# Amit Khanna

Amit Khanna is an Indian film producer, director, writer, and journalist. He was the founder chairman of Reliance Entertainment, former president of the Producers Guild of India, and the founder trustee of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image. He is credited with having coined the term Bollywood. Khanna has also won three National Film Awards as a producer and lyricist.

## Background

He completed his higher education from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He has been involved with media since his school days at St. Columba's School, Delhi and has worked in theatre, radio, television, journalism, and films. Khanna began his career as an executive producer with actor-producer Dev Anand’s Navketan Films in 1971 and subsequently produced films such as Man Pasand, Sheeshay Ka Ghar and Shesh. He has also written over 400 film and non-film songs and several film scripts. He began actively working in television as a producer-director in the eighties and set up Plus Channel in 1990 which was India’s first entertainment conglomerate and the largest independent producer of TV programmes. He left Plus as its Managing Director to launch Reliance Entertainment. His other achievements include editing the magazines Tempus and Take-2 and writing in various magazines and newspapers. He has served on the Central Board of Film Certification and the Film Import Selection Committee, as a vice president of the Film Producers Guild of India and has been on the committees of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Indian Music Industry and Film Federation of India. He helped found the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image.

## Organisations

Amit Khanna is the only permanent member of the Council of Management of the Producers Guild of India (the two others were V. Shantaram and Raj Kapoor). He has participated as a keynote speaker for Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), NASSCOM, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), and ECO, and served on over 50 international government committees and trade organizations and institutions.
| Year | Title | Organisation | Notes |
| 1981 | EC member | Film Federation of India (FFI) | Apex body of the Indian film industry. |
| 1982 | Member | Radio & TV Advertising Practitioners Association | |
| 1984 | Member | Indian Documentary Producers Association (IDPA) | |
| 1985-2000 | Vice President | Association of Motion Picture & TV Program Producers | For 17 years. |
| 1988-1990 | Governing Council member | Film and Television Institute of India, Pune | |
| 1988-1990 | Film Import Selection Committee member | Govt. of India | |
| 1989-2000 | Managing Director & Group Editor | PLUS Channel | India’s first integrated media entertainment conglomerate. |
| 1990-1994 | Western Panel member | Central Board of Film Certification | |
| 1990-1994 | Appraisal Committee member | Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India | |
| 1992-1995 | Director | DSJ Communications | |
| 1994-1996 | Governing Council member | Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata | |
| 1997-2000 | Advisory group member | Ministry of I&B, Govt. of India | |
| 1999 | Export Forum member | Ministry of I&B | |
| 1999-2000 | Member | Indian Broadcasting Foundation | |
| 1999-2003 | Advisory board director | Whistling Woods International film school, Mumbai | |
| 1999-2003 | National EC member, Entertainment Committee | FICCI | |
| 1999-2010 | | US-India Business Alliance | |
| 2000-2010 | Chairman, Convergence Committee | FICCI | |
| 2000-2012 | Media committee member | US-India Business Council | |
| 2000-2015 | Chairman | Reliance Entertainment | |
| 2001 | Member | Indian Performing Rights Society | |
| 2001-2004 | | All India Film Producers Council | |
| 2001-2015 | President | Earth Communications Office India Association | An environmental NGO. |
| 2002 | Member, Expert Group of GATS | Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India | |
| 2005 | Member, Prime Minister's Committee | Information, Communication & Entertainment (ICE) | |
| 2005-2013 | EC member | National committee of Media & Entertainment, CII | |
| 2005-2015 | Director | Reliance Big TV | |
| 2005-2015 | Director | Reliance MediaWorks | |
| | | Indo European Centre | |
| | Founder trustee | Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image | |
| | Service Council member | Forum d'Avignon, Paris | |
| | President | Producers Guild of India | For three terms. |

