Adi Shankar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adi Shankar
Shankar at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Aditya Shankar (1985-01-08) 8 January 1985 (age 40) Calcutta, West Bengal, India (now Kolkata, West Bengal)
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	2010–present

Aditya Shankar, born on January 8, 1985, is a talented filmmaker from India. He works as a producer, writer, and director for movies and TV shows. Sometimes, he even acts!

In the 2010s, he became well-known for producing the movie Dredd and creating the animated series Castlevania. He also made popular "Bootleg Universe" fan films. More recently, in the 2020s, he has created exciting Netflix series like The Guardians of Justice, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, and Devil May Cry.

Shankar holds a special record: he was the youngest producer to have a movie reach number one at the North American box office. This happened with his 2012 film, The Grey. In 2014, GQ magazine recognized him as one of the "Most Influential Global Indian Men." He also helped start a production company called 1984 Private Defense Contractors.

Early Life and Education

Aditya Shankar was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. His father was a banking executive, and his mother was an educator. As a child, his family moved often, living in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

When he was 16, Shankar moved to Rhode Island, USA, by himself. This was just two days before the 9/11 events. He later studied communications, business, and theater at Northwestern University, graduating in June 2007.

Exploring Adi Shankar's Career

Adi Shankar is known for his unique approach to filmmaking. He often creates projects that reimagine popular characters or stories.

The "Bootleg Universe" Films

Shankar's "Bootleg Universe" is a series of short, unofficial films. These films often take famous characters and put them in new, sometimes darker, stories. Some examples include The Punisher: Dirty Laundry, Venom: Truth in Journalism, and Power/Rangers.

In 2015, Shankar signed a deal with Disney's Maker Studios to create three more films.

Creative Inspirations

For his "Bootleg Universe" projects, Shankar has said that British street artist Banksy is a big influence. He also looks up to rapper Eminem, writer Warren Ellis, artist Takashi Murakami, wrestler Diamond Dallas Page, and the character Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. These artists and characters inspire his unique style.

The "Apu Problem" Discussion

In April 2018, Shankar started a script contest. He wanted people to rewrite the The Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. His goal was to find a clever way to change or evolve the character. Shankar said that if The Simpsons producers didn't use the winning script, he would make and share the episode as part of his "Bootleg Universe."

On October 26, 2018, Shankar mentioned in an interview that Apu might be written out of the show. He said he heard this from people who worked on The Simpsons. However, a representative for the show said Apu had appeared in an episode on October 14, 2018. On October 28, Simpsons producer Al Jean stated on Twitter that Shankar did not speak for their show.

Apu was not seen in the show for two years. On January 17, 2020, Hank Azaria, the voice actor for Apu, announced he would no longer voice the character. Shankar has said he was against removing the character. He felt it didn't fix the problem but just removed another brown character from TV.

Adi Shankar's Film and TV Projects

Adi Shankar has been involved in many movies and television series, often as a producer or creator.

Movies Produced by Adi Shankar

Television Series by Adi Shankar

"Bootleg Universe" Short Films

See also

In Spanish: Adi Shankar para niños