An Ace Indian tennis player of 70’s, CEO of Hyde ParkEntertainment -a USD 1.5 billion company, and whose address reads one of the plushest locality of Los Angeles;
we definitely can expect the person enveloped in the best of the brands of
world with an air of arrogance. But when Mr.Ashok Amritraj entered the business
room of Taj Darbar hotel to give interviews to reporters, he was certainly an
epitome of simplicity personified. In a simple grey & pink check shirt and grey
trousers, he looked every inch a person who means business without
showoff. He answered every answer with a
smile and earnest honesty. Ashok Amritraj was in India on invitation of
Confederation of Indian Industries to discuss Media and its implications. He
was also launching his Autobiography ‘Advantage Hollywood’ during this event.
Here is the conversation:
Q.Please tell us something about yourself.
Growing up in India was different time.you know it was old
Madras and new Chennai.and I think all of india has changed now, specially with
world wide web coming in, and all that connectivity. I think it has changed
with early 90s when all satellite TV coming in. Then of course there was big
change was after with web connectivity,and social networking and all the things.
You know,I was born in Chennai.I went to Don Bosco School in
Chennai, then went to Loyola College.Friends lived across the street. Exactly
the same sort of thing.then I started playing, when we were all young. The
particular time I started travel. But it
was a very pure time, you know those 60s, yet growing up there was not lot
of world wide influence,you know the parents said go play tennis, then you
actually go and play tennins. That was
pretty much it.But I grew up watching movies.so I was very much interested in
movies. My mother. U know, if she could not find me at a particular spot, it
means I am at theatre.so I was so much
interested in movies that I watched Sound of Music 34 times.
Q.There were very less numbers to theatres then….?
It was much lesser in numbers then. There was only one
loosely called multiplex.Sapphhire,gold and emerald multiplex only. I used to
go and watch Sound of Music 34 times, or may be more. Beautiful movie. My
friends from today also fell in the love with that movie. Movie was always
something I loved you know, even growing up playing tennis.
I feel, It was very much simpler at that time. You know, I
worry about kids today,its more complicated. You have a lot of challenges that America
faced in 1970s when you know and today.And challenges are different but for our
kids and I think the Indian kids have so
many more choices and so many more avenues and both right and wrong. So,its
very different time, its very much more complicated growing up now then it was
in 60s and 70s.
Q.How do u find it,
why it is because of exposure, or is it because
of intervention of too much media in our
life.
I think, you know, media is one part of it. I think for sure, the social networking is one
reason.You are ready to connect with people around the world , schools colleges
and kids, information that coming in such
an incredible pace that (pauses),all the system fails through all of the
different things and then top of the that, we add media to it, u know, that
there are 400-500 channels are there, its sort of mental overload. U really
need smart parenting, and parental background to keep your values and things
straight.
I think its very crucial to for person to have the right
values, and they have the right priniples, i think if they have the right sort
of family background, I think is to be part of close family.i think its hard to
reach straight. I think lots of the good things have happened in my life and
longevity of my career,like 32 yrs in hollywood, is bcoz of the family
background. Growing up in India., and now my family ,I have wife and 2 kids.
Its (pauses) so that I think starts with the fact how strong you are with your
values.
Q.did your parents
ever restrained to go for movies?
Oh ya, well, you know, they were not in favour in beginning.
My dad was in the railway, my mother was a business woman, and was like a
successful business woman. She started in a agarage of our house, manufacturing
cardboard boxes(aka Carton), and by the time she retired, 40 yrs later, she
built it into very successful business exporting . something supplying all the
big companies on India like Britannia.
And I have written about it in my book, she gave the first
tennis racquet in our hand, and, you know, very much the normal mothers do in India.she was very much driving force in our family.
She is an extra ordinary woman, (pauses) she was able to
balance being a mother of 3 kids, a wife along with a business. Drop us school,
and pick us up, then take us to the school. I don’t know how did she do it. It
was always a nostalgic feeling when I went to Chennai, drive through the
streets where I grew up. We have still our parental home and my mother stays
there.
Q.How often do you go to Chennai?
Very often. My mother is alone because my father passed away
in December. So one of us is there once a month. (pauses), you know, so for me
I try to make 4-5 trips a year to visit my mother.largely to spend time with my
mother.
Q.How did you think of going to Hollywood, when you went-
Bollywood was growing, even Tollywood was growing.
