Dhoomsday ahead
Aishwarya Rai talks about going hot and sexy in Dhoom 2
Subhash K Jha
How has the response to Umrao Jaan been so far?
The film will find its level in the days to come, I'm sure of that. It's very important for a film like Umrao Jaan to have its space in the audiences' mind. Umrao and Dhoom 2 must co-exist.
You'll give audiences a culture shock when you go from the old-world charm of Umrao to the hip-and-cool attitude of Dhoom 2 two weeks later.
I don't play the typical 'Mona Darling' in Dhoom 2. I play this petty thief who thinks she's pretty cool. My character thinks she's smarter than the smartest. She's a sassy girl and at the same time she 's a cool dude. She's a girl who wants to be one of the action guys.
There are big expectations from Dhoom 2. It's interesting, but a large part of my career as an actress has been devoted to roles that are traditionally Indian. And I do love being in a sari. I find it very comfortable. And I've worn it at both national and international events with great pride.
You've made the sari fashionable at international events. Even Oprah Winfrey wore it.
(Laughs) That was too much, wasn't it? Yes, I've worn the sari, even to Cannes when I went there with Sanjay Bhansali and Shah Rukh for Devdas. Strangely when I came in through the modelling-Miss World route, people presumed I'd fit into westernised roles. To my delight most of my roles from my first film Iruvar to Umrao Jaan have been very, very Indian. And I'm very proud of it. But now Dhoom 2 gives me a chance to be more cosmopolitan on screen. I like that as well.
How was the Dhoom look decided?
It started when Aditya Chopra came home to offer me 'Kajra re'. He commented on how restrained I was in my conduct, that I'm always perceived as a lady. That's the way Aditya liked to see me on screen. But a change was tempting. Dhoom is high on the hot and sexy elements. It's high on style and fashion. My look was determined by the film's mood. Of course, I'm not a stranger to western clothes. I make a lot of public appearances are in shirts and jeans. And at home I'm comfortable in short denim skirts. But I haven't really walked the streets of Mumbai in them. But yes, the look in Dhoom was a new experience. It was a clever move for Adi to shoot Dhoom 2 in Brazil and Rio. Everyone was in shorts. We were over-dressed! There was no question of feeling self-conscious. Everyone had to look his or her best in every frame. As Duggu (Hrithik) put it, it wasn't vanity. It was just the need of the hour. We had to constantly pay attention to our hair, clothes, body language. 'The Look' is an essential element of every scene in Dhoom 2.
Was it difficult to get into the Dhoom mode after being so desi earlier?
Not at all. In fact I'm again very, very Indian in my post-Dhoom release, Guru. The varied roles are a blessing. It doesn't happen very often in this industry, and certainly not to us female actors. I've tried to keep it versatile from the start of my career. But wanting something isn't the same as getting it. Opportunities like Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2, Guru and now Jodha-Akbar have come to me. It's very flattering to know directors like JP, Mani and Ashutosh Gowariker think of me for such hugely challenging parts.
Hrithik thinks the two of you make the best-looking couple.
That's very sweet of him. The audience will have to decide how good we look together. But I certainly enjoyed working with Hrithik. Yes, at one time there was a hesitation about casting us together because we were supposed to have similar skin and eyes. But when we finally shot together, everything fell into place. Actually on the first day of Dhoom there was a deafening silence after our first shot. And we were left wondering what's up. Then director Sanjay Gadhvi came up to us and said, 'Everybody is stunned. You guys are looking great together'. 😳Hrithik and I cracked up, because we remembered how we had first met at Vidhu Vinod Chopra's house. Vidhu wanted to cast us together for Mission Kashmir and he kept telling us to look at each other. Hrithik and I were in splits.
How did you cope with Hrithik's level of commitment?
That degree of commitment came naturally to all of us in Dhoom 2.
Would you say Abhishek and Hrithik are very different in their approach to their roles?
I had worked with Hrithik earlier, during a world tour. Hrithik himself says he has loosened up a lot since then. He had lots of fun in Dhoom 2. As for Abhishek, I've known him much, much longer. He's always having fun on the sets. It relaxes him and makes the atmosphere on the sets far more convivial.
Your face is a distraction too, on the sets?
Do you really think so? I've never thought of myself as beautiful.👏
* "Of course, I'm not a stranger to western clothes. I make a lot of public appearances in shirts and jeans. At home I'm comfortable in short denim skirts. But I haven't really walked the streets of Mumbai in them"
She's so modest and down to earth👏👏👏
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