Anurag Kashyap on casting Mrunal Thakur: I have something crazy for her in mind

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has hinted at a bold, unconventional role for actor Mrunal Thakur in an exclusive interview. He also reflected on her standout performances, saying Thakur often underestimates her own abilities.

In Short

• Anurag Kashyap called Mrunal Thakur a rare acting talent
• He praised her ability to convey emotions through her eyes
• The filmmaker hinted at a future collaboration with a bold role

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has expressed strong admiration for actor Mrunal Thakur. He has described her as a rare talent who brings genuine emotional depth to her performances. The 53-year-old also said that Thakur often underestimates her own abilities.

Thakur’s acting style, he said, relies less on conventional gestures and more on conveying emotions through her eyes. He expressed this connection with her inner self is something few actors possess, making her performances particularly compelling.

‘She underestimates herself’

In an exclusive interview with India Today, the filmmaker reflected on her craft, saying, “She really underestimates herself. She has no idea how good an actor she is. She’s a very good actor.”

He went on to distinguish Thakur’s approach from conventional acting methods. “Actors, you know; they act with their hands, with their eyes, with all of that. But she feels things, and they translate through her eyes. If you see any random image of her from any film, generally, you know exactly what she’s feeling - it’s all there in her eyes. That connection with self, very few actors have,” he added, underlining his admiration.

Kashyap hints at future collaboration

When asked what kind of role he would cast her in, Anurag said, “I have something crazy in mind for her. She’s been wanting to let loose and abuse in a film for a while now- so whoever she wants to abuse, she can do it in my film.”

Performances that stood out

Kashyap also revisited some of Thakur’s standout performances that left a lasting impression on him. Speaking about her breakout role in Love Sonia, he admitted he came to it slightly late. “I didn’t watch her series at the time Kumkum Bhagya, I got to know about it later, my family used to watch it, but when I saw Love Sonia for the first time, I was totally blown away,” he said.

He further mentioned Sita Ramam as another performance that resonated deeply with him. “Sita Ramam really stayed with me,” Kashyap noted.

Recalling her work in Super 30, he highlighted a specific moment that, according to him, captures her ability to communicate emotion with subtlety. “I have watched her closely in Super 30, because I sat on a few of the edits myself. The very first sequence I remember is when she’s dancing, and Hrithik Roshan’s character comes and looks at her. The way she stops- that surprise in her eyes- I still have that image in my head. The way she looks at him, pauses, then turns again, trying to communicate something to him that was beautiful. So much. Because we remember those things,” he said.

Mrunal will be seen in the upcoming film Dacoit, alongside Adivi Sesh. The film also stars Anurag Kashyap and will release in theatres on April 10.

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