Anurag Kashyap lashes out at T-Series for paying little money for the music of Dev.D, Gangs Of Wasseypur and Gulaal, 'If Bhushan Kumar is not buying it...'

Pink Villa

14-07-2025

It's yet another chaotic day in the world of Bollywood. This time, the spotlight is on filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and producer Bhushan Kumar. Anurag Kashyap has openly criticized India's largest music label, T-Series, for its approach to music rights and payments. In a recent conversation that Anurag Kashyap had with The Juggernaut, he claimed that T-Series paid him less for the music of his iconic films, and elaborated on why he feels Bhushan Kumar lacks an understanding of good music.
Anurag Kashyap Expresses Displeasure Over T-Series Not Paying Him Enough For Music Of His Iconic Films Gangs Of Wasseypur, Dev.D and Gulaal
Anurag revealed that T-Series paid him very little for the music of his cult classics Dev.D, Gangs of Wasseypur, and Gulaal. These films, celebrated for their groundbreaking soundtracks, continue to resonate with the listeners. In the interview, he made a very bold remark. 'If Bhushan Kumar is not buying it, then it is good music. If T-Series is not buying it, it is great music. T-Series doesn't buy good music at a good price', he told to the interviewer.
T-Series, who continue to profit massively from these soundtracks, have allegedly compensated him inadequately. He claims that the label prioritizes commercial appeal over quality, often paying high amounts only when big stars are involved.
Anurag Kashyap Claims Bhushan Kumar's T-Series Acquired The Music Rights Of Bombay Velvet, Despite Not Liking It
The filmmaker also highlighted a specific case with his 2015 film Bombay Velvet. According to Kashyap, T-Series paid a substantial amount for its music despite not liking the soundtrack. He said, 'They only pay for the star in it,' implying that T-Series bases its financial decisions on the star power and not the musical merit.
Both Bhushan Kumar And Anurag Kashyap Are Correct In Their Own Right; Here's How
T-Series, led by Bhushan Kumar, has not publicly responded to these accusations yet. However, the label's dominance in Bollywood's music scene is undeniable. T-Series' commercial focus is not impractical as they are here to make money and not to do public service. Anurag Kashyap, on the other hand, is not wrong to be inclined towards the art, more than the other commercial aspects that labels like T-Series focus on.
Share your view on the matter, and whether or not you feel Anurag Kashyap is justified to be speaking like this about the music label that has acquired the music rights of his films.