From the mouth of a supposedly well known Indian film maker himself… Some excerpts from the interview, the comments are in parenthesis…
"I think it’s unrealistic of people to think that Aishwarya can walk into Hollywood and become Nicole Kidman.
It ain’t going to happen." – Ashok Amritraj
With all the talk of Indians stars crossing over to Hollywood, nothing has happened really. Despite Aishwarya’s haloed presence, Bride and Prejudice was no Bend it Like Beckham. Mira Nair’s first mainstream Hollywood film Vanity Fair was panned and Shekhar Kapur has not emerged from the Four Feathers debacle. Ashok Amritraj, the owner of Hyde Park Entertainment, a company involved with mainstream Hollywood films like Raising Helen, Bandits and Original Sin is widely regarded as India’s only permanent representative in Hollywood. In this interview he gives reasons as to why the ‘crossover’ will take a long time coming.
By Meena Iyer
How would you describe your 25–year stint in Hollywood?
Till 1991, I was an outsider. It was only after my film, Double impact, with Jean Claude Van Damme became a hit, that I actually made my mark in Hollywood.
For the first 10 years I belonged to the 99 per cent on the outside, looking in. now I belong to the one percent, which is on the inside, looking out.
In your opinion has any India movie actually crossed over?
No. A business of 25 to 30 million is roughly the benchmark at which you can consider that a film has crossed over and attracted a white or Caucasian audience. That has not happened so far.
Aren’t Mira Nair and Shekhar Kapur recognized in Hollywood?
Mira is wonderful with the small movies that the makes. She is best known for Salaam Bombay and Monsoon Wedding. But her Vanity Fair was a non–no. Shekhar Made Elizabeth, which was a UK collaboration. But Four Feathers was no good. In my opinion we haven’t had a true Indian crossover film, which is rather unfortunate.
China had Crouching Tighter Hidden Dragon, Italy had Life is Beautiful and France had Amelie, all of which were major in Hollywood. But India has nothing in this league so far. (Note: He forgets Ying xiong/Hero released last fall which garnered cult following in the US following it’s 50+ million gross. The movie won massive critical acclaim well)
Another interesting phenomenon in Hollywood is that we’re looking to remake certain Asian films. But the films are primarily Korean, Japanese and from Hong Kong, nothing from India. I don’t think originality is the strong point of Indian cinema anyway.
Is there no director of Indian origin who’s renowned in Hollywood?
Manoj Night Shyamalan is the only director with Indian roots who I’d say could call the shots in Hollywood. Manoj has had four successful movies (Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village) and he is perhaps the only India who can approach a studio if he wants to market a movie. Others have to wait for their phone to ring.
I hear Manoj is looking to film his next project, the Life of Pi, in India. So that will definitely offer Indian actors quite a few opportunities.
(Out of a population of 1 Billion + self procalimed “geniuses” they could turn in only one decent director - and that too an American born South Indie…tsk tsk)
You were talking about making a movie yourself with an Indian girl and an American hero, weren’t you?
Yes, I was here in March last year to look for and Indian girl to play the lead in my movie, a love story between an Indian girl and an American. Guy. Karan Johar helped me get acquainted with some of the top actresses here. It is a star–making role for a girl. But I can’t seem to be able to get an American director interested in such a project. I keep getting the classic shake of the head. If put Jennifer Lopez instead of the Indian girl perhaps we’d get talking.
(* Trust me Mr Amritraj, NO one would be interested in watching some ugly brown b*** shaking her a** with some gora on a retarded bhangraa number)*
The British directors understand India better, but your average American is not in the least bit curious about India. For most of them India, Pakistan and the Middle East are one. They are curious about this part of the world only because of the war. And you have to actually point out India and Pakistan on the map for them.
Are you still looking for the Indian girl?
Honestly, I haven’t looked very hard. It is just that I have my hands full with my Hollywood projects and haven’t been able to take myself away from those. You’ve got to jut go along with the flow. You know what the Bible says about having seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. I’ve had my seven years of famine.
- you just lost me right there man… a soft-porn movie maker talking about making it big in Hollywood - how ironic.