Desi News Corp - Index

Desi News Corp - Desi News - July 2009 - Index

There are thousands of
girls called Aishwarya –
including my nine-year-old
niece. There are Aishwarya
fruit juice stalls and
Aishwarya paan shops.
There are sites offering
Aishwarya lookalike brides.
Aishwarya Rai is as big as
it gets in Planet Bollywood.
She was enjoying a break
in London (England!)
following the IIFA event in
China when she answered
questions about her life,
career and The Pink
Panther 2. She ducked a
few, including one about
sending the wrong
message to young girls, but
more on that later!
Desi News: The Padmashri, a
statue at Madame Tussaud’s,
super-stardom in Bollywood
and now Hollywood movies...
do you ever pinch yourself,
do a reality check?
Aishwarya Rai: I have certainly
been blessed in my life. Very
blessed! And appreciative.
DN: Everyone knows the
superstar Aishwarya. What’s
the real Aishwarya like?
What do you do for fun?
AR: I’m a regular girl. A wife,
daughter, daughter in-law.
Every day is a blessing to me. I
enjoy films and music.
DN: People call you Ash.
What does your family call
you? What did your parents
12 Desi News July 2009
EXCLUSIVE
Tickled Pink
AISHWARYA RAI IN CONVERSATION WITH DESI NEWS
call you when you were a little
girl?
AR: People do call me Ash or
Aish but many call me that
because they don’t want to mispronounce
Aishwarya...I like it
very much when people attempt
to call me Aishwarya.
DN: What was the experience
of wor king in The Pink
Panther 2 like? Any incident
that stands out?
AR: It was a fabulous experience
to work with such film
Five-time Golden Globe nominee Steve Martin springs back
into action as the blundering French police officer Jacques
Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2.
Co-starring Oscar nominees John Cleese and Andy Garcia, Yuki
Matsuzaki, Emily Mortimer and Bollywood’s own Aishwarya Rai,
The Pink Panther 2 is a side-splitting sequel to the worldwide hit The Pink
Panther, based on the 1964 original starring the legendary Peter Sellers.
After a thief known as “The Tornado” steals a variety of precious
items, including France’s beloved Pink Panther diamond, an international
dream team of detectives band together to crack the case.
Slowing down the process is the team’s leader, Inspector
Clouseau, the highly unintelligent officer who has a way of missing
legends and veterans. Steve
Martin, Lily Tomlin, Jean Reno,
John Cleese, Andy Garcia, Fred
Molina and the lovely Emily
Mortimer. A couple of scenes
between Steve and Lily made
me laugh. It was hard to hold
in the laughter. In between
takes was even greater fun.
DN: From all the movies you
have done, if you had to pick
your personal bests in Hindi
and English movies, which
would they be?
Inspector Clueless and the beauty with the brains
I don’t have a favourite film. I
enjoy the entire process of
filmmaking. The final outcome
is that of the director and I am
but one element.
DN: What’s your favorite
Toronto memory?
AR: Performing there with my
live show. The audience was so
warm. Then after the show,
driving around the city searching
for a late night dinner.
DN: What’s next?
AR: Raavana with Abhishek
directed by Mani Ratnam.
Action Replay which I am still
filming with Akshay Kumar
and Endhiran with Rajnikanth.
I have about 20 scripts waiting
to be read. There are simply not
enough hours in a day.
QUESTIONS SHE
DUCKED!
• Abhishek Bachchan has
been quoted as saying he’s a
big fan of Steve Martin and
you are the one that got to
work with him. Is there even
a hint of professional rivalry,
Abhimaan-style?
• Your husband, father-in-law
and mother-in-law are all big
stars. What’s life in a family of
stars like?
• There are rumours of
trouble between you and Jaya
Bachchan. What’s the truth?
• As a role model for millions
of young girls, do you think
that stories such as ‘marrying’
a tree go against empowering
women?
the obvious until he somehow stumbles on to the truth.
Packed with amusing adventure for the whole family, The Pink
Panther 2 Blue-ray disc includes a fun-filled three-disc version of
the film with bonus disc featuring 27 Pink Panther cartoons and
digital copy for portable media players.
Fully loaded with all-new bonus features
including a gag reel, exclusive behindthe-scenes
featurettes, and more.
• The Pink Panther 2, released by MGM
Home Entertainment. Blue Ray Disc:
$49.99, DVD: 43.48.
– SHAGORIKA EASWAR