My Father Taught Me To Learn, My Mother Taught Me To Live
Born in Bombay, not Mumbai to Parry Dholakia; then a hot shot Ad Man who created the brilliant Inspector Eagle, the messed up Gattu (Asian Paints mascot) and wrote the famous copy - “Relax have Charminar”. So when you are born amidst such creativity, its not surprising that I would grow up to be inquisitive like Eagle, care free like Gattu and so chilled out like a charminar smoker that I now have stress diabetes !
My mother Raksha, worked part time at USIS and the other part looked after me and my dominating but very protective elder sister Moha.
Both my parents are poles apart in ideology and lifestyle, but incredible human beings and even after 50 years of marriage they are inseparable in love.
“All We Can Give You Is Education”
I grew up hearing this line, and today I can say that they have given us complete education. From a liberal but disciplined upbringing both me and my sister have studied in the finest schools. I went to Campion and Jamnabai and later to St. Xavier’s college in Bombay where I did my Bachelors in Science. Though I graduated with Math as my major, my mind and heart was always on the creative side. I would take off trekking for months together be it the jungles of Assam or the interiors of Gujarat. It isn’t surprising that most of Parzania was written on the road from California to Texas, and Arizona to Alaska. I guess nature is my biggest muse.
The Mad Bad Ad World:
While still in college, I dabbled in Advertising at my father’s agency. Later I got my first job as an apprentice with Jyoti Thakur, a film maker who was family friend. When I went on set, there were strict instructions “Let him learn to grow” and so when an actor shouted chai (tea) I had to run and deliver. This is the way my grounding was, and so today when I produce my films there are no inhibitions of any kind.
After graduating I worked with another family friend, who later on was to become a really close friend, Babla Sen. Together we worked on a number of projects for Channel 4 TV. London. I started of being a Production Assistant, and after nearly 10 documentaries together, I was possibly more than a producer. One learns the art of negotiating while working in guerilla conditions, which helped immensely during the shooting Parzania.
For an overall growth, it was important, my father felt to take a corporate experience, and so I worked for another family friend Ali Merchant at Everest Advertising. I grew from a trainee popping video tapes to a full time producer within a year. I quit Everest and went back to our company Mora Ava to produce commercials for clients like P&G. Within a year I wanted to study cinema- I was done selling soaps.
America Is The Greatest University On Life And New York The Best Teacher.
I came to New York in 1990, to do my masters in Film at the New York Institute of Technology and have been here since. I was the only Indian majoring in films and actually topped the university with a 4.0 GPA. and made award winning documentaries as well. The obvious thing was to get some practical training and since I had done many ad films in India, I thought it would be the easiest route to take. Unfortunately wherever I had applied either I was over qualified or they wanted a green card. It was tough- I ended up working at a production house selling video tapes and transferring home videos- So much so that I even went and shot wedding videos or sometimes sold belts in the Village! Anything to survive.
Never have I seen so much “India” as I did here. From helping organize the largest Navratri to helping HR Shah launch his TV Asia, I experienced all kinds of situations and people.
However, My greatest contribution to the Indian community in America has been Naya Andaz- the longest running, most successful show in the history of Indians in America. 15 years and still going strong Naya Andaz ha s become an institution, which was started by me along with my three friends Piraan Erachshaw, Sandip Patel and Raju Sethi.
From The Skylines Of Manhattan To The Carnage In Gujarat:
It’s my interaction with the Indian community that helped me make my first feature Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar with Video Sound
During the making of KHDBB, an incident happened which was to change my life. On February 27th 2002, the barbaric Godhra incident happened and the next day the riots in Ahmedabad. My friend Dara’s (a parsi) son was missing when a huge Hindu mob attacked him and his family. Being a Gujarati, who has roots in Ahmedabad I felt both morally and socially responsible towards the incident. It was here that Parzania was born. 5 years later, the film has gone to over a dozen international film festivals, including opening the classical MOMA film festival in NY; won both critical and audience acclaim and also has given us the highest, most prestigious award in Indian Cinema- 2 National Awards – myself for Best Director and Sarika- for best Actress.
I cannot mention Parzania without thanking Kamal Patel & KB Sareen, who has not only believed in me as a person but also in the film as a whole. Together we have produced and even distributed the film- no mean achievement for a person with a life insurance background.
Haven’t I Said Enough?
No regrets today. I can only thank my family and friends for believing in me and supporting me. My strength comes from the integrity my parents have given both me and my sister Moha, who lives in Irvine California with her husband Dr. Sushrut Mehta, a laser physicist and two very loving and intelligent children Rohan and Priyanka.
