How a Film Graduate Landed a Job with Anurag Kashyap Through an Instagram Message

Filmmaker and writer Shivam Shankar landed his first break with director Anurag Kashyap after sending him a long Instagram message following a low point over a deleted graduation film. Shankar, who hails from Bihar, considers Kashyap his teenage hero and a source of hope for young filmmakers from similar roots. His award-winning short film titled Bhed Bakri Bhoot is currently streaming on YouTube after a successful festival run that included winning Best Short Film at IIFSA Toronto and Best Indian Short Film at Yellow Stone. The idea for the project came from a desire to set a story in a public washroom where people of different classes and cultures collide, inspired by a book line about toilet walls seeing more revolutions than parliament.

Context

Short films often serve as crucial stepping stones for independent creators trying to enter the mainstream film industry without heavy financing. Streaming platforms like YouTube have increasingly allowed young directors to bypass traditional distribution hurdles and reach audiences directly.