Indian tennis star Ashok Amritraj moved to the US as a professional tennis player. He then set his sights on Hollywood
Indian tennis star Ashok Amritraj moved to the US as a professional tennis player. He then set his sights on Hollywood but the transition was not easy. “Everybody wanted to play tennis with me, but nobody wanted to make a movie with me,” reflected Amritraj, CEO and chairman of Hyde Park Entertainment.
Amritraj has Hollywood hits like Raising Helen, Bandits and Bringing down the House under his belt.
Having made a handful of Indian movies, Amritraj is now building a bridge between the booming film industries of Asia and America. He spoke to Uttara Choudhury in New York about his new crossover film The Other End of the Line which he foresees as his company’s cash flow.
The romantic comedy has released in the US and will open in India in early 2009.
Did you ever imagine you would make it so big?
I feel incredibly blessed with two careers. The first phase was ten years of tennis. Growing up in India was wonderful. That stability is responsible for my successful movie career.
The last 26 years have been all about the movies. I have produced 98 films that have grossed over a billion dollars. It is more than a dream. Reality has excelled my dreams. I came here to make one or two movies.
You have made Hollywood movies for global audiences but The Other End ... is a crossover film. Is is because you want to give back?
It is a combination of things. I will always make movies that open on 3,000 screens across the US. My next movie is Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li based on the Japanese video game franchise. Over the last few years, I have made a conscious effort to provide a platform to introduce Indian and Asian talent to the West.
That was partly why I hosted the movie-making reality TV show, Gateway, on Sony. It was my way of discovering film-making talent. The winner Bejoy Nambiar will direct a little film for us. In Street Fighter we have a whole bunch of Asian actors. I am in a position where I can provide a platform for actors, directors to showcase their talent. It is giving back to India.
How many films are going to come out of the co-production deal with Adlabs?
I don’t know about that but it is more than a co-production. It is an investment from Reliance Adlabs into certain films that Hyde Park makes. They have an investment in The Other End... the Street Fighter and will invest in a couple more.
Is the The Other End...a little movie with a big heart?
Yes, it is. It is not pretentious. It is not going to open on 3,000 screens. It is a lovely, warm-hearted film.
When I announce a film these days, it is automatically pre-sold around the world because my distributors over the last two decades have made millions from me.
Is it a logistical nightmare for a foreign film crew to shoot in India?
We shot only in Mumbai. At least 85 per cent of our crew was Indian and they were terrific. Nearly 70 per cent of the crew consisted of women. They were terrific.
It was a logistical nightmare only because of traffic but I would say that of any big city in the world whether it is Mumbai, New York or London. It was a 30-day shoot; we tried to make Mumbai look romantic and wrapped up everything right on deadline.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}