Anshul Sinha’s journey through indie cinema reflects risk and purpose, as his film Million Views attempts to heal a fractured society through storytelling rooted in deeply personal cinematic vision. Khalid Mohamed discusses the pleasures and pains involved in the making of indie cinema with the filmmaker.

Independent filmmaker Anshul Sinha discusses his award-winning journey, challenges of indie cinema in India, censorship battles, and his film Million Views, exploring cybercrime, mental health, and societal fractures through purpose-driven storytelling and global cinematic ambition.
Clearly, our indie cinema is still in its most difficult phase: of finding acceptance at home, despite being overwhelmingly feted at major national and international film festivals.

Take the case of the Hyderabad-anchored Anshul Sinha. All of 35-years-old, he has won awards at a staggering number of 140 national and international festivals, and he’s been a Ted Baker speaker five times over.
Starting with basic equipment like a Nokia mobile phone and Windows MovieMaker, he created his first silent film which won 21 awards. That fuelled his determination to push the envelope further. Some of his most recognised projects include Gateway to Heaven, Mitti: Back to the Roots and Waterman.

His documentary The Unseen Disaster, based on biomedical waste in Hyderabad, underscored the dangerous ways in which some hospitals in the city were handling the waste without following guidelines.
He risked his life while uncovering facts about mafias involved in illegal disposal of the waste, receiving a death threat when the film was ready for release.

His Gateway to Heaven was a biopic of Rajeshwar Rao, who had conducted the
last rites of 12,000 unclaimed dead bodies in 20 years in Hyderabad. Since no one was ready to produce the film, he took on a night shift job, shooting during the day. The 60-minuter is a mix of animation and fiction, exposing the international and local organ mafias.
Of his backstory, Anshul Sinha explains that he grew up in an environment of discipline and academia; his father was a Bank of Baroda professional and lecturer. Anshul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication followed by an MBA degree, moving on to an induction in the fundamentals of filmmaking at Hyderabad’s Annapurna College of Film and Media. “My technical precision, sense for cinema structure,” he states, “stems from my background in Information Technology.”
He operates through the ‘Growth Triangle’ of Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai. His start-up ecosystem, he describes, as “the perfect lab for my Build in Public filmmaking philosophy.” Currently he is in the news for a feature film on the rampant presence of cyber-crime, cleverly titled Million Views, which initiates my question:

Cinema as Diagnosis, Not Just Storytelling
Million Views is quite a powerful expose. Did any specific cybercrime inspire its plot content?
There was no cybercrime specifically which related to its plot. Rather, I see the film as a diagnosis. No one can deny that India is suffering from a massive ‘Soul Blockage’. While the world sees Million Views as a film about cybercrime, it is an exploration of 17 different ideologies which have trapped the Indian psyche.

From the ‘Robotic Employee’ to the ‘Terminal Nihilist’. I saw a nation of 1.4 billion people being served by only 10,000 mental health specialists. Million Views was born to fill that gap, to be the cinematic medicine for a country in pain.
Have you faced censorship issues?

In India, censorship is the ultimate test of an indie filmmaker’s conviction. It is a gruelling four to five-month battle of patience where personal money and years of hard work are at stake. However, when the truth is as vital as what we’ve captured in a film, the wait is part of the sacrifice. I don’t view it as policing, I view it as the fire that tempers the final product.
Do you think Million Views will find a wider viewership, or stay on YouTube?
YouTube is a launch pad, but the soul of this film belongs to the global stage. My effort is connected to the very fabric of the nation. It has the potential to travel beyond borders because the addictions and blockages it describes are human, even if the context is Indian. This film, I hope, is destined for an OTT if not a theatrical release because a nation in darkness will always gravitate toward a light that offers healing.

Purpose Over Platform and Language
Ever thought of making a conventional Tamil or Telugu film?
My goal is purposeful cinema; whether it is in Tamil, Telugu or Hindi, the language is secondary to the impact. I am open to any project that respects the audience's intelligence and fulfils the mission of uplifting the human spirit.
Are actors okay being cast in your films? And how do you remain financially secure?
Actors are drawn to the purpose. When they see the three years of research and the 140-award pedigree, they realize theirs isn't just a role; it’s a contribution to a movement. Financially, I am anchored by my start-up, Output Media. We have produced over 200-plus ad films and brand stories for India’s leading companies. This commercial success allows me to keep my independent films pure and free from the compromises of traditional financing.

Which films and books have influenced you?
Structure-wise for the story, I am a student of Robert McKee. Visually and thematically, I am deeply influenced by Christopher Nolan. Like Nolan, I believe in cinema that challenges the mind while touching the soul, moving away from simple fantasy toward a more complex, realistic architecture.

Conviction, AI and the Future of Indie Cinema
Do you have a Plan-B?
I don’t believe in a Plan-B because my work is my dharma. As an artist, I have heard the voices of millions suffering in silence. My duty is to be their medium. You don't have a back-up plan for your soul’s purpose.
Have you faced flak or policing on your content?
Never, not yet at least. The intention behind my films is soul healing. When your reason to exist is to help millions come out of dark suffering, the universe protects that intent. We have taken every precaution to ensure that while the film is a mirror, it is designed to heal, not to hurt.

How do you view AI soon?

AI is a medium and a friend to the creator. In the next five years, the market will be flooded with AI fantasy films. This will create a massive realism deficit. Audiences will grow tired of simulated perfection and will crave the raw, human truth. AI will handle the technicality and filmmakers with a cause will handle the soul.

Have any prominent film personalities responded yet?
Not yet, and that’s a major issue. The person or platform which recognizes the power of Million Views first, I dare say, will be the one that owns the narrative of the New Indian Cinema. This is a ‘Blue Ocean’ opportunity.

Anything you'd like to add?

I have done my part: three years of research, 250 cast and crew members, and a lifetime of dedication. Now, I need a partner with the vision to see that Million Views is not just a film; it is a medicine for the nation.
In a world where smoking, obesity and isolation are surging, a streaming channel or a major theatrical partner can be the medium that delivers this healing to the 1.4 billion souls waiting for it. I have the mirror. I am looking for the one who will help the nation see itself.
Power And Responsibility, Leadership Under Lens, Influence Examined, Authority And Accountability, Public Figures In Focus, Power Structures, Who Holds Power, Decision Makers, Legacy And Impact,