Aishwarya Rai

Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 (EST)
Implicit in recent statements by Bachchan family members that it is up to Aishwarya to decide whether
or not she will continue her film career after her marriage to Abhishek, is the suggestion that there is a
case for her not to.

29 Jan 2007 (Sawf News) - Implicit in recent statements by Bachchan family members that it is up to
Aishwarya to decide whether or not she will continue her film career after her marriage to Abhishek, is
the suggestion that there is a case for her not to. At 33 years of age the former Miss World (1994) is
already at the wrong end of her child bearing years.
Aishwarya has around 9 films lined up in various stages of production. After the recently released Guru,
she will next be seen in The Last Legion, a Hollywood period drama made at a cost of $67 million.
Two other important films in production are Jodha-Akbar in which she is paired opposite her Dhoom 2
co-star Hrithik Roshan and Sarkar 2 opposite fiancé Abhishek Bachchan.
Following Sarkar 2 she will once again appear opposite Abhishek Bachchan in an as yet untitled film to
be produced by Karan Johar and directed by Karan's former assistant Tarun. The film may well mark her
final screen appearance.
Aishwarya may take an up to 2 years to wrap up her current assignments. The imperative to start a
family soon after that will be strong.
Whether Aishwarya thinks otherwise will be known soon. It is being reported that Writer Director
Rituparno Ghosh is keen to sign her up as the lead for an English language film that will star Amitabh
Bachchan. Shooting for the film is expected to start in Feb 2007.
In the past Rituparno has written and directed critically acclaimed films such as Raincoat, Choker Bali:
A Passion Play and Shubho Mahurat which won a silver lotus in the National Film Awards 2003. It will
be difficult for Aishwarya to pass an opportunity to work with a renowned director like Rituparno in a
film starring the Big B. We don't think she will be tempted but if she does we will know that her
priorities lie at home.

Aishwarya Rai – to work or not to work

26th Jan 2007 10.01 IST By ApunKaChoice

Now that the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai is all set to become the daughter-in-law of the Bachchans, all are wondering whether she will give up her Bollywood career after her marriage.

A source close to Bachchans says that after marriage, Ash is not giving up films. “There's absolutely no talk of Aishwarya giving up her career,” the source said.

“After Guru she has entered a new performing peak. This is the time when she needs to build on her actress image,” continues the source.

“In fact, 2007 is one of Ash's busiest years in years. Apart from two international projects, The Last Legion and Provoked , which are ready for release she's shooting for Ashutosh Gowarikar 's Jodha Akbar . Right after that she goes into Ram Gopal Varma 's Sarkar 2 , followed by a film for Karan Johar 's production house. Both feature Abhishek Bachchan opposite her. It would make a lot of practical sense for Ash to do her films with Abhi. That doesn't mean she'd keep herself exclusively associated with Abhi professionally. In fact, Ash is about to ink another project for producer Gaurang Doshi to be directed by Shriram Raghavan which stars John Abraham . All these will keep her busy till at least the middle of 2008,” the source said.

There are also widespread speculations about the marriage date.

As per sources, marriage date will be worked out soon after Jaya Bachchan and Abhishek return from the shooting of Goldie Behl 's Drona .

Ash is presently busy shooting ‘Jodha Akbar' in Karjat and she has her kitty full with film assignments, which will keep her busiest at least till the middle of 2008.

So a soon marriage can force Ash to reschedule her dates which is a touch task for her as well as for the producers of films.

The source assures that the marriage date will be fixed keeping Ash's career plan in mind. It will not impede her career plan. Ash will also be completely with decision of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya.

“Ash is completely one with whatever Abhishek's parents decide. She's leaving all her post-marriage decisions to them. In fact, she has been going by their wishes for some time now, from the time the two got serious about each other,” says the source.

