At a recent event, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap opened up about an unexpected career turn that began with a chance encounter with Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi and how he helped him with a role in a Tamil film to help his daughter’s wedding. “After Imaikka Nodigal, I turned down a lot of South films. Offers kept coming every other day. Then, during post-production for Kennedy, I kept bumping into Vijay Sethupathi at my neighbour’s place.”

What began as casual conversations soon became a pivotal moment. “He told me there’s this amazing script they’ve been trying to get to me. I initially said no. But he helped me find something in Kennedy, so I gave him a ‘Thank You’ card in the film. I told him, ‘I need to get my daughter married next year, and I don’t think I can afford it.’ And Vijay said, ‘We’ll help you.’ And that’s how Maharaja happened," he said at a recent event in The Hindu.

Following the success of Maharaja, there’s been no looking back for Kashyap. He’s since taken on substantial roles in Vetrimaaran’s much-anticipated Viduthalai Part 2, Aashiq Abu’s Malayalam action-comedy Rifle Club, and Aditya Datt’s Hindi web thriller Bad Cop. He is also preparing for a prominent role in the Hindi-Telugu bilingual Dacoit: A Love Story, opposite Adivi Sesh.

Maharaja, directed by Nithilan Saminathan and released in June 2024, featured a stellar ensemble including Vijay Sethupathi, Mamta Mohandas, Natty Subramaniam, Abhirami, Divyabharathi, and Anurag himself. The film grossed ₹190 crore globally, securing its place as one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2024.

Anurag’s daughter Aaliyah Kashyap tied the knot with her longtime partner Shane Gregoire in a December 2024 ceremony held in Mumbai.