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Grit and determination make him go
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Star producer Ashwini Dutt believes in rising like the proverbial phoenix after every fall, and work for the better
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HUMBLE AND HUMANE Ashwini Dutt (left) with Chiranjeevi, the hero of `Jai Chiranjeeva'
The producer leans back in his chair, taking in his humble surroundings, and says, "I would be lying if I said I had no ambitions to be in the film business; frankly, at 20 it wasn't where I thought I was going but by then I had established Vyjayanti Movies which was christened by N.T. Rama Rao and now, after 30 years in this business, I'm happy we are known for providing wholesome, unadulterated entertainment."
Ashwini Dutt is not just a man who is synonymous with mega movies. He is the brain behind the scenes, an executive who oversees every element of production — from script development to post-production. But there have been times when there were projects that he had wholeheartedly backed, that he sincerely believed would fly, fell awkwardly back to earth grounded by their inherent flaws.
He says, "money was never important, otherwise I would have never spent so much on films that disappointed me. Half way through Subash Chandra Bose, I knew where it was heading but I was helpless. There was no serious mismanagement of resources or lavish spending, it was purely a wrong selection of story. I just made an attempt to do something offbeat and I'm still bearing the brunt. So many families have been affected by the film's disaster. I need to be careful henceforth. But for my daughter's support, I wouldn't have ventured into this (Jai Chiranjeeva) film."
Glaring anomalies in filmmaking make him feel the field is no longer charming. "The audience in the theatres have come down by 50 per cent. The stars still ask their price despite being aware of the ground realities and being mentally bankrupt filmmakers too are settling for clichéd subjects. Actors and technicians are more involved in other commercial interests rather than dishing out something new for the film. It is pathetic," says the star producer.
Ashwini is in the news for approaching the government to hike the price of tickets for his film, but the whole thing was misinterpreted by a section of the film industry. He explains, "I asked for a variation in rates and not an enhancement. I asked them to encash the money they get in the first two weeks when people buy tickets in black. There is a method to make money but people have no time to listen."
Every time Ashwini fell, he rose like the proverbial phoenix. This time, he is determined to give a hit with Jai Chiranjeeva. There is a quiet confidence in him and it's evident on his face. The film deals with an illiterate man who crosses the seven seas, achieves his goal and returns. The drama is shown in a very entertaining way and every artiste working on the film, from the actors to the technicians, added his/ her own perspective on the story being told. Ask him about his political ambitions and he says, "yes, I may have faced defeat but you can't lose always. I will definitely be back and serve my people, and it will be with the same passion and sincerity I show in the making of a film. I want to be a people's person."
Ask Ashwini what's the best advice he had received and he will tell you, "I read a book that featured Albert Einstein and came across his quote: `Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.' By trying to be more valuable to the people in my life, I've become a happier person. Success is constantly changing, and therefore, indefinable." Now, that's saying something.
Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY
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