Three days before Ashok Amritraj's Bringing Down The House was released, he said he would be 'upset if it does not make at least $15 million in its opening weekend.'

The following Monday, the producer could hardly wait to break the news to Shakti Bhatt. "Aren't you gonna ask me how the movie did?" Amritraj asked.

The movie grossed $31 million in three days, making it the second highest opening of the month. As New Yorkers flocked to neighbourhood theatres to watch Steve Martin hip-hop with Queen Latifah, the producer talks about Hollywood, Bollywood and the Oscars.

What can we look forward to from your studio in the next few months?

There are two movies I am involved with right now. One is a comedy with Kate Hudson and the other is based on a 1960s movie called Walking Tall with the action hero The Rock.

Do you enjoy making action movies more than other genre films?

I love action movies. I grew up watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies in India. But the movies that influenced me most were films like Ben Hur, The Sound Of Music, and To Sir With Love. I would not categorise myself as making only one kind of movie.

Why did you get into producing rather than acting or directing?

I always wanted to be the one making the phonecall rather than the one waiting for the phonecall.

Before I came to Los Angeles in 1975, I always knew I wanted to get into the film business. I love the whole aspect of starting with an idea, developing it, finding the director and the actors, setting up the finance, organising the marketing and distribution -- you get the overall view rather than a piece of it. Acting and directing never fascinated me as much.

What is the most exciting thing about being a Hollywood producer? 

You get to deal with people you see on screen. I have lunch every month with Sidney Poitier, whose movies I saw growing up. 

Which actors have you enjoyed working with the most over the years?

My personal favourite has been Dustin Hoffman. Bruce Willis was great, too. They were very varied and different personalities. They are very professional and very generous with other actors. I think in Hollywood the more successful an actor is the more easier he or she is to work with.

Which is the one actor you would love to work with?

It would be fun to do a movie with Tom Cruise because he is such a wonderful movie star. He is extremely professional, picks good material, and always seems to be in movies that work.

Recently, a team from Bollywood was in Los Angeles to gauge Hollywood's interest in the Indian film market. Is Hollywood interested? 

Hollywood is not really looking towards India. We have yet to have a crossover movie from India. Until Indian filmmakers can prove that they are able to attract non-Indians, and until they make an excess of $20 million to $30 million at the box office, they will not become more mainstream. Right now, Indian movies are niche oriented, not mainstream. It is only a matter of a time before that happens.

Has any Indian filmmaker been able to do that?

Thus far there has not been anyone except Night Shyamalan, who is an extraordinary director. There may be a few up and coming directors but I don't think they have made any big movies.

Should Indian filmmakers make films with a Western audience in mind? 

No, no. One should make the film for a core audience, which also has the appeal to attract other audiences. One should make it for the local audience and make it well enough so it is universally appreciated. Look at Amelie, the French movie, or Life Is Beautiful from Italy.

Both made over $80 million in the US. They were made for their own countries but were subjects even the US audiences could relate to. 

You produced an Indian movie Jeans and over 80 films in Hollywood. How would you compare the two industries?

It is like comparing apples and oranges. Here filmmaking is treated as a corporate business and is a highly creative process. In India, it is run more like a mom and pop store, though they tell me that it is changing. As far as professionalism is concerned, the Indian industry has a long way to go.

While making Bringing Down the House, did you learn anything new or interesting about African-American culture?

(laughs) You mean besides the stuff that is already out there on television? One thing I found out was that Latifah was a hell of a lot cooler than I am.

Based on your experience, what would you tell a producer trying to make it in Hollywood?

One has to work really hard. In 20 years in the industry, it is only in the last 11 to 12 years that I have done well. I had to struggle in the beginning. I have been lucky but now it is more difficult and competitive than ever.

How difficult was it to be a minority filmmaker?

Coming from India, I was an unknown. Even though tennis opened doors for me, at the end of the day, it came down to how good I was.

It wasn't until I had been five or six years in the industry that I finally got to produce my own movie. It was a gradual learning process. As a minority, you have to be even more determined and persevering because you are fighting against the best out there. You have to prepare for a lot of rejection. But if you are talented, there is no way you won't be
successful.

Do you watch Indian movies?

I watch them in bits and pieces and see if they fascinate me, though my wife watches them quite often. I am always looking for talented directors.

I don't need to sit and watch three-and-half hours to figure that out. I can usually tell within 20 or 30 minutes whether a movie is well made. I thought Lagaan was a well-made movie.

Where do you see Hollywood movies going in the next few years? Is there a trend?

The industry trend varies with the climate of the country, which is morose right now. I think comedies and romantic comedies will run. Some fairly average movies like Maid In Manhattan and Two Weeks Notice did extraordinarily well. That trend will continue until the summer when we will see a lot of big action movies.

There's Matrix 2, Charlie's Angels 2 and so on.

Whom do you see winning the much-awaited Oscars? 

I would certainly give the Best Picture Award to Chicago and Best Actress to Renee Zellwegger. Though my personal favourite is About Schmidt. I think Jack Nicholson will definitely get the award for Best Actor.

As for Best Director, even though I would give it to About Schmidt, I have a feeling it will go to Chicago.

What did you think about The Guru?

I thought it was a fun and cute movie though it didn't do that well. Universal [Pictures] did not know how to market it.

So was it mainly a marketing flaw?

It is never just one thing. The movie was okay, it was nothing great. Also, audiences did not respond. The Guru has, I think, made $2 million to $3 million since its release. 

Why have you teamed up with its writer Tracey Jackson?

A writer has very little to do with how a movie does. Anyway, she is writing a much more mainstream movie for me.