## Writings

Presently retired from all film activities and organisational responsibilities, Amit Khanna devotes all his time solely to writing.
| Year | Title | Book /newspaper /mag | Notes |
| 1969-1971 | Editor | Tempus | Monthly magazine |
| 1982 | Editor & features writer | Take 2 | Entertainment weekly |
| 1987-1989 | Editorial Advisor | Probe India | |
| 1990-1992 | | Business Plus | Video news magazine |
| 1990-1992 | | People Plus | Video news magazine |
| 1990-1992 | | Bollywood Plus | Video news magazine |
| 1990-2000 | Syndicate features writer | Plus Newsbank | |
| 1995-1997 | Online Singapore | | |
| 1998-2015 | Features writer | Outlook | |
| 1993–1997 | Syndicated columnist | (various national dailies) | Column name: Media Musing |
| 1997-2000 | Editorial Adviser | The Economic Times | |
| 1999-2000 | Columnist | The Economic Times | Column name: Enterprise |
| 2002-2010 | Columnist | Business Standard | Column name: Freeze Frame |
| Jan 2013 | Author | Anant Raag (Infinite Verse) | Anthology of poetry, published by HarperCollins |
| Dec 2019 | Author | Words Sounds Images: History of Media and Entertainment in India | Publisher: HarperCollins |
| 2017–present | Columnist | The Wire | |
| 2018–present | Columnist | Open | |
| 2018–present | Columnist | Bloomberg Quint | |
| | Co-author | Encyclopedia of Bollywood | Publisher: Encyclopædia Britannica |
| | | The Times of India | |
| | | Hindustan Times | |
| | | DNA | |
| | Features writer | The Illustrated Weekly of India | |
| | Features writer | India Today | |
| | Features writer | Filmfare | |
| | Features writer | Show Time | |
| | Features writer | Super Cinema | |

## Filmography

Khanna started his film career as executive producer with Dev Anand's Navketan Films in 1971. In 1989 Khanna helped set up Plus Channel, a television programming house, and joined it as managing director and Group Editor. Under his tenure, the organization expanded its role to produce movies and music, and provide event management services. Several films created under the Plus Films banner went on to win National Film Awards. In 1996 Khanna won two awards as film producer at the 44th National Film Awards: Best Feature Film in Hindi for Gudia and Best Feature Film in Urdu for Sardari Begum. Plus Channel produced India's earliest audio books in both prose and verse. It also pioneered business news shows on Indian television.
In 2000 Khanna resigned from Plus Channel to join Reliance Entertainment where he served as chairman for 15 years. Under his guidance, Reliance Entertainment became a major player in Hollywood. In May 2008 the company signed deals to produce and develop movies with prominent Hollywood actors such as Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jim Carrey and Nicolas Cage. In September 2008 Reliance Entertainment formed a joint venture with Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks SKG named DreamWorks Studios via an equity investment of $325 million. In August 2009 Reliance Entertainment signed an $825 million production and distribution deal with DreamWorks Studios.

### Films

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1973 | Shareef Budmaash | Executive producer |
| 1973 | Heera Panna | production executive |
| 1974 | Ishq Ishq Ishq | Executive producer |
| 1976 | Bullet | Business executive and production controller |
| 1976 | Chalte Chalte | Lyricist |
| 1976 | Jaaneman | Business executive and production controller |
| 1977 | Swami | Lyricist |
| 1978 | Des Pardes | Executive producer and lyricist |
| 1980 | Man Pasand | Producer and lyricist |
| 1980 | Lootmaar | Executive producer |
| 1980 | Saboot | Lyricist, EP and lyricist |
| 1980 | Guest House | Lyricist |
| 1982 | Shiv Charan | Lyricist |
| 1982 | Star | Lyricist |
| 1984 | Sheeshay Ka Ghar | Director, writer |
| 1984 | Saaransh | Dialogue |
| 1984 | Purana Mandir | Lyricist |
| 1986 | Aashiana | Director |
| 1986 | Avinash | Lyricist |
| 1988 | Shesh | Director |
| 1990 | Awwal Number | Lyricist |
| 1994 | 1942: A Love Story | Script consultant |
| 1996 | Aur Ek Prem Kahani | Producer |
| 1996 | Bhairavi | Producer |
| 1996 | Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin | Executive producer |
| 1996 | Laalchee | Producer |
| 1996 | Sardari Begum | Executive producer |
| 1996 | Papa Kahte Hain | Producer |
| 1997 | Do Rahain | Producer |
| 1997 | Gudgudee | Executive producer |
| 1997 | Saaz | Producer |
| 1997 | Gudia | Producer |
| 1997 | Agnichakra | Lyricist |
| 1997 | Chakkar Pe Chakkar | Story |
| 2007 | Hattrick | Lyricist |
| 2010 | Malik Ek | Lyricist |

