Bollywood director Hansal Mehta shared a fascinating story about Anurag Kashyap's debut film, which wasn't Paanch. In a chat with Pinkvilla, he revealed that Anurag managed to write a screenplay in just 48 hours because he was in urgent need of cash for his rent, although the film never saw the light of day.

Hansal reminisced about producer RV Pandit, who was known for taking risks on individuals who were either overlooked or not yet recognized. One day, when RV Pandit asked Hansal how much he needed to make a film, Hansal thought it was a dream and asked for ₹50 lakh. The producer then told his accountant, Hemant, to hand over ₹25 lakh upfront and another ₹25 lakh if necessary, but made it clear that there wouldn’t be any extra funds.

Hansal admitted that while he had plenty of ideas, he felt lost on how to bring them to life. He was hanging out with actor Manoj Bajpayee at Mahesh Bhatt’s place in Andheri when there was a knock at the door. To his surprise, it was Anurag Kashyap.

Hansal remembers when Anurag managed to write a 350-page script in just 48 hours

We were chatting about some ideas when Manoj dozed off. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. A guy walked in, and I told him, "Manoj bhaiya is sleeping." He replied, "I wanted to meet you... I saw Highway, and I loved it! I'm a huge fan... I've been searching for you for a while," Hansal recounted.

He went on, "The guy said he was an actor and also a writer. I asked him if he’d be interested in writing a story I had in mind. He responded, 'Sure, I can write it, but I need ₹15,000 for my rent for the next three months.' He delivered the screenplay to me in just 48 hours because he really needed the cash. So, instead of giving him ₹15,000, I ended up giving him ₹75,000."

Hansal explained the reasons behind the film's failure to be released

The 350-page script evolved into the film Jayate, which Hansal mentioned was technically Anurag’s first project. The main cast featured Sachin Khedekar, Shakti Kapoor in a serious role, and Shilpa Shirodkar, with each actor earning ₹50,000. Unfortunately, Jayate never hit the theaters. Although it was chosen for the Indian Panorama section at IFFI, it couldn't secure a distributor. Hansal shared that he felt disheartened and shifted his focus to television afterward.

Anurag Kashyap eventually made his directorial debut with the crime thriller Paanch in 2003. He later directed several critically acclaimed films, including Dev D, Black Friday, Gulaal, The Girl In the Yellow Boots, and Gangs of Wasseypur, among others.

Hansal Mehta's next project

Hansal is busy working on his new series, Scam 2010, which will delve into the life of the controversial late businessman and Sahara group founder, Subrata Roy. He shared, “Scam isn’t just a franchise for me; it’s a reflection of our era. I’m excited to team up once more with Applause and Sony LIV to bring this extraordinary story to life.”

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