Anurag Kashyap recently voiced his disillusionment with Bollywood, stating his intention to leave the industry and Mumbai. He criticized the film world for its repetitive content, lack of experimentation, and a toxic environment driven by the pursuit of colossal box office figures like Rs 500 or Rs 800 crore films. Kashyap lamented that "the creative atmosphere is gone" and extended his critique to OTT platforms for similar reasons. In an interview with The Hindu, he elaborated, "I’ve left Mumbai. I want to stay away from film people. The industry has become too toxic. Everyone is chasing unrealistic targets, trying to make the next Rs 500 or Rs 800 crore film. The creative atmosphere is gone.”

Reacting to Kashyap's remarks, 'Chhaava' director Laxman Utekar, in an interview with Mama's Couch, suggested that if Kashyap is not creatively fulfilled, he is free to leave. Utekar stated, "Chale jao chod kar, beshak chale jao, koi zabadasti nahi kar raha hai. See, ye industry aisi hai ki you have to be mentally and creatively happy, then only we can make a great… agar aapka mann nahi hai yahan rehne ka toh aap great film kaise banaoge? Aap chale jao, isse acha (Leave if you want to, nobody is forcing you to stay. You can only make movies if you are creatively happy, and there’s no point in forcing yourself if you can’t put your heart in it). ”

Utekar strongly contested Kashyap's assertion that the audience lacks sensibility to appreciate certain films. Instead, he argued that it might be Kashyap whose "sensibility nahi hai audience ka taste accept karne ki (sensibility is not there to accept the audience's taste)." He pointed to the commercial success of films like 'Baahubali,' 'RRR,' 'Pushpa,' and even his own 'Chhaava,' which have grossed up to Rs 1200 crore, as evidence that cinema is not dying. "Woh galat bol rahe hai jab woh kehte hai ki audience ko sensibilities nahi hai unki film accept karne ki… balki unki sensibility nahi hai audience ka taste accept karne ki. Aaj 700-800 crore tak business kar rahi hai films… how can you say cinema is dying? Aap collection toh dekho Baahubali ka, RRR ka, Pushpa ka—1200 crore tak ka collection tha. Ya phir in fact Chhaava ka. Sensibility aapki change honi chahiye kyunki aap wahin par aatke huye ho (How can you say cinema is dying when movies are doing business of over Rs 1000 crore? You should change your sensibilities instead of telling the audience to change themselves),” Utekar added.

Furthermore, Utekar emphasized the necessity for filmmakers to evolve alongside the audience. He noted that today's viewers have access to global cinema through their phones and are "more updated than you (filmmakers)." According to Utekar, "after every three years, cinema is changing. cinematography is changing, editing is changing, storytelling, costume… everything is changing." He stressed, "As a filmmaker, you have to change. You can’t be stuck in the past and say the audience doesn’t have sensibility. You have to change."

The director also took aim at filmmakers who, in his view, create content solely for a niche audience, specifically mentioning those from "Bandra to Juhu." Utekar opined that such filmmakers are out of touch with what the broader Indian populace wants to see because they confine themselves to posh areas and international holiday destinations like London, New York, or Dubai, neglecting other parts of the country like Parel, Thane, or Chembur. "Unko pata hi nahi hai logon ko kya dekhna hai… kyunki woh rehte hai aise Juhu-Bandra jaise posh areas mein. Wahan rehna bura nahi hai, main bhi chahta hoon wahan rahun. Inn logon ka holiday hota hai London, New York, Dubai mein… unko Bandra ke aage Parel, Thane, Chembur jaise areas pata hi nahi. They don’t even know these areas exist. Jab aap apna desh ghume hi nahi ho… aap apne desh ko jaante hi nahi ho… aap apne brands mein busy ho… toh unko kaise pata chalega ki log kya dekhna chahte hai (These people have no idea that there is a world beyond Juhu and Bandra. They need to open their eyes and travel around the country. Instead, they are busy with their brands),” he concluded.