Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and his girlfriend Shubhra Shetty have spoken about their relationship publicly for the first time in an interview with Janice Sequeira, years after Kashyap first attracted attention by sharing pictures with her on Instagram. The couple discussed the scrutiny surrounding their relationship, their age gap and whether they see marriage in their future.
The conversation also became emotional when Kashyap teared up as Shubhra recalled an early moment in their relationship. They also opened up about a challenging period when Kashyap admitted that his own insecurities had led him to try to distance himself from the relationship.
Shubhra revealed that she is in her 30s, while Kashyap is 53. Speaking about the criticism they have faced over their age difference, Kashyap said they had experienced age shaming, although he believes attitudes have changed over the years.
“We’ve had our share of troubles. We’ve had our moments. We have been self-conscious,” he said. Shubhra corrected him, pointing out that Kashyap had been more conscious of the situation. He agreed, explaining that as he grew older while she continued to look youthful, he became increasingly aware of their age difference.
Shubhra said Kashyap’s hesitation stemmed partly from his desire for her to live independently and not allow their relationship to define her life. She explained that while Kashyap, having experienced love and relationships, could be certain about his feelings, she was still discovering herself in her 20s. He therefore encouraged her to go out, experience life and find her way back to him if that was what she wanted.
Kashyap also spoke about their families with humour, noting that Shubhra had been unapologetic about their relationship from the beginning. He added that her mother, who is only seven or eight years younger than him, is also a close friend.
On marriage
When asked whether he would consider marrying for a third time, Kashyap said that Shubhra does not believe in marriage. Asked if he personally wanted to marry again, he said he was happy being with her and wanted to remain by her side, adding that he would be comfortable with whatever that required.
He also spoke about an insecurity that comes with growing older. Kashyap said he wants to remain healthy enough to outlive the people he loves, explaining that losing them is something he thinks about. Ultimately, he said that as long as they continue to have what they have found together, he is happy and does not want to lose it.
An emotional memory
Shubhra recalled an incident from the early days of their relationship that, according to her, showed how deeply Kashyap had been affected by their bond.
She said that during their honeymoon phase, she casually told him that being in love had been on her bucket list and that she could happily die after experiencing it. Kashyap, however, took the statement seriously and became emotional.
She recalled him telling her that before their relationship, he had never been afraid of dying in an accident and did not care much about what happened to him. But after finding something worth living for, he realised that he no longer wanted to die.
Shubhra described the moment as one of the sweetest ways to view their relationship. As she recounted the story during the interview, Kashyap became visibly emotional and teared up.
More about the couple
Shubhra previously worked as an assistant director at Kashyap’s production company, Phantom Films. The couple have been together for nearly a decade, with their relationship attracting considerable attention when it first became public, particularly because of their age difference.
Before Shubhra, Kashyap was married to editor Aarti Bajaj. Their six-year marriage ended in 2009, and they have a daughter, Aaliyah Kashyap. He later dated actor Kalki Koechlin, whom he married in 2011. Kashyap also introduced Koechlin to Bollywood with his romantic musical Dev D. They divorced after four years of marriage.
Kashyap most recently directed Bandar, starring Bobby Deol.