### TV series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | Buniyaad | Executive producer | |
| 1986 | Chhapte Chhapte | Executive producer | |
| 1986 | Apne Aap | Executive producer | |
| 1995 | A Mouthful of Sky | Producer | India's first English soap opera |
| 1995 | Zameen Aasmaan | Producer | |
| 1995-97 | Swabhimaan | Producer | Episodes #1.1 to 1.498 |
| 1996 | Badalte Rishte | Producer | |
| 1996 | Mumkin | Producer | |
| 1997 | Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh | Producer | |
| 1997 | Paltan | Producer | |
| 1997 | Kabhie Kabhie | Producer | |
| 1997 | Sab Golmaal Hai | Producer | |
As a lyricist he has penned over 200 Hindi film songs, working mainly with music directors like Bappi Lahiri, Rajesh Roshan and Laxmikant–Pyarelal. He also composed lyrics for around 200 songs released in music albums by singers Nazia and Zoheb Hassan, Sharon Prabhakar, Salma Agha, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mahendra Kapoor and Shafqat Ali Khan. In 1984 he directed three music videos for Nazia Hassan's music album Young Tarang. He was the lyricist for the opening theme song of ten Indian television series, including Buniyaad (1986), Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993) and Swabhimaan (1995).

### Other

| Year | Title | Role | | Programme /episode | References |
| 1985 | Young Tarang | Director | TV show | Rock music | |
| 1996 | Century of Cinema | Self | Docu | 'And the Show Goes On: Indian Chapter' | |

## Awards and honours

Time, Newsweek, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have mentioned him as one of the global leaders of film and television. He has been a guest lecturer at New York University and the University of Southern California. He was on the selection panel of the Indian Panorama (Western region) thrice (1985, 1989, and 1993). and was the first Indian to serve on the International Emmys jury.
| Year | Award | Organiser /festival | Notes |
| 1976 | Uttar Pradesh Film Journalist Association Award | UP Film Journalist Association | |
| 1979 | Cinegoers Award | | |
| 1980 | Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award | Bengal Film Journalists Association | |
| 1981 | Uttar Pradesh Film Journalist Association Award | UP Film Journalist Association | |
| 1986 | Lions Club Award | Lions Club | |
| 1987 | Lifetime Achievement Award for Television | Uptron | |
| 1995 | Leadership Award | Indian Film Festival of Houston | |
| 1996 | National Film Award - Best Lyrics | Govt. of India | For Bhairavi |
| 1996 | National Film Award - Best Hindi Film | Govt. of India | For Gudia |
| 1997 | National Film Award - Best Urdu Film | Govt. of India | For Sardari Begum |
| 1997 | TV Personality of the Year Award | Time magazine | |
| 2010 | Leadership Award | Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) | |
| 2010 | Masterbrand Lifetime Achievement Award | CMO Council | |
| 2015 | Lifetime Achievement award for contribution to film and television | Norway Bollywood Festival | |
| 2017 | Film Critics Council Lifetime Award | | |
| 2017 | PR Council of India Lifetime | | |