In a fiery conversation with The Juggernaut, director Anurag Kashyap didn’t hold back when addressing the commercial mechanics of Bollywood’s music industry. Taking aim at T-Series, India’s largest music label, Kashyap claimed that he was underpaid for the music rights of his cult films Dev.D, Gulaal, and Gangs of Wasseypur—movies now celebrated as benchmarks in Indian film music.
Kashyap didn’t mince his words, declaring, “If Bhushan Kumar is not buying it, then it is good music. If T-Series is not buying it, it is great music.” The filmmaker suggested that T-Series often disregards musical merit, opting instead to chase commercial value linked to star power. He recalled how the label still acquired Bombay Velvet’s music despite not liking it—only because of the star-studded cast.
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While T-Series has yet to respond to these allegations, the controversy has reignited the debate between commerce and creativity in Bollywood. With Kashyap advocating for artistry over algorithm, the industry finds itself at a crossroads between business logic and musical brilliance.
