Birthday gal Ash hopes life has surprises

Aishwarya Rai, who's wrapping up filming for "The Last Legion" in Slovakia and was not able to celebrate her birthday, which coincided with Diwali, with her family, was touched when her co-stars organised a surprise bash for her.

The actor, who has been shooting in Tunisia and Slovakia for "The Last Legion", her latest international film project, said the film unit had made her birthday and Diwali special but she was eager to return home to family.

"I've no qualms about admitting that I'm 32. What's the big deal? I feel anything from 18 to 88 on any given day, depending on my state of mind. The infamous giggle comes in when I feel 18," she giggled.

In Slovakia on her birthday Nov 1, the stunning Rai definitely felt 18.

"It's been such a wonderful birthday. The whole unit of my film (The Last Legion) brought in my birthday. Since my birthday coincides with Diwali I felt doubly special," Aishwarya told IANS.

"They had put up a banner saying 'Happy Diwali, Aishwarya'. And then they had arranged for the most awesome firecrackers. I have to admit this is one birthday I'm not likely to forget easily."

She has just about wrapped up the shooting of "The Last Legion".

"Just a few more days to go and then I'm back home. Gawd! How I miss my family! It isn't so much because of my birthday that I want to be with my family. It's Diwali. Everyone wants to be home for the festival.

"Even my mother isn't with me here in Slovakia because of Diwali. You know, the last couple of times I managed to be home for Diwali. So I was looking forward to it again this year. But my schedules don't allow me the luxury of doing what I crave to."

After she wraps up "The Last Legion" in about a week, Aishwarya comes straight to Mumbai for "Dhoom 2" and later J.P. Dutta's "Umrao Jaan".

"'Umrao Jaan' starts in December. We shoot that in Rajasthan. I know what miracles JP Saab has worked in Rajasthan in 'Ghulami' and 'Batwara'. I'm really looking forward to it. As for 'Dhoom 2' it will be great fun. It's the first time I'll be working with Hrithik.... We've come close to working together a couple of times before. It's finally happening."

But for now she's in a complete birthday mood.

"The party was so special, so carefully prepared. Everyone from the unit including my co-stars Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley were there. It was meant to be a surprise. And honest to God, I didn't know a thing about it. I love surprises. I hope life has many more in store for me," she laughs some more.

Then she gets a wee homesick.

"How's Mumbai? How's everyone in the industry? I haven't spoken to any person from the industry or the media ever since I got here."