Filmmaker taps into childhood memories and raw storytelling magic with Nishaanchi, starring Aaishvary Thackeray in a double role

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is all set to bring his next directorial venture Nishaanchi to theatres on September 19. Known for pushing boundaries in Indian cinema, Kashyap revisits the raw magic of storytelling that first captivated him as a child growing up in small-town India.

Before he was a director, writer, producer, or actor, Kashyap was a cinephile—enchanted by the flickering images projected onto makeshift screens. With no access to modern theatres, he recalls watching films projected onto white walls or red sheets, and even sneaking behind screens when forbidden by adults.

Reflecting on those formative experiences, Kashyap says, “I would read a lot of noir—Hammett, Chandler—and that opened the door to cinema for me. Nishaanchi, for me, is like going back to that world. Back then, films like Sholay reached us years late, through Chalchitra Talkies or government schemes.”

Nishaanchi is produced by Ajay Rai and Ranjan Singh under Jar Pictures, in association with Flip Films, and co-written by Prasoon Mishra, Ranjan Chandel, and Kashyap himself. The film explores the complex 

bond between two brothers and stars debutant Aaishvary Thackeray in a double role, alongside Vedika Pinto, Monika Panwar, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, and Kumud Mishra.