Articles: Aishwarya Rai - Page 5

After being the hot property for years, the Ash fixation continues till today. Aishwarya Rai was touted as the next Miss India way back in 1993, months before she even participated in the contest.

The grey-green eyed beauty was a well known supermodel and when she came second to Sushmita Sen by a very small margin, there was much disappointment in the air that cleared only after she was crowned Miss World and embarked on a Bollywood career.

Almost fourteen years later, things are still the same.

Today too, she is as hot as she was during those days. The biggie Dhoom 2 has done well, and one of those to have gained most out of it is undoubtedly Aishwarya Rai. With her re-invented look, her Adonis- Venus kind of pairing with handsome hunk Hrithik Roshan, she is in the wanted list.

And importantly, all the films in her kitty are an impressive lot - Mani Ratnam's Guru, Ram Gopal Verma's Sarkar 2, Ashutosh Gowarikar's Jodha Akbar, Suneil Shetty produced Raaste alongside John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan and Gaurang Doshi's Happy Birthday which is in the process of getting finalized.

Ash is in great demand in spite of the fact that many can't really recall her last big solo hit. It was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999 more than seven years ago. One can count the 2002 hit Devdas too but Ash didn't really carry the film on her shoulders

Even her affairs have portrayed her in bad light, be it the unfortunate Salman Khan episode, her association with Vivek Oberoi or the liaison with current 'good friend', Abhishek Bachchan. She has been dubbed manipulative. Her dressing sense too hasn't been spared (especially in Cannes).

Then too, the most beautiful Bollywood lass is the highest paid actress today. So what is it that keeps Ash going? Is it her ethereal good looks, her amazing personality, her marketing and PR skills or something else which has put her in this extra ordinary league?

It's the same case as that of Kareena Kapoor some years back. The fair maiden didn't have a single hit in hand and yet had everyone from Shubhash Ghai, Karan Johar to Yash Raj films and Mani Ratnam wanting to work with her. So was the case with pretty starlet Sonam in the late 80s who had signed more than 40 films even before her debut film was out.

And following the footsteps of Ash is supermodel Deepika Padukone. The stunner has just done one Kannada film Aishwarya (co-incidence of sorts!) and is all set to make her Bollywood debut against the mighty Shah Rukh Khan in Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om, and then she will be seen alongside Hrithik Roshan in Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra's Delhi 6.

Seems, the phenomenon has got something to do with a person's incredible aura.

But then, did her international projects make waves? 'Not really' would be the right answer. After promoting Devdas in Cannes, there was news every where about Ash going international.

Films like Chaos, Singularity and The Windfall have not yet seen the light of the day. She was seen opposite New Zealand actor Martin Henderson in Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice but overall, the film was called a much hyped dud and The Mistress of Spices, where she was seen as Dylan McDermott's arm candy fared worse.

Ash didn't publicize her UK film Provoked and The Last Legion with Sir Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth is yet to release.

In fact more than her films, her international appearances have been deemed more successful. In 2003, she was a member of the jury at Cannes. She has appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and on Oprah's "Women across the Globe" segment.

There have been titles like being in Time Magazine's 'Asia's 100 Most Influential People list', Hello Magazine's "Most Attractive Women in the World", Rolling Stone's "Hot List", many other 'most beautiful' and 'sexiest' titles as well as being chosen as L'Oral Cosmetics' international ambassador. Not to forget her wax figure on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum.

All this has surely made her super famous. One of Ash's good friends Preity Zinta recently stated that irrespective of what others may say, Ash is the only Indian star who's recognized on the red carpet at Cannes. Hollywood biggie Will Smith couldn't stop gushing about Aishwarya's great looks and fame on his trip to India earlier this year.

"It's not a myth. Ash is actually quite famous in our side of the world. In fact my film Hitch was offered to her but she was busy with Bride and Prejudice and hence couldn't do it. But I hope to work with her soon in future," Smith had stated.

International connections have indeed been very helpful for Ash, feels young film critic Mayank Shekhar. "See it's not the question of being saleable. A lot of assignments are determined through your PR skills.

She has been in the right company at the right time and with the right people. She has managed better films than many other actresses because of her international stature. She has been everywhere from international shows to international magazine covers like Cosmopolitan. Its all because of her good marketing which in itself is a well thought out drill.

News like Julia Roberts thinking of her as the most beautiful woman in the world and Will Smith wanting to work with her has reasons. It's because she is the only actress they must have heard of. It is better management of her career and the campaign that has sustained around her," he explains.

However Ash's first Bollywood director, Rahul Rawail (Aur Pyar Ho Gaya) thinks differently. "It's not just marketing, because that alone cannot help you. There has to be something in the person. It's all about that spark," he says.

Ash has some supporters no doubt, but detractors too she has many. Unlike Rani Mukerji, the heroine of many hits, Ash is not a part of any camp. She is not a Chopra camp, a Johar camp or a Bhansali camp regular.

