Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is serving as jury president at the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), where he is also leading a masterclass titled "Unfiltered Realism." Rather than presenting himself as an authority with fixed answers, Kashyap says he is using the role to seek out what he calls "a new cinematic language," expressing particular interest in how younger directors are telling stories in ways his own generation could not.

Kashyap, whose latest directorial feature "Bandar" marks his return behind the camera, argues that authenticity in filmmaking has never been about visual style but is instead a necessity across directing, producing and acting. He notes that mature film industries in South Korea, Japan, China and India all face the same pressures from shrinking audience attention spans and the endless choice offered by streaming platforms. He said he hopes the masterclass becomes a two-way conversation, allowing him to gather insights into the future of cinema rather than simply dispensing advice.