Renowned filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has officially moved out of Mumbai, choosing Bengaluru as his new home. In an interview with The Hindu, the director-actor confirmed his relocation, citing Bollywood’s increasingly ‘suffocating’ environment and excessive commercial focus.

Kashyap, who recently earned praise for his antagonist role in Maharaja starring Vijay Sethupathi, spoke highly of the creative liberty in South Indian cinema. He is currently busy promoting the Hindi version of his Malayalam film Footage.

Back in December, the 52-year-old filmmaker  had hinted at his plans to leave Mumbai and settle in South India. A close source confirmed that Kashyap has indeed shifted base and deliberately distanced himself from the mainstream Hindi film circuit.

“I’ve left Mumbai. I want to stay away from the industry. The atmosphere has turned too toxic. Everyone is chasing unrealistic box office milestones, aiming for ₹500-800 crore earnings. The artistic essence has faded,” he remarked.

He further criticized Bollywood’s obsession with massive commercial success, which, according to him, has eroded its creative foundation. Kashyap previously revealed to The Hollywood Reporter India that he felt increasingly disillusioned with the industry and wanted a fresh start in the South.

The Gangs of Wasseypur director is now focusing on new ventures, including a bilingual Malayalam-Hindi project and a Tamil film.