She is not on great terms or working anymore with the big Khans (read Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir and Saif). There are people who don't hold her in high regard. "I have not seen any of her movies. I don't know her and really don't want to know," said Mahesh Bhatt when asked to comment on Ash's career graph.

But the lady seems to care less with her great management skills, beauty and luck in place, which have indeed stood her in good stead so far. The Ash aura is unlikely to diminish so soon and the brand is here to shine for couple of more years. - Sneha Hazarika (SAMPURN)

Those of us who don't know where Sojat is, it's time to refresh their general knowledge. This is the place in Rajasthan from where Aishwarya Rai will get henna for her mehndi (henna) ceremony when she weds Abhishek Bachchan.

Over 15 kg of local henna will travel to wherever (the trader refuses to disclose where) the ceremony takes place. The henna packets would be sent five days prior to the wedding day.

"The Bachchan family contacted a mehndi agent in Mumbai who in turn has placed orders with two of the leading henna traders of Sojat," sources told here Friday.

These traders had prepared a special type of mehndi for model and actress Liz Hurley's wedding to NRI businessman Arun Nayar recently.

"We have received orders from an agent in Mumbai for the Bachchan wedding and we are preparing special packets for them. We will send these packets to wherever they decide to get married," said Nitesh Agarwal, a Sojat-based mehndi trader.

Sojat and its surrounding areas in the Pali district of the state boast of the most intensive henna cultivation in India. Up to 90 percent of Rajasthan's commercial henna production is in this area.

Over 100 henna processing units are in operation in Sojat.

Bollywood's hottest couple are getting married on April 20. According to reports, the ceremony would be a low key affair and held in Mumbai with only the closest family and friends in attendance.

We also hear that potential conflict between Bahu Aishwarya and Saas Jaya has been averted thanks to some deft balancing by Ash's mother Vrinda Rai.

Ash was keen to get her wedding dresses designed by her favorite designer Nita Lulla but Jay preferred Abu Jaani and Sandeep Khosla, the duo who incidentally clothed Amitabh Bachchan's wax replica at Madame Tussauds.

Family watchers feared that the relationship between Jaya – who is known for her silent temper – and Ash, who is rightly called the ice maiden – would freeze even before it begins officially.

Yash Chopra introduced Neeta to Aishwarya10 years ago and since then Neeta has been the star's preferred designer. Aishwarya's costumes in the films Umrao Jaan, Devdas, Taal, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam were designed by Neeta as were her dresses at prestigious events such as the Cannes Festival. The bond between the two friends has been strong and stable.

Jaya, on the other hand, has been loyal to Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. According to the grapevine Vrinda Rai, Ash's diplomatic mother worked out a compromise to satisfy both parties. Being the bride's mother, she had to delicately work around the conflict areas to make both strong-willed women happy.

So now the final decisions are as follows: Neeta Lulla will design a gold zari embroidered saree for Ash to wear on her wedding day. For her mehendi on the 18th, Ash will wear a red zari embroidered ghagra-choli also designed by Neeta Lulla.

Abu-Sandeep will design Ash's outfit for the Sangeet ceremony at Prateeksha on the 19th. Vrinda Rai will gift Ash with heritage jewelery from her own collection and her inheritance from the Rai family.

The electronic media and the paparazzi are going ballistic with supposed details about the Ash-Abhishek marriage.

But the facts are extremely and exasperatingly contrary to what you see hear and read. And you heard the true facts here….for the first and last time.

The wedding on 20 April is not going to be a lavish affair. Only the immediate and extended family of the Bachchans—brother Ajitabh and his family, sister Shweta and her in-laws which includes all the Kapoors –are being invited.

Besides these the only people you'll see at the event are Abhishek's close friends like Sikandar Kher, Goldie Behl and Rohan Sippy.

Karan Johar, who's like a son to the Bachchans with mom Hiroo Johar, and J.P. Dutta whom Abhishek looks on as a father figure, are expected to be at the wedding. Yash Chopra, his wife Pam and sons Aditya and Uday are also expected at the wedding.

The lady of the house Jaya Bachchan is supervising every detail. In fact the Big B and the dulha are keeping completely out of the preparations, and that includes the invitees' list.

Jaya being firm of mind and resolute in her purposes, has kept the fanfare to the barest minimum. The guest list would be in accordance with the size and capacity of the Bachchans' residence and of course the imperativeness of the potential invitees' presence on the premises.

All the invitees are keeping a low profile as they don't wish to unintentionally divulge details about the wedding.

Suffice it to say that some of the atrocious untruths being cooked up on the news and entertainment channels have the Bachchans enormously amused.

According to reports all the neighbours have been asked to keep their gates shut to media persons and the Bachchan family has requested the aviation ministry not to allow any planes to hover over their residence during the wedding.

These are completely baseless stories planted by people who have an axe to grind, or perhaps this is their way of feeling important. As Bachchan Saab told a friend, "My son's wedding is a very private solemn and precious moment for me and my family. Surely we're entitled to our privacy if and when we need it."