An acclaimed filmmaker and producer, Anurag Kashyap has also gained recognition for his acting chops over the last few years. While his last directorial ‘Kennedy' is yet to be released in Indian theaters, Anurag is all set to act in a bilingual film. Titled ‘Dacoit: Ek Prem Katha’, it stars Adivi Sesh and Mrunal Thakur in the lead. The bilingual film will feature Anurag as a fierce cop; the first look of his character ‘Inspector Swamy’ was released on Friday. Meanwhile, let’s take a look at the various roles that Anurag has played in the past.

Akira

Anurag starred in AR Murugadoss’s 2016 film ‘Akira’ with Sonakshi Sinha in the titular role. An action-thriller, ‘Akira’ is a Hindi remake of the Tamil movie ‘Mouna Guru’. Anurag was roped in to play a corrupt police officer. Even though the film didn’t receive good reviews from the critics for the writing, Anurag’s character as ACP Govind Rane was hailed by all. The film also featured Konkona Sen Sharma as SP Rabiya Sultan.

Imaikkaa Nodigal

Director R. Ajay Gnanamuthu’s 2018 action-thriller ‘Imaikkaa Nodigal’, follows the story of a serial killer who is apprehended by a police officer. It stars Nayanthara, Atharvaa, Raashii Khanna, and Anurag in pivotal roles. Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi also played an extended cameo in the movie. ‘Imaikkaa Nodigal’ marked the Tamil debut of Anurag and Raashii. The movie was met with positive reviews and became a commercial success.

AK vs AK

‘AK vs AK’ is a black comedy thriller film helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane. It starred Anil Kapoor and Anurag played an extended and fictionalized version of themselves. Apart from playing one of the leads, Anurag also wrote the dialogues and co-produced the film. It skipped a theatrical release and was premiered on Netflix in December 2020. ‘AK vs AK’ received a positive response from the critics and the audience alike, and was especially appreciated for the performances of its leading stars.

Maharaja

One of the best acting works of Anurag that brought him a lot of praise is Tamil filmmaker Nithilan Saminathan’s critically acclaimed film ‘Maharaja’. Starring Vijay Sethupathi as the protagonist, the 2024 action-thriller became a blockbuster hit upon its release in June 2024. The film was made on a budget of Rs. 20 crore and earned around Rs. 190 crore. Apart from the performances, ‘Maharaja’ also received praise for showing societal issues through the cinematic lenses.