On board with Uncle Oscar

Sound engineer Resul Pookutty is flying high on becoming a part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the roster of voting members.

He also belongs to the group of 135 artistes and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.

DNA chatted with Resul about the ceremony held in Los Angeles for the new members of the board.

“It was an incredible night,” recalls Resul. “It was an event to welcome all the new members of the Academy’s voting board, and I was the only Asian face around. I was introduced as a friend from India, who ‘gave the most stupendous speech’ on 22nd February 2009. It was so touching.”

Resul was congratulated by many Hollywood celebs like Catherine Zeta-Jones, Samuel L Jackson among many others.

So what did they say? “Samuel is a wonderful man. He said that he would love to work in a Bollywood movie. I told him that he and Morgan Freeman have a great fan following in India, and will surely work out something for him,” reveals the Oscar winner.

He further adds, “Catherine and I discussed the current film that she was working on, and of a possibility of working together in the future. I also met Avatar’s producer John Landau, who surprised me when he said, “I’ve seen the trailers of an Indian movie you are working on...Rajnikant is amazing.’  It just shows that Hollywood is following our work.”

Resul  will begin work “on a British film with John Madden, director of  Shakespeare In Love” following the completion of current film projects like Ra. 1. 

“Parts of the film will be shot in Jaipur next month,” he reveals.