Meanwhile, the Bachchans have ordered a priceless Banarasi lehenga for their gorgeous soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

Ash is likely to wear the anmol lehenga on her wedding day. The lehenga would be crafted by a mater weaver of the city, famous for signature Banarasi saris, and it would be beautiful work of Banarasi Zardozi and Kolkatan-Jaipur embroidery on a silken base.

Sources said the price of the lehenga might be over Rs. 2 lakh.

STARRING > ABHISHEK BACHCHAN, AISHWARYA RAI, MITHUN CHAKRABORTY

Too much Reliance on money Mani Ratnam has a knack for taking unusual subjects and never quite doing justice to them. Guru is, in that sense, a Mani Ratnam classic. Based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, it is by no means an objective assessment of its protagonist, which is perhaps precisely what robs it of both nuance and emotional power.

India’s first film to celebrate the mercantile spirit, Guru’s failures are Mani Ratnam’s, for the cast has done rather well The film tells the story of Gurukant Desai, who is confident that his goal in life is to make money, at a time when such clarity was not the norm. After a stint learning the ropes of business, he marries Sujata (Aishwarya Rai) without seeing her, because she comes with a fat dowry (a result of her earlier attempt to elope with a Communist firebrand). He moves to Bombay and struggles to find a foothold in the textile market. With the help of newspaper publisher Manikdas Gupta (Mithun Chakraborty, making a comeback), he elbows his way in and begins a meteoric rise. Gupta becomes a father figure to him and Guru shares a sweet relationship with his multiple sclerosis-affected daughter, Meenakshi (Vidya Balan). By means fair and foul, he sets about constructing an empire, incurring the righteous indignation of Gupta who, with the help of earnest reporter Shyam Saxena (Madhavan, also Vidya Balan’s love interest), sets about exposing his misdeeds. The battle culminates at one end with Meenakshi’s death and at the other, with a commission of enquiry that more or less exonerates Guru.

Guru is India’s first film to celebrate the mercantile spirit, with a protagonist for whom everything is unabashedly bijness. His world is cast in terms of profits, prices and deals. Underlying this view, suggests the film, lies the conviction that good business makes everyone happy. The problem, though, is in the writing. The film never provides any event that could give us an insight into how Guru’s mind works or what dilemmas he faces. The end in particular is hysterically-filmed with an overactive camera and a hyperventilating background track that serve to expose the inadequacy of the content. Guru’s defense is staggeringly self-serving: that he did what he did to bolster the interests of his middle class constituency. The film’s failures belong to the director, for the cast has done rather well. Abhishek puts in an almost great performance, though he never quite becomes the older version of his character. Aishwarya is subdued without being dull. Mithun is excellent and Vidya Balan and Madhavan acquit themselves well. I am loath to say anything about AR Rahman’s soundtrack since he has an uncanny ability to grow on you. What can safely be said is that Mani Ratnam lets us down in the song picturisation.

Special prayer for Aishwarya Rai at her birthplace

22nd Jan 2007 10.52 IST By ApunKaChoice

No matter how big a celebrity you are, blessings of the Almighty are always sought before a special occasion and the case of the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai is no different.

With Ash all set to tie the knot with Abhishek Bachchan , the actress's mother Vrinda Rai has performed a special puja at Nagabana in Sonthady near Kasargod, her birthplace.

The puja was performed Thursday morning by Vrinda in keeping with the traditions of Tulunadu culture is an annual affair, a close relative of Ash said on condition of anonymity in Mangalore on Friday.

All members of the family, except for Ash, took part in the puja to 'moola nagadevata bana' at Sonthady, the relative said.

Ash's father Krishnarajendra Rai arrived in Mangalore from Mumbai Thursday morning and performed puja in the temple of Dharmasthala, he said.

Ash and Abhishek got engaged at a quiet ceremony in Mumbai on January 14. The engagement came about one-and- half-months after the couple, accompanied by mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan , offered prayers at the Varanasi temple.

All eyes turned to Bangalore when Ash's family astrologer Chandrashekhara Swami, based in Mulky, was consulted on the alliance as Ash had 'Kuja dosha'.

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