Ashish Lal, RedMat Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Delhi

Why an entrepreneur? Why didn't you pursue a regular job?

I had been an actor and director of Dramatics Society of IIT Delhi for 4 years. After graduation I took up a job, but, gradually it dawned upon me that my true calling was films and not the corporate world. Moreover, I wanted to make a career in films as an entrepreneur and not as an employee or professional. Hence, I along with Matty, co-founder of RedMat, decided to start our very own dream organisation.

Something on starting yearsMatty did not do job at all. I'm still working in business analytics domain but will soon join him full time; presently I'm working for RedMat along with my job. We came up with the name - RedMat where Red is for Lal (Ashish Lal) and Mat is for Matty (Ashutosh Matela) and we've been progressing since then. RedMat was established in 2005 but incorporated as a company on 22nd November 2007.

Turning point in your businessNitin Das, an IIM Lucknow graduate, came to IIT Delhi to make a full length feature film called Formula6, starring only IIT Delhi guys. Matty joined the crew as a Production Manager and I was cast as an actor. The entire process and final release of the film on DVDs gave us utmost confidence-that film making is real and we can also do it. After that we started procuring paid projects rather than just making films for fun.

Did at any point you felt like giving up and getting back to taking a job?

Well, I am already doing a job right now. Soon, I'll settle my finances and join RedMat full-time. I had a decade long committed relationship, since 15 years of age, and finally I got married in 2007. Now, I need to get my finances in place before taking a plunge into film-making as I wouldn't want to go back to job. I'd rather kill myself than go back to the pavilion!

What drives you?

Dreams, making films, positivity, and hanging around with people who always lift you up

Business differentiators 

1. Extremely positive, united, consistent and persistent directors, who would never give up.
2. Sound skill sets -

• Two of our core team members, Matty and Nikhil, worked as assistant directors in a Bollywood movie - Jugaad - starring Manoj Bajpai (not released yet),
• Nikhil has acted in and directed several plays
• Sarika, another director, is a singer of incredible talent
• Deepti, another director, has an HR background and has expertise in recruiting the right kind of people on board
• I have acted in several plays, a full length feature film Formula69, digital ads and short films. I have also directed many plays and ads and been a winner of the Best Director of IIT Delhi award

Vision for enterprise 

We are a film making production house and not any traditional business owners. We belong to middle class family though we come from the most reputed engineering college in India - IIT Delhi. Even though we don't have much financial support, no business background, no Godfathers, we'll make it big in Bollywood and by 2009 end, the entire country would know about us.

• By 2009, we will make our first bollywood movie and release it worldwide
• By 2010, we are planning to make at least 2 more movies.
• By 2012, we'd give opportunity to new directors to direct our films and we'd release at least 3 RedMat films every year since then
• Key Requirements to grow your businessA Financier who would give us a break owing to our sound skill sets
• My full time commitment