When we think of some of the biggest names in the movie business, we think of actors and actresses such as Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence. However, in the film industry of today, there has been an increase in the influx of talent from India’s Bollywood ranks into the ranks of successful Hollywood actors and actresses. Keeping with the theme of my last blog post, I want to discuss how this particular job field is being impacted by the growing international influence on the movie industry, specifically as it pertains to Bollywood. With that being said, entertainment representatives have had to work more extensively with this International talent, both in terms of engraining them in the American industry, and representing them in the same way they would American artists.
Priyanka Chopra, an actress who got her start in Bollywood, has become a household name in Hollywood with roles in ABC’s Quantico and the upcoming Baywatch movie.
With a fluid situation like the one in Bollywood, it is best to discuss specific examples of this happening in the Hollywood industry today. Take the situation with talent agent Jai Khanna of the Brillstein Entertainment Partners management team based out of Los Angeles. Khanna and his company have helped to bring over and sign a number of Bollywood stars and engrain them into the Hollywood mainstream. One of these famous actors is Irrfan Khan, pictured below, who has been seen in Hollywood blockbusters such as Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire and most recently Jurassic World with Chris Pratt.
Khan starred as Simon Masrani in Jurassic World (2015). He has been one of Bollywood’s famous actors since 1988 and broke into Hollywood with Slumdog Millionare (2008).
For a video showing Khan in Jurassic World, click here.
In 2012, Khanna gave an interview to the New York Times regarding this growing contingent of Bollywood actors in the American mainstream and how that affects his own business as a talent representative. In this interview, he states that he is “keenly aware that Indian studios are the most prolific in the world, producing upwards of 800 feature films per year. As we discussed the Indian film industry, we felt strongly that there was an opportunity to combine forces.” In this regard, there is without a doubt profit to be made by involving Bollywood success in the Hollywood mainstream, and if a talent representative wants to have more improvement, they should adapt to and embrace this growing trend. Furthermore, in the interview it is noted that Indian actors appeal to a global audience, and by putting them in the US business, it would expand everyone’s business and revenue as a result.
To read the full interview, click here.
It is vital to understand for those like us who are not yet in the entertainment management business that it is becoming a job that is increasingly global. It is important to adapt to the current trends in the business and understand that Bollywood is a strong avenue to expand a business that represents only a domestic audience. Currently, the climate of the movie business, and the management business in that regard, is one that is becoming more tailored to an international audience. That being said, as a student looking to enter this career path, it is extremely important to understand this fact now so that when the time comes we will able to enhance this environment.
Angad Kanwal 