Anurag Kashyap issues statement on 'Manmarziyaan' controversy—Read

New Delhi: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's 'Manmarziyaan' has received mixed reviews with the lead actors of the film, Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal being lauded for their performances. The film ran into a controversy in which sentiments of the Sikh community have been hurt over a smoking scene. Kashyap has now released a statement saying that everything in the film had been shot under guidance and that there was no intention of hurting the Sikh community. The filmmaker also wrote that 'Manmarziyaan is a story of three individuals and not their religion.'

Check out his full statement here on Twitter:

My statement on the brewing controversy.

Read: https://t.co/VkB0eTyNrx — Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) September 19, 2018

The statement reads, “I am not in India and I have been reading about the Sikh community feeling offended by the smoking scene. This film is not commenting on a community , it talks about individuals and their choices. Every step of the way, we asked for guidance from Sikh people for the film. When we shot the sequence in Gurudwara , we were told we can’t shoot them getting married as it can’t be faked so me made the actors do only “Mattha tekna “. When we were shooting scenes , no member of crew was allowed to smoke inside the houses . When we shot the smoking scene , it was shot on the street and there were close to 150 people watching the shoot. We asked before doing the scene and were told that he has to take the Turban off before he smokes away from his house. We were also shown how Robbie should take the turban off with both hands and how he should hand it over and how the cousin should take it . Most of the 150 people in the crowd were sikhs and we were told that’s how it is. We created what we saw with our own eyes and after discussion. It was never the intention to hurt the community and why would we do that when we got so much love from them . The city of Amritsar opened their hearts and doors to us and everything was done with utmost care . Not a single thing was shot without guidance. We wanted to show things the way they are. No religion teaches crime or anything anti-humanity , yet those things happen. It doesn’t mean they are offending the religion. Manmarziyaan is a story of three individuals and not their religion. I am sorry if anyone feels genuinely hurt but I would also request that please don’t make this unnecessary political because it’s not. I have always put out things the way they are without an agenda. Technology does not allow us to cut a scene and it affects the story telling . So I definitely can not do that now.To those whose hurt is genuine , I offer a genuine apology , that wasn’t my intention. And for those who are doing it for attention , I am glad you have got the attention.”

The romantic drama marks Abhishek's return to the big screen after a gap of two years.  The movie has been penned by Kanika Dhillon and is produced by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Entertainment's Phantom Films joint venture. 

Kashyap's last release 'Mukkabaaz' had won critical acclaim.