No, it was I didn’t go there to break into Hollywood. I was
invited to play tennis for the LA tennis team .I reached the final of Wimbledon
Junior in 1974; in 1975 went to Los Angeles for the first time.And there was a
gentleman called Jerry Basu and Billie Jean King were playing.Iit was called World
Team Tennis.so I was invited to play for it. And Chris Evert, Vijay Amritraj
were playing in the team. And I played for the team quite some years. In 1978
we won World Tennis Championship. And all the time after I landed in LA , I
knew that movie theatres were something I wanted to be in. from the time I
landed I landed in LA,dropped my bag, drove around the studios,it was
extraordinary to drive to warner brothers, Paramount,and studios that I always watched in movies.
Someway behind my mind it was always there in my mind that its movies for me
only.
Q.How was Hollywood reacted when you joined in?
It was a very closed business that time. It was driven by
big names and white people. I began to explore in 1980,For first 5 years there
was very less work. Then I worked as Independent producer and started making
movies for HBO, Showtime. In mid 80’s I made ‘Fear in a Handful of Dust’ which
gave me recognition.
Destiny has something written for you. In late 80’s, I was
sitting at my office with no work-looking at some photographs which had come to
me from struggling actors, who are looking for good break. I had some 800 odd
phtographs. Out of that I saw one picture and called him. We met and discussed
a movie, and that’s how Double Impact came into existence and so does The Van
Damme. The movie was very successful, and it was our first joint effort that made it reach such
milestone. That’s the reason that me and Jean-Claude Van Damme are still best
of friends.
Q.Is that the reason he is coming to launch your autobiography?
Yes, it is. I could have called Nicholas Cage, with whom I
did Ghost Rider, Could have called Antonio Bandares, Dwell Johnson aka The Rock
(worked in my film Walking tall) and many famous names, but Jean-Claude Van
Damme trusted me-and we worked together- when nothing was falling into place.
Who else can be a better person than him to launch it. By the way its his
maiden visit to India, and he is equally excited about it.
Q.Since you produced the movie, is that the reason that we
see some indian values in Double Impact? Like a caring brother and uncle, who
supports his family against all odds.
Yes, its impromptu. May be its my bringing up with values,
that it comes naturally. For me family plays a very vital role, so may be this
comes so natural in my movies as well. Even my film Premonition with Sandra
Bullock has indian value elements.
Q.As a producer, do you intervene or participate in
direction and other aspects of movie making?
Unlike India, Hollywood is different. In India Director is
larger than life, he is the one who runs the show and producer is nowhere in
picture. Whereas in Hollywood, producer plan the movie and then hires someone
to direct the movie. For eg, Sandra Bullock and I chose Mennan Yapo for
directing Premonition; Jean-Claude and myself selected Sheldon
Lettich for direction of Double Impact. Rest editing, screenplay producer work
closely with the team,so do I.
Q.What do you like more, producing movies, or playing tennis?
Oh, that’s two different time of my life. Both are my
passion, I am not young enough to play
professional tennis. But I try to ensure
that Saturdays should be tennis day, its star games day at my home. Pierce
Brosnan is a regular for it. The matches are followed up with Indian food.
Q.Indian food means Dosa or Idli….
Ya of course, sometimes it is chapathi and vegetables as
well.
Q.You have worked with Sir Ben Kingley, Nicholas cage kind
of finest actors, and I have learnt that this year you gave break to fresh
talents like Emma Roberts and Evan Peters. How do you handle such shifts of
talent?
My company Hype Park Entertainement works more like a studio
than a business house. Reality has exceeded my expectations. I have
experimented with thriller, to action adventure, to comedy. Destiny has been
kind enough to give great achievements to our productions. Emma Roberts is niece
of the well known actress Julia Roberts. We thought of giving chance to the
younger generation and I found Emma and
Evan Peters highly capable and they did full justice to the sensitivities of my
movie Adult World. I mean to say by
that, it’s the subject of the movie which makes the character important not
mere names. Similarly my movie Midnight Sun is going to be a very touching
movie of a 13 year old boy and baby Polar Bear which has lost. This 13 year old
boy crosses every barrier and make that baby Polar Bear meet his mother.
Q.What is your take on rise of Animation and 3D pictures.
They are here to stay. Animation is huge, the audience is
vast. The success of Animation depends how good it is. For 3D, I think, the
technology has evolved tremendously. It is here to stay as it helps curb
piracy.
Q.What kind of changes you have observed in audience.
I have change is taste. The success has a shorter span now
as audience wants a change soon. Earlier the movies used to linger longer and
used to complete 25 weeks easily, but this does not happen now. Its all very
quick. Specially audience of 14-24 age group is very demanding. They want well
paced movie to hold them back.
Q: How & when did you get the idea of writing your
autobiography.
This is a long answer, but a couple of years ago when
Harpers approached me, I gave it a thought. Then I gave it a try as when I
looked back, I could see so much experiences of life which can be shared to
motivate anybody.
Q:Whom do you think
is your target reader.
Next Generation,
youngsters, schools.
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