In a Mid-day's chat show, Sit With Hitlist, Anurag Kashyap shared some unknown facts about his life journey before becoming a popular director. Did you know that during his college days, Anurag wanted to be an actor? And we're sure you will be even more surprised to know that Shah Rukh Khan had once made an omelette for Kashyap, when the latter visited him at his bungalow, Mannat.
While recalling those days, Anurag said, "It was 1992. Imtiaz was in [Delhi's] Hindu College. I had just discovered theatre, and was told that you need to get pictures clicked, if you want work. I did, after collecting Rs 3000, which was a big sum then. And I started doing a lot of acting on stage, and I did some films."
He further added, "Also, what Imtiaz did not tell you was one of the first films that I did as the lead-actor, he was my co-star. The only copy of the film is with Zee, where it had premiered on January 26, 1994. We don't talk about it. Imtiaz will kill me. If you ever pull out a copy from the Zee library, he will come after you too!" While recalling his random meet with Shah Rukh Khan at Mannat, Anurag revealed, "I was hungry and I walked into his house, using our college connection [both went to Hansraj in Delhi]. I remember him feeding me. He only knew how to make omelette." The Gangs of Wasseypur director also told a story about his initial days in the industry, and revealed how Mahesh Bhatt once supported him economically, so that he could pay his rent. Kashyap said, "Oh, one of my favourite stories is about Mahesh Bhatt. He happened to me, right before Ram Gopal Varma. He got me to write films. And Mukesh Bhatt was very miserly with money. I was struggling for rent. Pooja Bhatt was the nicest and kindest; I would tell her to talk to her dad." "Then I just walked up to [Mahesh] Bhatt saab once and said that I'd rather be a carpenter than work in his office. With his brother [Mukesh] around, he didn't say a word. When I was leaving, he came down, said, 'Don't ever change.' And he put Rs 10,000 in my hand. That was big money in 1994-1995."