Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap revealed that film studio UTV was initially producing 'Gangs of Wasseypur' but wanted to replace Nawazuddin Siddiqui with a bigger star. "They said, how will Nawaz play this role...They left the film three days before the shooting began," Anurag added. "Co-producer Sunil Bora spoke to Viacom and they came in and told us to make...film," he stated.