Articles: Aishwarya Rai

Abhishek Bachchan may have been greeted only with a bouquet by his fiancee Aishwarya Rai on his 31st birthday, but his father Amitabh Bachchan surprised him with a Rs 1.7 crore white Bentley car as a gift.

Aishwarya, who was unable to go to Bikaner to usher in the birthday, was present at the Chhatrapati Shivaji airport to greet him on his arrival in the city.

Abhishek later went for a drive in the new car with his lady love and soon after drove back to the Bachchan residence in suburban Juhu.

Aishwarya's gift, if any besides the bouquet, remains a guarded secret.

"Her gift to Abhishek is too personal and confidential," Aishwarya's secretary Hari Singh said.

Earlier, Amitabh Bachchan along with Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh flew to Junagarh Fort in Rajasthan where Abhishek was shooting his forthcoming film Drona, to cut the birthday cake at midnight.

Jaya Bachchan and Aishwarya could not join them there but were able to meet Abhishek as he returned to the city by evening.

When asked about why Aishwarya did not join Abhishek at Junagarh on the 'D' day, Singh refused to comment saying it was a personal matter.

Abhishek Bachchan may have been greeted only with a bouquet by his fiancee Aishwarya Rai on his 31st birthday, but his father Amitabh Bachchan surprised him with a Rs 1.7 crore white Bentley car as a gift.

Aishwarya, who was unable to go to Bikaner to usher in the birthday, was present at the Chhatrapati Shivaji airport to greet him on his arrival in the city.

Abhishek later went for a drive in the new car with his lady love and soon after drove back to the Bachchan residence in suburban Juhu.

Aishwarya's gift, if any besides the bouquet, remains a guarded secret.

"Her gift to Abhishek is too personal and confidential," Aishwarya's secretary Hari Singh said.

Earlier, Amitabh Bachchan along with Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh flew to Junagarh Fort in Rajasthan where Abhishek was shooting his forthcoming film Drona, to cut the birthday cake at midnight.

Jaya Bachchan and Aishwarya could not join them there but were able to meet Abhishek as he returned to the city by evening.

When asked about why Aishwarya did not join Abhishek at Junagarh on the 'D' day, Singh refused to comment saying it was a personal matter.

By Subhash K Jha

Rumours regarding her supposed unhappiness about the length of her role in Mani Rathnam's Guru has Vidya Balan utterly flummoxed.

"I can't even begin to imagine where these rumours started. Do these people realize what getting a Mani Rathnam film means to someone who started her career barely two years ago? Forget questioning the length of my role, I'd have walked through one frame and left if Mani Rathnam asked me to.

I got into Guru with my eyes wide open. And I'm very very happy being part of Guru. According to me there're no first leads and second leads in a Mani Rathnam film. Everyone is a character, period."

The rumours of her displeasure gathered momentum when Vidya failed to turn up for the music event of Guru. "That was a totally unavoidable circumstance. When I was told the event was on 5 th November I immediately informed them it was impossible for me to be there.

I had already committed myself to a very important family function, and that too outside Mumbai. There was no way I could make it back in time for the Guru event. Kuch to log kahenge. I either focus on my work spend time fighting the rumours."

She sighs at the memory of Guru's shooting. "It was one the most happy and comfortable shootings I've ever gone through. It was so relaxed. The way Mani works there's no real stress on the sets. Though most of my scenes are with Madhavan, I had a couple of scenes with Abhishek, and one scene with Ash.

But Ash and I kept meeting on the sets. Abhishek is a livewire, lots of fun to shoot with. And Ash is dignity-personified. As for Madhavan, I've known him from long before, from my modeling days.

In fact I was supposed to do a South Indian film with him at one time. We finally worked together. He's a great guy. But more than Maddy I liked his wife Sarita and his son Vedant. "

Vidya is often accused of having changed. 'She as acquired an attitude,' a young director told me.

"That surprises me," she smiles. "I've always made a conscious attempt to remain unaffected by the ups and downs in my career. A teacher once wrote in my autograph book, 'It's always easier to be what you want to be than to be what other people want you to be. Makes life so much easier.'

