The Kennedy effect! One statement was blown out of proportion and after a lot of back and forth, a promise was made at the end of which lies a beautiful collboration waiting to happen – Anurag Kashyap and Chiyaan Vikram!
The ‘Kennedy’ Effect! Anurag Kashyap and Chiyaan Vikram found themselves in a strange banter after the director mentioned the latter in one of his interviews. Kashyap, in an interview at Cannes where he launched his movie ‘Kennedy’, talked about missing out on an opportunity to work with Vikram whose real name is Kennedy Joh Victor. One thing led to another and the whole internet got abuzz with rumours of the actor purposely ignoring Kashyap’s call when he had reportedly reached out to him for the film.
However, thanks to the internet again that the two sorted out the confusion and misunderstanding in tweets, at the end of which they both expressed their wish to work with each other soon. Here’s how everything unfolded:
ANURAG KASHYAP’S STATEMENT ABOUT CHIYAAN VIKRAM:
During an interview with Film Companion, Kashyap said he had the Ponniyin Selvan actor in mind while writing the script of his movie ‘Kennedy’. The director said, I only cast people who are totally available and who will give everything. I did not write Kennedy for Rahul Bhat. I had a specific actor in mind when I wrote this script, which is why the film was called Kennedy Project. It was Chiyaan Vikram. His real name is Kennedy (Kennedy John Victor). I reached out to him, but he never responded.”
Kashyap’s statement was blown out of proportion, making Vikram jump in and clarify the air once and for all.
CHIYAAN VIKRAM’S RESPONSE TO ANURAG KASHYAP’S STATEMENT
Taking to Twitter on the same day, Vikram clarified that he indeed missed Kashyap’s call two years back but that’s because the director called him on the wrong number. However, he revealed that as soon as he got to know about Kashyap reaching out to him, he called him back and they had a conversation.
Vikram wrote, “Dear @anuragkashyap72 , Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media (sic).” He added, “When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself immediately and explained that I hadn’t gotten any mail or msg from you as the mail id that you had contacted me on was no longer active and my number had changed almost 2 years before that. As I said during that phone call, I’m very excited for your film Kennedy and even more so because it has my name. I wish you great times ahead (sic).”
Dear @anuragkashyap72 ,
Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media. When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself…— Vikram (@chiyaan) May 22, 2023
The director acknowledged Vikram’s tweet and responded on Twitter.
ANURAG KASHYAP-CHIYAAN VIKRAM END THE ‘KENNEDY’ MATTER
Kashyap wrote back to Vikram saying he is not retiring until he works with him in the future. His tweet read, “Absolutely right Boss sir. For the information of people, when he found another actor that I was trying to reach to him he called me directly and we realised that he had a different WhatsApp number. He gave me his correct information to reach out and even showed interest in reading the script but by then we were all locked and a month away from shooting (sic).”
Absolutely right Boss sir. For the information of people, when he found from another actor that I was trying to reach to him he called me directly and we realised that he had a different WhatsApp number. He gave me his correct information to reach out and even showed interest in… https://t.co/1xmImitvHY
— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) May 22, 2023
Not just this, the popular Hindi film director clarified that what he spoke about in the interview was the story of what happened before he finally got to speak to him on call. “He also graciously blessed us to use the name ‘Kennedy’ for the film. What I stated in the interview was the story behind, how the film got to be called Kennedy. There is no need for any overreaction. And definitely I think neither Chiyaan sir or I am retiring without working together. FYI we go back to pre Sethu days (sic),” he said.
Kashyap’s ‘Kennedy’ is the only film up for screening at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival. It is set to premiere under the Midnight Screenings section. The film features Sunny Leone and Rahul Bhat in the lead. It is a noirish thriller that follows the titular character working for a corrupt police force with scores to settle. Watch this space for all the latest updates on ‘Kennedy’!
