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FILM INTERVIEW: ANKUSH KOHLI

Co-Director of 'Exodus Fall' Talks About a Family Challenged By Autism

By: Parimal M. Rohit
April 5, 2011

Exodus FallAnkush Kohli was not like the rest of his high school graduating class. The co-director of Exodus Fall, which stars Jesse James and Rosanna Arquette, Mr. Kohli knew he wanted to be in film ever since he was handed his high school diploma. In working with Chad Waterhouse and fostering a coming-of-age story about a family overcoming autism and the death of a father, Mr. Kohli is grateful to be making his directorial debut after traveling the world as a prospective filmmaker. 

 
Helping bring the word of Mr. Waterhouse’s screenplay to life, Mr. Kohli and his co-director spared no bones in telling a gripping tale of a family torn apart by death and autism. Set in 1974 Texas, Exodus Fall tells the story of three teen siblings who struggle to come to terms with their father’s death. Life becomes more complicated when their abusive mother falls apart in dealing with one of the teen’s autistic conditions.
 
After the autistic child is institutionalized, the other two siblings embark on a road trip to break him out.
 
“It’s a coming-of-age story about kids finding freedom. It’s a breaking out of a life of tyranny to find freedom. It’s a journey film,” Mr. Kohli said. “Family love is the core of the film. The kids aren’t happy about one of their siblings being institutionalized, so they go on a road trip and help him break out.”
 
While he was never institutionalized himself, nor was ever in need of any siblings to coming to his aid to help him escape the perils of a confined life, Mr. Kohli broke out of the traditional mold of most 18-year-olds right out of high school. Instead of picking up a dead-end summer job or going to college to pursue a career in law, medicine, engineering, or business, Mr. Kohli saw a future for himself in filmmaking.
 
“Right out of high school, I had somewhat of an idea that I wanted to be in film,” Mr. Kohli said, pointing out that he took film classes at Orange Coast College and the University of Southern California before delving out in the real world and working with documentarian Milan Kapoor on a production in India.
 
Shortly thereafter, he returned to the United States, working on a music video and as an assistant on several productions before finally arriving on the set of Exodus Fall as co-director and connecting with the likes of Mr. James, Ms. Arquette, and Adrien Finkel. Through it all, Mr. Kohli said he felt blessed to bring he colleague’s story to life, and audiences are able to connect to a story about family.
 
With Mr. Kohli’s directorial mate penning the screenplay for Exodus Fall, the Indian American filmmaker, based here in Southern California, pointed out that the film was based upon a real life story of a situation that Mr. Waterhouse’s mom’s friend similarly endured.
 
Ankush KohliIn bringing a story to life of three siblings with such a strong bond that not even their own mother can keep them apart, Kohli believes the brotherly relationship between Hollywood and Bollywood is growing so close together, the whole of Indian (and international) cinema will ultimately benefit.
 
“I can see it merging and a lot more coming out of India than ever before. The whole world is coming together,” Mr. Kohli observed.
 
As his directorial debut prepares to hit the screens on April 8th, hopefully a big chunk of that world indeed does come together, allowing what was once a pipedream of a high school graduate named Ankush Kohli to become a reality.
 
Oakhurst Pictures' 'Exodus Fall' is released in April 2011.