Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Bond speaks Tamil
|
It will be nice to reach out to more people in the local language
|
Ashok Amritraj
YEM PAERU Baund. James Baund.
Well, 007 just got a licence to speak in Tamil, thanks to Ashok Amritraj Entertainment and Blockbuster Home Entertainment Company that has acquired the rights for distributing Bond classics from MGM in Tamil and Telugu.
``We are starting with six films. And we will take it from there depending on the audience response. We however, have about 30-40 old classics with us. The good news is that it will get to a larger and wider audience and a new generation," the tennis star-turned-Hollywood producer told mediapersons at a press conference, shortly after clips from Bond movies were screened.
``I was assured by Mohan (of Blockbuster Home Entertainment) that the dubbing would be of international standards. The dubbing is as good as I've seen anywhere else in the world. It's not easy to dub for Sean Connery and Roger Moore. It will be nice to see them reach out to more people in the local language,'' Ashok Amritraj added.
The first of the lot would be `Ragasiya Ulavali' (`The Spy who loved me') releasing on August 29.
Back in Hollywood, it was celebration time for Mr. Amritraj's Hyde Park Entertainment-the $34 million production starring Steve Martin, `Bringing Down The House' indeed had brought the roof down, grossing over $200 million.
``It wasn't expected to be such a big hit,'' he admits, promising that he is arranging to bring the movie to India soon. So `Bandits' and `Bringing Down the House' will be releasing here around the same time,'' says the producer who still continues his tennis strictly on a "social and business" basis.
``Every Sunday, I have friends like Pierce Brosnan and Dustin Hoffman coming over for a game. I introduce them to Indian food. I play tennis because I love Indian food. When I eat Indian food, I need that game of tennis to keep fit,'' he explains.
Sports and Entertainment is closely connected, Mr. Amritraj believes. ``The same discipline that it takes to be a sportsman is what you need in the movie industry.''
Plans on Indian productions, post `Jeans'? ``Well, frankly, I have never been approached. In future, if I find the right piece of material... there's not enough attention paid to writers in the country. I would like to make a movie with an American and Indian cast. We have some plans. I always have 15-20 films on the slate, out of which I make three because we have to see how the screenplays come out. Out of the 15, there are two movies slotted to be shot in India— one's a love story, and another an action film. We have good Indian technicians; you have terrific actors here... I think you need better stories,'' he believes.
Hyde Park Entertainment now has `Raising Helen', starring Kate Hudson (`How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days') and directed by Gary Marshal (`Pretty Woman') and `Walking Tall' starring The Rock (the WWF star from `Scorpion King') under production.
By Sudhish Kamath
Photo: S. Thanthoni
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
|
