Anurag Kashyap reveals unexpected audience reaction behind Bombay Velvet failure: ‘Audience got upset with Ranbir…’

Anurag Kashyap reveals bizarre feedback on the Bombay Velvet flop. Read what he said.

In the glitzy and glamorous world of showbiz, success is often unpredictable. While some films strike a chord instantly, others fade despite scale and ambition. One such film was Bombay Velvet which failed to connect with the audience; however, it still continues to be discussed after its release. Recently, Anurag Kashyap has reflected upon recalling the surprising reasons given for its failure.

Anurag Kashyap recalls bizarre feedback

In a recent interview, Kashyap recalled the discussions that followed Bombay Velvet’s poor theatrical run and revealed the studio’s research team gave him a reason that left him shocked. He said, “The debacle of the film was such that when they did the research, the shocking thing was, people didn’t like Ranbir’s hair. They said that audiences got upset with Ranbir’s hair, because he had curled it up. And it was a choice that we all made; we designed it like that.”

Reacting to the feedback, Kashyap admitted he found the explanation hard to digest. “And when I heard this, I was like, that’s the most absurd reason I can hear. One can say, ‘Oh, the film didn’t work for me’; but coming up and saying hair didn’t work, and because of that it didn’t get an opening, and people didn’t go to see the film because they were put off by the hair, was absurd,” he added.

Ranbir on Bombay Velvet’s failure

Kashyap also shared that Ranbir Kapoor prefers not to revisit the subject of Bombay Velvet. Recalling a conversation with the actor, he said, “I think Ranbir was very upset about that, and he keeps saying, ‘Why do you keep talking about Bombay Velvet? Just ignore it. The film didn’t work, it didn’t work, but you don’t have to talk all the time.’ But people ask me questions all the time, how can I just ignore that?”

Despite the film’s failure, Bombay Velvet remains a significant chapter in Kashyap’s career, often cited for its scale, ambition, and the intense scrutiny it faced after its release.

Anurag Kashyap’s films after Bombay Velvet

Following Bombay Velvet’s failure, Kashyap went on to direct critically acclaimed films such as Raman Raghav, Manmarziyaan, Kennedy, and Nishaanchi. However, despite strong reviews and appreciation for his storytelling, commercial box office success has continued to remain important for the filmmaker.