Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment Group has launched a new devision called Hyde Park Entertainment Asia, which “will focus on producing high profile film and TV projects created by Indian and Asian filmmakers to spotlight authentic stories for a global audience, helmed by a diverse and inclusive talent pool.”
“Continuing Hyde Park’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the division’s first slate will have a focus on Indian stories for both English-and local-language audiences,” the entertainment group said Thursday.
And one of the projects currently in development in that initial slate is “Break the Room,” an Indian-American half-hour comedy series from Paul Feig’s Diversity Initiative Powderkeg and ShivHans Pictures, written by Sameer Gardezi (“Modern Family”) and Jimy Shah. Hyde Park likens the potential show to ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat.”
Hyde Park is also expanding its production operations by adding an Asian base in Chennai, India which joins its European offices in London and its headquarters in Los Angeles. According to the company, Hyde Park and Image Nation Abu Dhabi “continue their long-term film financing partnership.”
“Now more than ever the Hollywood dream needs to be multicultural and all inclusive,” Amritraj said. “I look forward to collaborating with wonderful Indian and Asian talent long into the future to tell unique and authentic stories that reflect our global world.”
See below for Hyde Park Entertainment Asia’s initial slate, with the descriptions each in the company’s own words.
PASHMINA: A large-scale animated musical feature with Netflix in the vein of COCO. Based on the bestselling graphic novel by Nidhi Chanani, Pashmina is a magical story of family and cultural connection with Gurinder Chadha (“Bend It Like Beckham,” Sundance hit “Blinded by the Light”) on-board to direct.
BREAK THE ROOM with Paul Feig: Hyde Park is developing an Indian-American half hour comedy series like FRESH OFF THE BOAT with Paul Feig’s Diversity Initiative Powderkeg and ShivHans Pictures from writers Sameer Gardezi (“Modern Family”) and Jimy Shah.
MAXIMUM CITY: A sweeping franchise of films in the vein of TRAFFIC based on the Pulitzer Prize finalist book by Suketu Mehta that explores the interconnecting power, politics, and criminal underworld of Mumbai. Auteur filmmaker Anurag Kashyap (Netflix’s “Sacred Games,” “Gangs Of Wasseypur”) will be the showrunner and director and Good Bad Films LLP will co- produce with Hyde Park.
PARADISE TOWERS: A drama series adaptation of Shweta Bachchan Nanda’s bestselling novel about the intertwining lives, forbidden romances, and mounting tensions between neighbors in an exclusive Mumbai apartment complex. One of India’s most celebrated directors, Zoya Akhtar (Amazon’s “Made in Heaven”) brings the project to the screen alongside Hyde Park Entertainment. Shweta Bachchan-Nanda is a columnist for Vogue and daughter of Indian superstars Jaya & Amitabh Bachchan.
THE CONCH BEARER: A YA-Fantasy series adapted from Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s bestselling trilogy that follows a young boy on a magical adventure that has been compared to HARRY POTTER for India. Imtiaz Ali (“Highway,” “Rockstar”), one of India’s most prominent filmmakers will be the show runner and direct the pilot for the series. It will be produced by Hyde Park Entertainment and Window Seat Films, LLP (a JV between India’s premier film studio, Reliance Entertainment & Imtiaz Ali).
DEB: An 8-part television series from renowned writer-director Nagesh Kukunoor, whose film DHANK won the Crystal Bear Grand Prix at the Berlin International Film Festival. In the vein of ‘CONSTANTINE,’ the series is a modern-day, edge-of-your-seat thriller rooted in ancient Indian mythology.