Inside The Mind Of Film Producer Adi Shankar.

Be patient. I learned this when I cut through the thousands after an extended press release during NYCC. Javits Center being a huge, we could not find a designated venue for our interview. Be diligent comic book film buff and producer, Adi is at the top of my ‘must interview’ list. Granted this may seem bold considering you might think I had the likes of Kanye West or Brad Pitt in the interview echelon, but I have my reasons. Producers barely get love. After doing interviews and trash myself, I feel like the focus is generally on the director or the actors; sometimes even the author. It’s like looking at a building and seeing the only important part is the designer and architect. What about the individuals who brought them together? Are there no levels interest should be associated outside the industry? So many questions to answer but the only thing that was on my mind when I virtually knocked the Bumblebee cosplayer down was that I could not miss this meeting.

But who is Adi Shankar? I mean, she looks like the Hollywood cool type with a catchy name and face paint. Is he eccentric? Unapproachable? existentialistic? He is more than simply the youngest independent producer in history to have a number one at the box office. Or the guy who drove the studio crazy with his introspective shorts on some of our favorites comic book heroes (and villains). He has given us Lone Survivor, The Grey, Dredd, and Killing Them Softly, amongst many others. The guy is charming, doing AMAs on Reddit and even casting a 13 rule spell to break into Hollywood itself (which is what my ‘Rise of the Collective’ article was based on a few months ago).

I managed to reach Adi while he was in between sessions and wanted to eat. He introduced me to his girlfriend at the time, Rachel, and that I was ready to reschedule. Instead, Adi goes for the interview, and what’s more, guerilla style. This is my first block of interviews done in my time, more like Adam Carolla because I talked to peers and colleagues. I knew I had Mike Tyson in half an hour but this was different. And being different tends to be worth the risk. I rambled some honest questions to God that made me cringe hearing back (“Did you anticipate Dredd does what it does at the box office?”, “How does it feel to be in the minority in a movie?”) before we are mysteriously rescued by Michael Uslan (Batman’s godfather and in turn DC). Adi introduced me and Michael, and as they talked I noticed that Adi was, in layman’s terms, a cool guy. I’ve dealt with fellow producers for almost a decade in film, and most of them were at least 20 years my senior or arrogant at all. Not all of it, but enough for me to all the time be on my toes. As soon as we started walking again, I changed how I approached this whole process. See, I read all of Adi’s previous interviews. It’s a carbon copy (do not offend the author). Anyone can Google how he’s the youngest producer to have a number 1 film at the box office (Dredd), or how he has one of the greatest viral hits of all time (Dirty laundry). But to actually understand the ins and outs (most likely the third time I’ve used the word), I must be myself.

While we were having a fast sushi lunch and talking I saw how Adi was treating Rachel. She’s not a trophy boyfriend or arm candy, she’s someone he cares about. He all the time appeared to be very aware that those around him were comfy (as he asked me many times if I was hungry or thirsty). That’s not a cover, because you can tell someone’s emotional truth by looking at their face when they’re talking. The view is far away, here it’s; there isn’t any focus to act like this. Hollywood is crammed with two types of individuals; asshats and those who are considered asshats, but aren’t. Adi is not a bastard maybe me too (kidding).

He talked to me about growing up in Hong Kong, moving through his life, and turning the bird on the system. It’s all fun and games, particularly when you get to love something (comics), hire your best friend (Thomas Jane), and put together a touching masterpiece (Dirty laundry) it is the Punisher movie that’s most likely been praised more than the last two to come from FOX. We had a lot to discuss, and we had little time, but he asked me if the magazine would consider putting it on the front cover, when we returned to Javits. I said yes without giving it much thought. This is someone who MUST be on the cover. He had blown my mind in such a brief amount of time, and that I should really think of such an anti-asshat counterpart.

We parted ways on our return to Javits, and after finishing my day I told the team about Adi, leading to a conversation, which led to this cover story. This is the longest explanation, but it is needed to show something important. I may have been a producer first, but I actually do understand journalism. It’s not about putting out juicy stories that run blood into ink, creating buzz like flies to carcasses. It’s not about the spoon (particularly with social media like that, which REALLY breaks the story again). It’s about real people doing things that matter. It’s a few changing environment in an industry that’s notoriously unchanged. It’s a few guy in his 20s who is not white coming in and turning things around. And when we met once more before the end of the convention, I spent half an hour determining with Adi what comics was all about, cementing the hopes for our industry in my head; people who really care about their craft. It’s that concern that will propel this whole business to new depths in the years to come.

The last time I saw Adi was at a photoshoot. She came alone, no publicist or manager and had an incredible time while we sat down and got her ready for the three hour photo festival we had ahead of us. No frills, just laughs and Pizza. As we were walking out I learned that he and Rachel had broken up, and he had a certain aura I had not seen since my failed marriage. It’s an understanding of the inevitable, unhappiness for what has happened, yet a thirst to find out about relationships on a larger scale. We spent the next four hours completely soul-free with each other (not as gross as that sounds), which left us discussing my last relationship (a sh*t show that ended just before NYCC), and the various paths we have all found ourselves. on the way to the center (thanks Cameron). It is a long discussion of disturbed fathers, cultural pressures, the importance of marriage, and the long hallways of depression that keep us from despairing, surrounded by locked doors of answers, and chandeliers of misunderstanding. While we were finishing our dinner, Adi got distracted by a group message he had brought, for which he apologized. There was never a need to apologize, but it did let him explain his nature, which was a joke in one of his endless sets. To see the cohesion on any set (particularly after some of the drama I’ve seen in many) is refreshing. There’s generally so much industry gossip to discuss that it can sometimes feel strange to have a real human-to-human conversation.

But Adi’s opinion is far-reaching. And most of our time is understanding Sony hacks and Interview in general. “I do not understand how I feel about the movie, I actually do not, because on some level, the concept is funny. This is a cute concept. But on another level, if other countries make movies about Obama, there will be problems. So it is this sort of American snobbery, it is this ethnocentric, narcissistic worldview that makes us so untouchable. The old world is dead, welcome to the new world. Yes, you may have a large army but you can annihilate someone personally. Because the (cyber) attack did not affect Sony the way Amy Pascal did. It was virtually like they were fine from Sony, but we’re after the man who fired this film. This is a really distant notion, because it’s something we must fear; cyberspace, personal terrorism. The last thing we want is for our search history to be leaked (and that is the only thing that can be leaked).

Left his Apartment bitter because he was ready to watch Birdman (uh), and that I went to a vacation party at Paramount’s place. He gave me some last minute advice (Inherent Vice most likely would not be that great, which is what I finished up seeing, but yeah Adi you are right), and hugged before thanking me for the great time. I must thank him, because I feel oddly I discovered more about myself that day than about him. I’m dealing with an identity crisis that I’ve struggled with since I was young, and also really finding closure for my ex-boyfriend (yes, you girl from Queens). I believe I meant to quote him more, but I have a feeling most people will not get the long way we did, so focus on getting to know the true side of somebody from the elusive and fantastical mountain called Holly-Wood. To take a quote from one of Adi interesting character, Diaz of The Gray, “I just had the clearest thought. I’m done. I’m done”. So is this story.

Adi Shankar currently owns a dark comedy Voice starring Ryan Reynolds and Anna Kendrick opens on February 6^th in addition to indie Bollywood Wasseypur gang open now in theaters. Also make sure to check hers Dredd pseudo sequel, Judge Dredd: Superfiend on YouTube.