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Ashok Amritraj

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Ashok Amritraj
Amritraj in March 2008
Born (1956-02-22) 22 February 1956 (age 70)
Madras, Tamil Nadu, India (now Chennai, Tamil Nadu)
OccupationsFilm producer, former professional tennis player
Years active1980s–present
OrganizationHyde Park Entertainment Group
TitleChairman and CEO

Ashok Amritraj (born 22 February 1956)[1] is an Indian-American athlete and film producer. He is chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group and was formerly CEO of National Geographic Films. He played tennis professionally in his youth, one of the Indians in the top levels of the sport.[2]

Career

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Ashok Amritraj and his elder brothers, Anand and Vijay, were among the first Indians to play in top-flight international tour tennis.[3]

In 1999, Amritraj partnered with film producer David Hoberman to start a film financing and production company Hyde Park Entertainment.[4] Hoberman left in 2002 to re-form Mandeville Films and Amritraj ran Hyde Park alone.[5]

Amritraj has produced over 100 films during his 35-year career with collective worldwide revenues in excess of USD $2 billion.[6] He partnered with multiple Hollywood studios and produced films starring Robert De Niro,[7] Antonio Banderas,[7] and Jennifer Aniston.[8] Amritraj has made notable films such as Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, starring Nicolas Cage,[9] Bringing Down the House, starring Steve Martin,[10] Premonition, starring Sandra Bullock,[11] and Walking Tall starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.[12]

In 2015, Amritraj was given an honorary Doctorate of the Arts from the University of East London.[13] In 2016, he was appointed as the first United Nations India Goodwill Ambassador for the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.[14] In December 2018, by decree of the President of the Republic of France, Amritraj was appointed a Chevalier of the Ordre National du Merité.[15]

In 2022, Hyde Park and Warner Music Entertainment launched the Hyde Park Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment Asian Women Fellowship, in partnership with Film Independent, which will showcase women-identifying writers and writer-directors who are Asian or part of the Asian Diaspora.[16] Amritraj serves on the Producer's A2025 committee to advance inclusion & equitable opportunities at the Academy of Motion Pictures & Arts,[17] and on the advisory board for the Dodge Film School at Chapman University.[18]

As of 2021, Amritraj's projects included a biopic about Arthur Ashe with Warner Music Group;[19] The Man Who Lived Underground,[20] in partnership with Kenya Barris' Khalabo Ink Society and Paramount Pictures; Amnesty for Netflix;[21] Rubik's Cube, based on the toy with Endeavor Content;[22] Remote Control with STX Films;[23] and the remake of the Blake Edwards' film 10 with Warner Bros. Pictures.[24]

Selected filmography

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He was a producer in all the films listed below.

Film

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Year Film Credit Notes
1984Fleshburnexecutive producer
1985Nine Deaths of the Ninja
School Spirit
1986Smart Alecexecutive producer
1988Bloodstoneco-producer
1989The Jigsaw Murdersexecutive producer
Eyewitness to Murder
1990Night Eyes
Schweitzer
1991Popcorn
Last Callexecutive producer
Double Impact
Legal Tender
Night Eyes 2cameo
1992Invasion of Privacydirect-to-video
Illicit Behavior
1993Betrayal of the Dove
Tropical Heat
Night Eyes 3
Snapdragon
Scornedexecutive producer
1994Last Resortexecutive producerdirect-to-video
Red Sun Risingexecutive producer
Illicit Dreams
The Killing Machineexecutive producer
1995Victim of Desireexecutive producercameo
Street Lawexecutive producer
Virtual Combatdirect-to-video; cameo
The Donorexecutive producer
No Exitexecutive producerdirect-to-video
1996Invisible Momexecutive producerdirect-to-video
Night Hunter
Electraexecutive producer
Virusexecutive producer
Crash Divedirect-to-video; cameo
Alone in the Woods
1997Strategic Command
Inferno
The Shooter
Time Under Fire
Inner Actionexecutive producer
Scorned 2executive producercameo
Steel Sharks
1998Scorpio One
Invisible Daddirect-to-video
Surface to Air
Freedom Strike
Counter Measuresdirect-to-video
Jeans
Jungle Boyexecutive produceralso writer
Evasive Action
Black Thunder
The Last Siege: Never Surrender
A Murder of Crows
The White Raven
The Boy Who Saved Christmas
Dear Santa
Billy Frankenstein
1999Tycusdirect-to-video
The Confessionexecutive producer
Prophetdirect-to-video
Fallout
Fugitive Mindexecutive producerdirect-to-video
Angel in Training
Entropyexecutive producer
Restraining Order
Five Acesexecutive producer
The Boondock Saintsexecutive producer
Invisible Mom IIdirect-to-video
Storm Catcherexecutive producer
If... Dog... Rabbit...
The Third Miracleexecutive producer
The White River Kidexecutive producer
2000 Mercyexecutive producer
Battlefield Earthexecutive producer
The Elf Who Didn't Believe
Get Carterexecutive producer
2001Antitrustexecutive producer
What's the Worst That Could Happen?
Original Sinexecutive producer
Bandits
2002Moonlight Mileexecutive producer
2003Bringing Down the House[10]
2004Walking Tall
Raising Helen
2005Shopgirl[12]
Dreamerexecutive producer
2007Tradeexecutive producer
Premonition[11]
Death Sentence
Battle in Seattleexecutive producer
Trick 'r Treatexecutive producer
2008Asylum
Traitorexecutive producer
The Other End of the Line
2009Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
The City of Your Final Destinationexecutive producer
Dark Country
2010Macheteexecutive producer
Leonie
Dylan Dog: Dead of Nightexecutive producer
2011The Double
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance[9]
2013Life of Crime
2014Every Secret Thingexecutive producer
99 Homes
The Journey Homeexecutive producer
2015Careful What You Wish For
2016The Young Messiahexecutive producer
Term Lifeexecutive producer
2017Killing Hasselhoff
Louder Togetherexecutive producer
2019Deadcon
Prey
The Global Citizen Concert Film: Louder Together
2021It Takes Three
2023Arthur Ashe
The Man Who Lived Underground
Bury The Lede
The Light We Lost
Marianne
Proxy
Wedding Seasonexecutive producer
TBADinner with Audrey

