Vivek Agnihotri says it became difficult to handle Anurag Kashyap on Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal set: ‘Bahut sharab peeta tha’

Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri recalled working with Anurag Kashyap on one of his films Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, shared why he made a distance with him.

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, known for The Kashmir Files and The Tashkent Files, recently opened up about his experience of working with director Anurag Kashyap. In an interview with Digital Commentary, Vivek recalled how Anurag’s drinking habits during the making of Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal made the working environment challenging. (Also Read: Anurag Kashyap says Bollywood lacks the 'brains' to make a film like Pushpa: ‘Everyone is trying to create a universe’)

Vivek Agnihotri says it became difficult to handle Anurag Kashyap.

Vivek Agnihotri on working with Anurag Kashyap

Interrupting the interviewer during a discussion on Anurag Kashyap’s recent controversial comments on Brahmins amid the Phule row, Vivek said, “Leave anything about him, unki toh mansik halat kya hai mujhe nahi malum (I don’t know anything about his mental wellbeing). I have worked with him. We were doing the film Goal together. He was the writer of the film. Saif Ali Khan and Priyanka Chopra were supposed to do it, but Saif had some personal issues at the time, so he left. Then we got John and Bipasha. Anurag uss time bahut sharab peeta tha toh usko time ka koi hisaab nahi tha (Anurag used to drink a lot at that time and had no sense of time).”

Vivek went on to share how Anurag brought Vikramaditya Motwane into the project, which eventually shifted the creative direction. “Phir voh Vikramaditya Motwane ko le aaye, bola mera RK ladka hai, vo help karega. Dheere dheere saara kaam Vikramaditya ko hi de diya. Main jo banana chah raha tha, yeh log ki soch kuch alag thi, yeh kuch aur hi banana chah rahe the (Then he brought Vikramaditya Motwane, saying ‘he’s my RK boy, he’ll help out.’ Gradually, all the work was handed over to Vikramaditya. What I wanted to make was different; their vision was entirely something else). Ultimately, we were at loggerheads. The production house had a word with Anurag… Anurag ko handle karna mushkil ho gaya (It became difficult to handle Anurag). Because only an alcoholic knows what an alcoholic goes through. It became a very big problem.”

About Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal

Produced by Ronnie Screwvala and directed by Vivek Agnihotri for UTV Motion Pictures, Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal starred John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Arshad Warsi, and Boman Irani. The sports drama was only moderately successful at the box office and was released the same year as Chak De! India, which was a major hit.

What’s next for Vivek and Anurag

Vivek Agnihotri is currently gearing up for the release of The Delhi Files – Bengal Chapter, featuring Mithun Chakraborty in the lead. Meanwhile, Anurag Kashyap will appear as the antagonist in Dacoit: A Love Story, co-starring Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur. The film's release date is yet to be announced.