So far I've not become selfconscious about the demands on me. But yes. I'm a person who likes to do her own thing. A lot of people think I'm stubborn. So be it. I don't think it's wise to do something just because it's expected of you. Because if you do it once you end up doing it all the time."

Two hits old, and Vidya is all set for two more. "I was lucky that Parineeta and Lage Raho Munnabhai were good films. Lage Raho… was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This kind of an impact is unheard of. No one has a negative thing to say about it. Raju Hirani made it exactly how he wanted to.

Post-Munnabhai I've filmmakers coming to me telling me they're re-working their scripts to be true to their own vision. Post-Munnabhai filmmakers have realized they don't have to keep pandering to the formula.

Both Rang De Basanti and Lage Raho Munhabhai tell you how to deal with corruption. No one has the patience to just listen to homilies. These films tell us how to act."

After Parineeta Vidya is happy to have another hit. "No one calls me a one-film wonder anyh more.Now I'm much clearer in my head about my priorities. It's very important for me as an actor to connect with what I'm doing. It doesn't matter which era or period the film is set in ….You've to identify with the situations. To me it was easy to believe in Munnabhai because I believe in non-violence."

Like Parineeta, Guru is also a kind of period film. Says Vidya, "It's a different period. I come in around the 1970s. It was interesting because during that decade the concept of fashion was different in various parts of the country."

As the news about Aishwarya Rai, the Bachchan family's daughter-in-law to be, buying some Banarasi Sarees and other items spread through media, the handloom industry in Varanasi is witnessing a boom.

Bollywood actress and former Miss World Aishwarya has recently bought some Varanasi Sarees for her wedding-day, which appears to have fascinated a lot of women's attention across the country. And, the sudden surge in Banarasi Handloom Industry bespeaks that.

"After Aishwarya's sarees, cloth for Abhishek's Sherwani, a traditional attire for wedding day, was ordered. And with the demand of Abhishek's sherwani, people have come to know that we also make designer clothes," said Ajiullak, a weaver.

According to Saree traders in the city, bulk orders for their wares have started pouring in.

"Since the time Aishwarya included Banarasi Sarees to her wardrobe collection, there has been a huge boom in the saree industry," said Abdul Salam, a saree trader.

"After Aishwarya bought Banarasi sarees, the market for Banarasi sarees has risen," said Vishnu Jalan, another saree trader.

The traditional but elegant Banarasi sarees have long been a proud possession of almost any Indian woman's wardrobe. But the news that former Miss World Aishwarya Rai may wear it on her wedding day has captivated one and all.

"Banarasi sarees are good, and we are buying them because Aishwarya has also bought them," said Savita Singh, a customer.

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=13394

Gracella

In a glittering ceremony attended by who's who of Bollywood, Abhishek Bachchan won the 'Best Actor in Supporting Role' award for 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna', whereas fiance Aishwarya Rai won the 'Star of the Year - Female' award for her role in 'Dhoom II' at the Kenstar Max Stardust awards.

The function was held at MMRDA Grounds here late last night.

Path-breaking film 'Rang De Basanti' was announced as the 'Pride of the Industry', whereas actor Sanjay Dutt won the 'Star of the Year - Male' award for his role in 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'.

While collecting his award, the maker of 'Rang De Basanti' Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra said, '' This is a special award, and this film is especially for the people of India.''

As Abhishek was out of town, father Amitabh Bachchan collected the award on his behalf. Amidst huge applause, he also gave away the trophy to his soon-to-be-daughter-in-law Ash.

Teenage heart-throb Kunal Kapoor won the award for 'Best Breakthrough Performance - Male' for his role in 'Rang De Basanti'.

After collecting the trophy an emphatic Kunal said, '' I was very confused while growing up as I did not know which profession to choose, until I found my calling in acting. I have changed my profession numerous times. I even did some bizarre things like exporting mangoes.''

Meanwhile, 'Dream Director of the Year' award was given to Rajkumar Hirani for 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'. The 'Editors Choice award' for best performance went to Kareena Kapoor for her role in 'Omkara'. The 'Editors Choice Best Director award' went to Vishal Bharadwaj for 'Omkara'.