

The question stays: Should artists be gagged for raising their voices against social structures? Or, is it time that society opens up to narratives like Phule, even if such narratives make sections of society uncomfortable?

As the dust settles from the storm, Phule has now gotten ready for release on April 25, with all eyes on the film and the reactions it would continue to garner from the audience, censors, and critics alike.

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