Biographie
In the early days of his life, Ashuu faced a difficult choice when his father set a condition: "Either continue playing with your friends or work in films." Ashuu loved sports and spending time with his friends, making the decision nearly impossible. However, it was clear that his passion for films outweighed everything else. Shortly after completing his tenth standard, in 1978, Ashuu began working in the film industry, learning the trade.
Despite his involvement in films, Ashuu never stopped studying. He earned a diploma in Electronics and Radio Engineering, then graduated as an Electronics Engineer from Bombay University in 1988. By this time, his technical knowledge of the film industry enabled him to create educational films for engineering students, using animations to visually explain complex engineering theories, especially those involving the Z-axis. This innovative approach met with immediate success.
Being the only person in the country producing high-quality educational films, Ashuu's work introduced him to the world of animation—a costly endeavor to outsource. Leveraging his educational background, he invested in animation systems to support his projects. However, producing educational films was financially demanding, with income slowly trickling in from sales. Coming from a modest background, Ashuu quickly realized this business model was unsustainable. He diversified into technical films for major corporate clients, which naturally led him into advertising films and the world of television commercials.
Having produced and directed nearly 350 commercials, Ashuu's entry into Bollywood was somewhat accidental. When N.R. Pachisia was promoting his film *Ziddi*, he sought an out-of-the-box marketer. Introduced by a mutual friend, Ashuu created a groundbreaking promotional campaign for the film: an English-language promo for a Hindi movie. The campaign took the nation and industry by storm, earning Ashuu recognition as Bollywood's wiz kid. From there, he promoted over 90 films, many of which achieved record-breaking box office openings, boasting a success rate above 90%.
A producer friend's wife once joked that producers should share a percentage of their film earnings with Ashuu for his ingenious marketing tactics. Drawing from his advertising background, Ashuu understood the importance of airtime and the strategic rotation of commercials for audience recall. He pioneered the use of 5, 10, and 20-second spots, countdowns to release dates, and capturing audience reactions, revolutionizing film promotion.
Ashuu's reputation grew among producers who valued his insight into the trade and his understanding of filmmaking nuances, from scripting to final mixing. His experience with educational films and TV commercials gave him strong expertise in computer graphics and animations. Transitioning to digital titling and visual effects (VFX) was a natural progression, leading him to introduce digital VFX and titling into an industry that was largely analog.
Beyond promotions, Ashuu became deeply involved in the creative aspects of full-length feature films, as well as the digital side of production. His career took a significant turn when he directed his first feature film, *Deewaanapan*, for Puja Films. Both lead actors won debut awards, and the film received an action nomination. He went on to direct several films, earning a breakthrough director nomination for *Baabarr* and a best visual effects nomination for *Alag*. His film *Sheesha* featured the song "Yaar Ko Maine..." which was nominated for best song of the year.
In addition to directing, Ashuu produced the film *Koyelaanchal*, centered on the country's coal mafia. He has written scripts for many of his films and acted in a few. Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous legends of the industry, both in front of and behind the camera, honing the art of storytelling. Ashuu also shares his filmmaking insights through his weekly blog, *Film Curry*.
Married to Samriti Trikha since 1990, Ashuu has two children: a son, Anmol Trikha, and a younger daughter, Akshita Trikha. He has two siblings, a brother named Sonu Trikha and a sister, Rachita Mawani.