Television

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Year Title Credit Notes
1992Sexual Responsetelevision film
1996Blackout
Night Eyes 4: Fatal Passionexecutive producer
1997My Ghost Dog
2011Lost Christmasexecutive producer

References

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  1. ↑ Roy, Amit (21 February 2009). "Slumdog will sweep". The Telegraph. Calcutta, India.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. ↑ "Ashok Amritraj". ATP Tour. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  3. ↑ "Amritraj brothers: On a winning streak". 9 August 2023 [31 December 1991].
  4. ↑ Carver, Benedict (26 July 1999). "Amritraj, Hoberman set up shop". Variety. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Dunkley, Dana Harris Cathy (1 August 2002). "Hyde Park duo split". Variety. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  6. ↑ Alberge, Dalya (March 2019). "Ashok Amritraj on making the leap from sports star to movie mogul". Financial Times. London. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  7. 1 2 Jha, Manish Kumar. "It Is The Time of Disruption: Ashok Amritraj". BW Businessworld. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  8. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (11 September 2013). "Toronto: Elmore Leonard's 'Life of Crime' Near U.S. Deal With Lionsgate/Roadside". Deadline. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  9. 1 2 Kaufman, Amy (17 February 2012). "Movie Projector: 'Ghost Rider' sequel to scorch competition". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  10. 1 2 McCarthy, Todd (23 February 2003). "Bringing Down the House". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  11. 1 2 "McMahon Has 'Premonition' for TriStar". backstage.com. 10 November 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  12. 1 2 Brodesser, Claude; Dunkley, Cathy (18 September 2003). "Fox takes international on Hyde Park 'Shopgirl'". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  13. ↑ "Ashok Amritraj awarded honorary doctorate by a London Varsity". The Economic Times. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  14. ↑ Frater, Patrick (2 February 2017). "Hyde Park Entertainment's Ashok Amritraj on His New Role as India Goodwill Ambassador". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  15. ↑ Frater, Patrick (14 December 2018). "Ashok Amritraj Decorated by French Government". Variety. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  16. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (10 March 2022). "Hyde Park, Warner Music & Film Independent Name Sari Arambulo Inaugural Winner of Asian Women Fellowship". Deadline. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  17. ↑ "ASHOK AMRITRAJ – Hollywood Film Producer". India West. Archived from the original on 28 June 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  18. ↑ "Dodge College Moves Up to #6 Spot in The Hollywood Reporter's Annual Ranking of Top 25 Film Schools – Maintains 'Top 10' Status for fifth Consecutive Year". Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  19. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (16 June 2020). "Hyde Park & Warner Music Group Team For Biopic About Tennis Legend Arthur Ashe". Deadline. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  20. ↑ Rose, Lacey (23 June 2021). "Kenya Barris Adapting 'The Man Who Lives Underground' for Paramount (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  21. ↑ Kroll, Justin (2 February 2021). "'White Tiger' Director Ramin Bahrani Tapped to Direct 'Amnesty' Adaptation for Netflix". Deadline. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (3 January 2021). "Rubik's Cube Movie in the Works from Hyde Park & Endeavor Content". Deadline. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  23. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (22 February 2020). "EFM Big Deal: Leonine Picks Up German Rights To Gerard Butler Action-Thriller 'Remote Control'".
  24. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (15 May 2020). "Warner Bros & Remaking Blake Edwards Classic '10' With 'Legally Blonde' Scribes; Julie Andrews Exec Producing". Deadline. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
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