New Delhi, 19 April

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who has courted a major controversy over a comment on the Brahmin community, has claimed that his family and friends are receiving “death and rape threats”.

Kashyap had made the intemperate comment on the community in a reply to a social media user.

On Friday evening, the 52-year-old filmmaker posted a statement on Instagram, saying his comment has been "taken out of context".

"This is my apology, not for my post but for that one line taken out of context and the brewing hatred. No action or speech is worth your daughter, family, friends, and colleagues getting rape and death threats from the kingpins of sanskar," Kashyap said.

"I won't take back what I said. Abuse me all you want. My family didn't say anything. If you want an apology, here it is," he added.

In another post on his Instagram Stories, Kashyap shared a screenshot of the controversial comment.

"Everyone has read the response… and they’re all outraged as well. At least look at the context before you write," the director wrote in the caption.

Kashyap has been actively posting on social media over the release of "Phule", a biopic on social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.

The biopic, featuring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa in the roles of the reformist couple, was set for release last week but it will now arrive in theatres on 25 April.

After the trailer of ‘Phule’ was unveiled online on 10 April, some members from the Brahmin community raised objections stating that they’ve been portrayed in poor light.