‘Gangster’, Anurag Basu’s cult romantic thriller, turns 20. He revealed envisioning a “pahadan” like Kangana Ranaut, whom he cast opposite Emraan Hashmi despite chemo—cooking dal together on a lean shoot abroad.
Anurag Basu’s ‘Gangster’ remains one of his most cherished films. This romantic crime thriller has earned a devoted cult following. Marking its 20th anniversary, the director shared memories of casting Kangana Ranaut opposite Emraan Hashmi.
Casting Kangana Ranaut
In his Variety India interview, Anurag revealed how he selected Kangana, saying, “I had an image of the girl in my mind, which was very similar to Kangana, and I was lucky enough to find her. I was struggling because I was meeting many girls and consulting with a lot of actresses. But there was none like Kangana around that time. So, I had a very clear image of a girl like this, a pahadan (from the mountains). So, when I first met her, I didn’t tell her immediately that she had been cast because directors are always greedy.”“So, I auditioned her and said, ‘You wait for five-six days. I’ll get back to you.’ I was still looking for a new girl for another five to six days. I couldn’t find one better than Kangana. I confirmed her for the film,” he continued.
Gangster’s shooting struggles
Reflecting on the toughest part of filming abroad, Basu shared, “When I first conceived the film, I wanted to go on the floor very quickly. Everybody was stopping me from doing so, as I was undergoing chemotherapy at the time. They wanted me to start the shoot after I had recovered. But the only way I could deal with the chemo and everything happening to me was by going on the floor. I was desperate to start. We went there with a very small unit because we couldn’t afford many people. We used to cook our own lunch. Kangana would cut onions, and I would cook dal. Everybody would eat and then go for the shoot”.
Gangster’s key credits
Directed by Anurag Basu and produced by Mahesh Bhatt, ‘Gangster’ also features Shiney Ahuja. It weaves an intricate love triangle amid themes of crime and betrayal.
