Renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, known for his gritty storytelling and unconventional approach to cinema, has called out music giant T-Series over what he describes as the label’s disregard for musical quality in favor of star power.
In a recent interview with The Juggernaut, the Gangs of Wasseypur and Dev D director didn’t hold back as he accused T-Series and its head Bhushan Kumar of underpaying for musically rich films and favoring projects with big-name stars.
“T-Series Doesn’t Buy Good Music at a Good Price”
Kashyap, who has consistently collaborated with innovative composers like Amit Trivedi, said:
“The idea is not to cater to the market. If T-Series, Bhushan Kumar, is not buying it, then it is good music.
T-Series doesn’t buy good music at a good price. They paid very less for Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur, or Gulaal.
They only pay for who the star is. They don’t pay for the quality of music.”
He added that T-Series “paid nothing” for the music of Dev D despite its massive critical and cultural success. The soundtrack of Dev D, composed by Amit Trivedi, earned widespread praise and even a National Award.
Irony: Bombay Velvet Was Paid Most, but Failed Commercially
In a surprising revelation, Kashyap noted that the highest amount T-Series ever paid for one of his film’s music was for Bombay Velvet — a movie that performed poorly at the box office.
“The highest amount of money they paid for any of my movies is Bombay Velvet.
As music, it was very good, but it worked the least for them.
Because nobody wanted to listen to jazz.”
Starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, Bombay Velvet was a stylized noir film featuring a jazz-based soundtrack — a genre rarely heard in mainstream Bollywood.
The Bigger Picture
Kashyap’s remarks shine a light on a longstanding tension between artistic integrity and commercial preferences in India’s film music industry. His critique aligns with broader concerns from independent filmmakers and composers about how market-driven labels overlook innovation in favor of formulaic content.
Despite the underwhelming commercial reception of some of his films, Kashyap’s soundtracks — especially for Dev D, Gangs of Wasseypur, and Gulaal — continue to have a cult following, proving that bold musical choices can have lasting impact.