Ashok Amritraj

Ashok Amritraj (born 22 February 1956)[1] is Chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group, and was formerly CEO of National Geographic Films.

Ashok Amritraj
Born (1956-02-22) 22 February 1956
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
CitizenshipAmerican

An internationally renowned award-winning producer, Amritraj has made over 100 films during the span of his 35-year career, with worldwide revenues in excess of $2 billion.[2] He has partnered with every major studio in Hollywood and produced films starring the likes of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson,[3] Robert De Niro,[4] Bruce Willis, Sandra Bullock, Sylvester Stallone, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Dustin Hoffman, Andrew Garfield, Steve Martin, Rajinikanth, Antonio Banderas,[5] Jennifer Aniston,[6] Nicolas Cage,[7] and many more.

Amritraj’s extraordinary career from Wimbledon tennis player to billion dollar Hollywood producer (chronicled in his autobiography Advantage Hollywood[8]) is matched only by his commitment to education, diversity, and gender equality. Dedicating a significant amount of his time to philanthropic endeavors worldwide, in 2016 Amritraj was appointed as the first United Nations India Goodwill Ambassador for the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.[9] In December 2018, by decree of the President of the Republic of France, Amritraj was appointed a Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre National du Merité.[10]

Amritraj has grown Hyde Park into a cutting-edge independent alternative to the traditional Hollywood system, fully realizing his vision for a progressive global company that incorporates the most essential elements of a full-fledged studio. Hyde Park’s mandate encompasses feature film, television, digital, documentary, and local language content, with the Company possessing development, production, and financing capabilities in addition to handling worldwide sales and marketing.

Amritraj has had box office hits such as Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, starring Nicolas Cage,[11] Bringing Down the House, starring Steve Martin,[12] Premonition, starring Sandra Bullock,[13] Walking Tall starring The Rock, and many more, as well as critically acclaimed titles including 99 Homes starring Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon, Blue Valentine starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams,[14] and Shopgirl, starring Steve Martin and Claire Danes.[15]

Amritraj’s current projects include: Tennis icon and African-American civil rights activist Arthur Ashe’s Biopic in Partnership with Warner Music Group[16], Pashmina, a Major Animated Musical in partnership with Netflix, to be directed by Gurinder Chadha,[17] Remote Control starring Gerard Butler in Partnership with STX Films[18], the remake of the iconic Blake Edwards’ film "10"[19] with Warner Brothers, and Fordlandia, a Television event series, to be directed by Werner Herzog at AMC Studios.[20]

Amritraj continues his commitment to diversity and inclusion with the recently announced Hyde Park Entertainment Asia with its first slate focusing on Indian/Asian filmmakers & stories for both English and local language audiences. The initial slate includes the explosive thriller and Pulitzer Prize finalist Maximum City written and to be directed by auteur filmmaker Anurag Kashyap[21], and the gripping Drama Paradise Towers based on the best selling novel from one of India’s most celebrated directors, Zoya Akhtar, who brings the project to the screen[22].

Hyde Park Entertainment Group and its artists have received awards and recognition from the major award shows and film festivals including the Oscars, the BAFTA awards, the Emmys, the Independent Spirit Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globes, and many more.

Amritraj serves on the Executive Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and on the Producers Executive Board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences[23] and on the advisory board for the Dodge Film School at Chapman University.[24] In 2015, he was bestowed an honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of East London.[25]

Early life

Ashok lived in Chennai, his mother's name is Maggie Dhairyam and father's name is Robert Amritraj. He has two brothers, Vijay Amritraj and Anand Amritraj, both international tennis players.

Personal life

Filmography

As Producer

As Executive Producer

References
  1. Roy, Amit (21 February 2009). "Slumdog will sweep". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India.
  2. "Subscribe to read". Financial Times. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  3. Fleming, Michael; Fleming, Michael (23 January 2003). "The Rock is 'Walking Tall'". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  4. Jha, Manish Kumar. "It Is The Time Of Disruption: Ashok Amritraj". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  5. Jha, Manish Kumar. "It Is The Time Of Disruption: Ashok Amritraj". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  6. Jr, Mike Fleming; Jr, Mike Fleming (11 September 2013). "Toronto: Elmore Leonard's 'Life Of Crime' Near U.S. Deal With Lionsgate/Roadside". Deadline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  7. ""Ghost Rider 2" poised to ignite lackluster franchise". Reuters. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  8. Amritraj, Ashok (2013). Advantage Hollywood. India: Harper Collins Publishers India. ISBN 978-93-5029-359-1.
  9. Frater, Patrick; Frater, Patrick (2 February 2017). "Hyde Park Entertainment's Ashok Amritraj on His New Role as India Goodwill Ambassador". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  10. Frater, Patrick; Frater, Patrick (14 December 2018). "Ashok Amritraj Decorated by French Government". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  11. "Movie Projector: 'Ghost Rider' sequel to scorch competition". Los Angeles Times. 17 February 2012. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  12. McCarthy, Todd; McCarthy, Todd (23 February 2003). "Bringing Down the House". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. "McMahon Has 'Premonition' for TriStar". www.backstage.com. 10 November 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  14. "Right Cinema: Blue Valentine is an Indie Film". Hyde Park Entertainment Group. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  15. Brodesser, Cathy Dunkley,Claude; Dunkley, Cathy; Brodesser, Claude (18 September 2003). "Fox takes international on Hyde Park 'Shopgirl'". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  16. https://deadline.com/2020/06/hyde-park-warner-music-group-team-for-biopic-about-legendary-wimbledon-pro-arthur-ashe-1202960304/
  17. Jr, Mike Fleming; Jr, Mike Fleming (6 March 2019). "Netflix Teams With Gurinder Chadha & Ashok Amritraj's Hyde Park To Turn Nidhi Chanani Graphic Novel 'Pashmina' Into Animated Musical". Deadline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  18. https://deadline.com/2020/02/gerard-butler-remote-control-leonine-germany-stx-efm-1202866026/
  19. https://deadline.com/2020/05/10-remake-warner-bros-blake-edwards-julie-andrews-legally-blonde-screenwriters-1202936196/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=exacttarget&utm_campaign=Deadline_BreakingNews&utm_content=206535_05-15-2020_headline&utm_term=3196700
  20. Petski, Denise; Petski, Denise (14 June 2018). "'Fordlandia' Novel Being Adapted For TV; Werner Herzog To Direct". Deadline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  21. https://variety.com/2019/tv/asia/ashok-amritrajs-hyde-park-launches-large-scale-production-venture-in-india-1203310245/
  22. https://variety.com/2019/tv/asia/ashok-amritrajs-hyde-park-launches-large-scale-production-venture-in-india-1203310245/
  23. "ASHOK AMRITRAJ - Hollywood Film Producer". India West. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  24. "Dodge College Moves Up to #6 Spot in The Hollywood Reporter's Annual Ranking of Top 25 Film Schools - Maintains 'Top 10' Status for 5th Consecutive Year". Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  25. "Ashok Amritraj awarded honorary doctorate by a London Varsity". The Economic Times. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  26. "Hyde Park Hunts Latest 'Killer'".
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