Aishwarya is blessed: SLB

Charisma is a quality difficult to define. More often than not when your mind is searching for that right word to describe an indefinable quality about someone, 'charisma' is what your brain comes up with. Everyone who has known Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan vouches for her charismatic presence.

But that is not all that makes the model-turned-actress a diva. It's a lot more. After the delivery of her daughter, Aaradhya, seven months ago (November 16), she has received a lot of negative publicity for failing to lose her post-pregnancy weight as is apparently "required" of a public figure. Any other top-notch actress, known for her beauty and petite form, would've been affected by the hullabaloo, may have even decided to drop out of a brand appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, with internet and news pages full of nasty stories about her weight gain. But not Ash.

The French Riviera, where narrow waistlines and designer outfits compete to make the statement of the year, there was this delighted mother and proud woman who posed for the shutterbugs with her usual aplomb in a fitted gown, flashing her 1,000-watt smile that screamed to all her detractors: "Go to hell".

Says director Sanjay Leela Bhansali about one of his favourite actresses, "Aishwarya's biggest strength is that she is headstrong, but in a beautiful demure way, a combination very few are blessed with." Bhansali is known to be a perfectionist, someone who doesn't let any actor deliver short of the character he has created in his mind. It cannot be just co-incidence that he keeps on zeroing in on Ash to portray some of his best female protagonists, be it Nandini of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Paro of Devdas, or Sofia D'Souza of the more recent Guzaarish.

It has been almost two decades since she won the Femina Miss India crown, followed by the Miss World title. But little has changed over the years when it comes to her ethereal beauty, dazzling smile and her determination to be known as one of the best actresses in the country.

A leading designer says, "The first thing that strikes someone about Aishwarya is her breath-taking physical beauty. She truly is heart-stoppingly gorgeous. But physical beauty is only a facet of divadom. To be a true goddess, one must possess something truly unique — a quality that remains indefinable but consists of allure, attitude, and above all, ownership. You must own the space you occupy."

Ash does that in every possible way. A few years ago when she was asked about possibly taking up the role of a superwoman, she had said: "Why in future? I am already a superwoman in real life. Ask any married woman and she will agree to my answer."

Today, after the birth of her daughter, she has taken detractors head-on and shown them that no amount of criticism can put her down. From donning designerwear to displaying a wider waist, she does not back off, or try to live up to someone else's idea of a woman.

Photographer Dabboo Ratnani, who has known Ash since her beauty pageant days, explains, "Ash never gives up. She will always push the envelope, whether it's a photoshoot, a role in a film or real life. She has achieved so much, but she is never complacent or arrogant. In fact, she's as friendly as she was at the beginning of her career."

But don't confuse demureness with weakness. Aishwarya's strength lies in her steely resolve and silent determination, which people who know her talk about. Bhansali swears by her calmness, but also admires her strong headedness that makes her demand more out of her characters. She believes dignity lies in silence, and just when you think you've cornered her with bullying, she pulls out a masterstroke. The mark of a true diva.

TimesOfIndia