You'll have plenty of Aishwarya Rai in 2006
02nd Jan 2006 09.01 IST
By Agencies

Don’t worry if 2005 was an uneventful year for the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai on screen. You’ll have plenty of Ash to feast your eyes upon in 2006

First, Ash is all set to make a big splash on the international arena in 2006 with three Hollywood movies featuring her to be released during the year.




With this she will also emerge as the only Indian heroine to achieve the distinction.

The Hollywood films The Last Legion , Provoked , and Mistress of Spices , are being lined up for release this year and her spirited performance in the films will make her an international star of repute, Ash's Business Manager Hari Singh said in Mumbai.

After making her debut in Hollywood with Gurinder Chadha 's Bride and Prejudice , Ash was determined to make a mark on the international circuit, he said.

Ash’s journey from Miss World in 1994 to a super model and eventually Bollywood's 'numero uno' heroine to a brand ambassador and an international star has been really exciting, Singh said.

Back home, Ash has several big-budget films like J P Dutta 's magnum opus Umrao Jaan opposite Abhishek Bachchan in which she portrays the title role, Aditya Chopra 's Dhoom 2 opposite Hrithik Roshan , Ashutosh Gowarikar 's Jodha Akbar , again co-starring Hrithik, will catapult her to greater heights this year, Singh claimed.

Several leading filmmakers, including Ketan Mehta , Mani Ratnam and Ratan Jain , are planning big films with Ash as a central character, he said.

Ash flew down to Mumbai from Jaipur on the eve of the New Year to be with her parents, brother and sister-in-law. She took a day off from the month-long schedule of 'Umrao Jaan'.

Ash celebrated the New Year with her family members at her residence in suburban Bandra.

''Aishwarya is a very religious person attached to Indian customs and tradition,'' Singh said. After performing pooja at home on the New Dear's day, she went to Siddhivinayak Temple to pay obeisance to Lord Ganesh and participated in the first aarti at 0530 hrs.

Ash is leaving for Brazil in the last week of this month for the shooting of 'Dhoom 2'.

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If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

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Aishwarya playing the period lady


Aishwarya Rai stands way ahead from other Bollywood actresses in terms of the offer that she bags. With ‘Umrao Jaan’, ‘Jodha-Akbar’ and ‘The Last Legion’ tied tightly under her belt, Aishwarya belongs to a different league of actor in the industry. And all she is doing for her career is on the strength of dedication and drive. The team of ‘Umrao Jaan’ is all praises for her as she gears up to get into the skin of the character she plays in the film. We catch up with Aishwarya, as she looks stunning in the location of Rajasthan, shooting for the film.

Excerpts from the Interview:

Is playing a character like Umrao in ‘Umrao Jaan’ an uphill task?

Not really. When you’ve a director like J P Dutta handling the reigns of direction, you’re rest assured that you’ll deliver the best. He elaborates the scene and details in such a manner, that the only work remaining is to go and carry the shot in front of the camera.

Are you trying to imitate Rekha in the original ‘Umrao Jaan’?

It’s impossible to imitate somebody like her. So I’m better handling the things my way. The story and dance movements of this film are different from the one in Muzaffar Ali’s film.

The costume of the film is likely to create the aura of Devdas?

Designer Anna Singh has really made some gorgeous outfits going with the story of the film. They’re just ethereal.

How much do you like the locations of Rajasthan?


I’m the liking the place a lot. I’ve to wrap up a long shooting schedule here and so I’m trying to get used to the place. We’ll shoot here for the film till January. I’ll also be here again for Ashutosh Gowraiker’s ‘Jodha-Akbar’. Shooting for that film will be again another brave act.

Won’t you be looking similar in ‘Umrao Jaan’ and ‘Jodha-Akbar’ due to the appeal of both the films?

Not at all because I’ll be playing different characters in both of them. Apart from the similar heavy costumes and the film belonging to the period genre, nothing will be similar between them.

What about ‘Prithviraj-Sanjukta’ as both Santoshi and Chandraprakash Diwedi want you for the role?

That is another interesting period film. But I cannot do the same film for both of them. So when they approached me I made it clear that they’re approaching me with a film with the same subject. It’s upon them to decide what to do next. As a filmmaker I respect both, whereas Rajkumar Santoshi is closer to me. I’m looking forward to work with him, as I had to drop ‘Saamna’ at the last hour. Dr Diwedi had offered me ‘Pinjar’ formerly but I couldn’t do the film due to dates. But about signing a new film is out of question now, as I’m already very busy with ‘Umrao Jaan’, ‘Dhoom 2’ and then ‘Jodha-Akbar’.

How much have ‘Dhoom 2’ progressed?

Before getting to Rajasthan, I had been shooting for the film in Mumbai. It was fun and rocking shooting the film. Its full of fun and energy.


How much are you enjoying working with J P Dutta?

He is awesome as a director. What makes him special is that he is so good with his treatment towards the actors. He is as good in etching female characters as males. His choice of music is also profound. I’m having a lovely time working with him.

How is it working in the Hollywood film The Last Legion?

Working in Hollywood is not an easy task, how much big an actress you may be at home. The audiences there know me but don’t know the kind of films that I do. So you have to work a lots harder to make yourself felt to the audience so that they can perceive you. I’ve just wrapped up the film there.

__________________
I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.

When you're right, no one remembers. When you're wrong, no one forgets.

[/quote]



wow! I am impressed! Aishwarya looked beautiful in Taal, and now in Umrao Jaan... I hope she moves the box office records in the North Direction too....

Thx Angel, for the info. and plz do keep the post updated about her

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more smiles per (e)mail.

cheers!

Good atleast someone is reading


JP Dutta's Umrao Jaan
With Aishwarya Rao and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead, the film is set to recreate the magic once spun in the 1981 classic by Muzaffar Ali. It has an impressive cast: Shabana Azmi (she plays Umrao's mother, a role first played by her mother Shaukat Kaifi), Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Divya Dutta, Himani Shivpuri, Puru Raaj Kumar and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.

The shooting took place mostly in Jaipur. If Asha Bhonsle was the voice of the first Umrao, Alka Yagnik will sing for Aishwarya Rai songs penned by Javed Akhtar and set to music by Anu Malik. Incidentally, Malik's daughter Anmol too has lent her voice to a young Ash in the film, marking her first step into the music scene.

__________________
I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.

When you're right, no one remembers. When you're wrong, no one forgets.

Ashutosh Gowariker's Akbar-Jodha

Taking its cue from Mughal-E-Azam, Gowariker is set to launch another mega cinematic event. It will focus on Mughal Emperor Akbar's relationship with his Hindu wife Jodha. The director, it is heard, has hired a research team comprising historians and scholars from Delhi, Lucknow, Agra and Jaipur to guide him on a subject as intricate and complicated as the Mughal era.

The film will star Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead. Will it wipe away the painful memories of a well-made yet unsuccessful Swades? Considering it is in the production stage, we'll have to wait for that answer.

__________________
I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

Never argue with a fool. People might not know the difference.

When you're right, no one remembers. When you're wrong, no one forgets.

What about Akbar Khans taj Mahal; it costed 75 crores and ended up as a big time flop. Mythological epics r a big risk to make! Ashutosh better beware...