'God, how do you survive in Bollywood?': Anurag Kashyap says Basil Joseph told him he ‘wasted’ 2 yrs on Shaktimaan

Basil Joseph, the filmmaker behind the global superhero hit Minnal Murali, says he "wasted two years" trying to get Shaktimaan off the ground. The long-delayed reboot of India’s iconic superhero series, once set to star Ranveer Singh, remains stalled—despite mounting buzz and conflicting headlines.

The revelation came via director Anurag Kashyap, who recently shared Basil’s frustrations in a conversation with Chalchitra Talks. “He told me he wasted two years of his life trying to do Shaktimaan,” said Kashyap. “He even asked me, ‘God, how do you survive in that industry?’”

Basil, who made a mark with three back-to-back directorial hits—Kunjiramayanam, Godha, and Minnal Murali—has since focused on acting, earning critical praise for recent roles. But fans have been eagerly waiting for his directorial return, especially after rumors linked him to the Shaktimaan reboot.

Originally created by Mukesh Khanna, Shaktimaan is one of Indian television’s most iconic characters. The film version was expected to cast Ranveer Singh in the lead, with Basil at the helm. However, delays, conflicting reports, and public skepticism—including Khanna’s own doubts about Singh playing the superhero—have plagued the project.

Earlier this year, speculation surged that Pushpa star Allu Arjun had replaced Ranveer. Basil dismissed the claim directly in an interview with Subhash K Jha: “Shaktimaan will be made only with Ranveer Singh. No one else is doing Shaktimaan. Whoever is spreading rumours clearly has their own agenda.”

Despite the setbacks, Basil continues to draw admiration for his versatility. An assistant to Vineeth Sreenivasan before stepping into direction, he remains a rare blend of actor-director with a spotless track record.

Still, his candid confession about the Shaktimaan saga paints a clearer picture of the challenges behind high-profile reboots—and why his fans may have to wait longer for his next film from the director’s chair.