Hansal: Paid Anurag Rs 75K for film that never released

Before Anurag Kashyap became one of India's most acclaimed filmmakers, and before Hansal Mehta was known for his powerful real-life dramas, the two shared a lesser-known but fascinating connection. In a recent interview, Hansal opened up about a moment that changed both their lives – and it all started with a fee of Rs 15,000 and a film that never got released.

Hansal Mehta credits RV Pandit
Mehta credits veteran producer RV Pandit for giving him his first big break. At a time when few believed in him, Pandit put his trust and money behind Mehta’s passion to make films. “RV Pandit ji was the one who supported people who were written off. I had edited all the trailers and promos of 'Maachis',” Hansal told Pinkvilla.

Recalling how RV Pandit surprised Hansal by offering to fund a film. “You want to make movies? How much do you want to make a movie?" he asked. At first, the 'Shahid' director thought it was too good to be true. "I wondered who would give me money… I was struggling even for Rs 50,000… who would give a lakh?" he remembered.
But Pandit was serious. He told his accountant Hemant to give Hansal Rs 25 lakh, and promised another Rs 25 lakh if needed – “but not a single penny more.” With this unexpected support, Hansal got started on his film. But he still needed a strong story – and that’s when fate brought Anurag Kashyap to his doorstep.
While hanging out with actor Manoj Bajpayee at Mahesh Bhatt’s Andheri flat, Hansal had a strange but fateful meeting. As they were discussing ideas, Manoj fell asleep. Then someone knocked on the door. A man appeared, and Hansal told him Manoj was sleeping. But the man said he wanted to meet Hansal. He had seen 'Highway', had loved it, and said he was a huge fan. He’d been trying to find Hansal for a long time.
That stranger was none other than Anurag Kashyap, who was struggling to find his feet in the industry. The 'CityLights' director further said, “Usne bola main actor hu aur likhta bhi hu. Toh maine usko bola main ek kahani bolta hu likhoge kya? Usne bola sir main likh lunga, mujhe Rs 15,000 chahiye, mera three months ka rent hai. Usne 48 hours mein mujhe screenplay de diya kyuki usko paise chahiye the.”
'Jayate': Anurag’s first film that never released
Impressed with his work, Hansal didn’t just pay Anurag the Rs 15,000 he had asked for – he gave him Rs 75,000. What Anurag delivered was a massive 350-page screenplay that became the film 'Jayate'.
“It was technically Anurag’s first film,” Hansal said. The film featured Shakti Kapoor in a rare serious role and marked Shilpa Shirodkar’s final appearance in cinema. Each actor was paid Rs 50,000. Everything was ready – the cast, the crew, the script. And yet, despite all the effort, the film never made it to the big screen.“It got selected for Indian Panorama at IFFI, but it didn’t find distributors,” Hansal shared.