One of the first American action films ever to star a Sri Lankan actor debuts featuring a cast and crew of women and flipped stereotypes to challenge the film industry’s jaded norms.
Hollow Point (2019), directed by Daniel Zirilli, produced and starring Sri Lankan-American Dilan Jay, tells the story of a traumatized ethics professor whose wife and daughter are senselessly murdered, a cataclysm which forces him to join a group of charismatic vigilantes to face off against his family’s killer, while he confronts his personal dilemma in his quest for vengeance and justice.
Despite Hollow Point being Dilan Jay’s first Hollywood action film — shot and cut in Los Angeles and produced by his company Halcyon Films — the star lineup boasts lead talent: Luke Goss (Blade II, Hellboy: The Golden Army), Juju Chan (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny), Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire, Street Kings), Michael Pare (The Infiltrator, The Lincoln Lawyer), and Bill Duke (Mandy, Predator).
Starring in Hollow Point is Dilan Jay himself as principal actor, Professor Nolan Cooray, making Dilan one of the first Sri Lankan lead actors in an American action film ever — a strategic move he hopes will inspire more producers to cast Indians into non-stereotypical lead roles. “I put myself, a Sri Lankan, as the protagonist because I realized that if I wanted to see an Indian star in an American action film like Hollow Point, I simply had to create the opportunity because it does not exist — you just don’t see it happening yet,” said Dilan.
Dilan’s foray into film — atop 8 years as a professional musician with 5 albums — began back in 2010 with his lead role in the second largest budgeted film in Sri Lanka, Looking Back On The Lion, where Dilan played the hero that freed his Island from colonial rule. This hallmark film continues to be played every Sri Lankan New Year to celebrate the country’s freedom from British control.
Watch the trailer (WARNING: violence and profanity)
Hollow Point’s creation and purpose represents much more than action-packed entertainment. Dilan aims to use film as a way to effect tangible — and hopefully replicable — change in industry stereotypes. For example, he deliberately recruited and casted women into key roles, such as:
- Director of Photography
- Line Producer
- 1stAD
- And recasted one of the male lead roles to be female.
“Not only did I want to see more female representation in Hollow Point, but I chose to flip the bad guy stereotype from the usual thick-accented thug from Eastern Europe — or black gangster — to a white villain from America,” commented Dilan.
Dilan continues, “Racial and gender precedents which occur in Hollywood will and do influence the rest of the world’s media. So I believe a profound responsibility lies with film producers, media creators, and artists to overtly push against the antiquated idea that movies will not sell with women, Indians (even Sri Lankans), and other minorities in lead roles.”
Thus, Hollow Point carries with it a burgeoning story of opportunity not only for women, but for minorities, Sri Lankans, and anyone else who wants a voice.