Thursday, August 11, 2011

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Family is very precious to me

IIPM Mumbai Campus

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan speaks about her plans of taking time off, in a candid conversation with Subhash K Jha

What are your plans for the coming year?
I don’t think too far ahead. Every time I plan I end up not implementing it. When I did "Devdas" in 2002, I had promised myself I’d work in a more phased manner. I am still to live up to that promise. If you remember, when I married in the middle of my career, I took time off for my family. I had technically kept three months off. It turned out to be six months of no movies. Lately I’ve just been travelling and shooting. Now I’m taking time off from the end of November to be with my sister-in-law who is expecting a baby. We’re all very excited.

Ashwarya RaiWhy have you not signed any more films?
I’ve kept December off to be with the family. Not that I’ll be holidaying. I’ll be there with family and dealing with work other than shooting movies. Ours is a busy family. And we try to be there for every family event. When it’s Diwali and Karva Chauth, I don’t just arrive as a guest. So all in all it’s a very full schedule. Family is very precious to me. I embrace my work commitments and make space for my family. I’ve a super-hectic schedule and a super family. You had four releases in 2010.

All my four releases this year have been very challenging in terms of schedules and diversity. People say I played a huge hand in "Robot". When even Rajinikanth sir says that himself, what can I say? What could be more rewarding than a compliment like this from an icon like Rajni sir?

How do you explain the fact that in public you and Abhishek look like a couple that’s recently fallen in love even after so many years of togetherness?
It comes naturally to us. We’re very real as individuals. At the same time we make sure we maintain our decorum in public. There’s no formula for our togetherness.

Any regrets that your films with Abhishek, besides "Guru," have not worked? I’ve enjoyed every film that we’ve done together. Even "Raavan" we’ll cherish in times to come. "Sarkar Raj" too worked at the box-office. We don’t choose conventional subjects together. I guess there’s a whole lot of expectation riding on a film when we’re in it. We didn’t do films to broadcast our real relationship.

After the "Raavan" debacle do you feel vindicated when people say they like your performance in "Guzaarish"? I got the same kind of reactions for "Raavan" and "Guzaarish". The amount of SMSes I received was gratifying, especially since "Raavan" did not get the acceptance that the team had aspired to. Either people got "Raavan" or they did not. Mani Ratnam was very confused by the contradictory reactions. He isn’t the kind of artiste to get swayed by either criticism or praise. I’d always love to work with Mani. It’s such a pleasure working with creative masters like Mani Ratnam and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. You’d like your efforts with these filmmakers to work. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t change my relationship with them. Our relationship is not a business deal. There are no expectations of another film after the last. This in an industry where a relationship is always about the next film together.

Ashwarya Rai BachchanApparently Mani Ratnam wants you and Abhishek in all his films?
How sweet! What can I say? When an actor gets this kind of approval it’s like a teacher giving a report-card. I’ve such special people in my life. Nothing could be more rewarding.
Abhishek Bachchan flew into Mumbai just to see your film "Guzaarish".

I do this kind of a thing all the time for him.

What’s the truth about you asking Abhishek to not work with certain heroines?
It’s too ridiculous and lowdown to even react. We discuss the casting of his films and I often recommend his co-stars. Putting my name into articles makes for a sound Google alert.
Today you are in an enviable position in Hindi cinema. Where do you go from here?
I think what people are trying to tell me is I should stick to character-driven roles. Fortunately, the roles are still coming. What happens usually is that after a point actresses don’t have the conventional roles coming their way. That’s when they usually change to character-driven parts. In my case I’ve been doing character-driven parts from the time I did "Iruvar". I’ve taken risks from the start. Every year I’ve at least one character-driven role. God willing, that would remain the pattern throughout my career. Filmmakers are coming to me with the work that inspires me. Unfortunately, I can’t accept them all due to time constraints.

Your chemistry with Hrithik Roshan is incredible…

We’ve done three films in three very different genres. So we had the advantage of being innovative. In "Dhoom 2" you could say I was a decorative doll. But that’s what the film was about. Everyone was decorative in it. It was about outrageously flirting with the camera. When Hrithik and I came to "Jodhaa Akbar," it was important for us to remain true to history and yet make it accessible to today’s generation. Now there’s "Guzaarish" where we play a completely different couple. But tomorrow if we do a film where the script fails us, we’ll be criticised for doing so many films together. We’re both very committed passionate actors.

"Guzaarish" is your third film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. But it was Hrithik’s first film with the director. How were the dynamics on the sets? Was I the outsider in "Action Replayy," just because Vipul Shah and Akshay Kumar have worked earlier? Don’t forget, "Guzaarish" was also my third film with Hrithik. Initially, I was the common link between them. Sanjay and I are both passionate about our work. We can also communicate through our silences. I don’t just work on my character. I try to be part of the entire filmmaking process. Hrithik appreciates that.

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21 comments:

suri said...

ashwarya rai "said" After her wedding with Abhishek, Aishwarya shared a close bond with Jaya, with the latter supporting her

vijaykumar said...

The Bachchan family’s ‘Unforgettable’ world tour that will see Bollywood symbol Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan perform together on stage for the first time ever, first show begins July 18 in Toronto Canada. Other cities that have the shows will be performed will be Trinidad & Tobago, Houston, Atlantic City, New York, Vancouver Canada.

payal said...

Aishwarya Rai prefers not to talk to the media about her personal life. All the details mentioned in this section are based on what was reported by the media and have not been confirmed by Ms Rai, except as otherwise indicated.

payal said...

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai had been totally cut off over the last few days thanks to Mani Ratnam’s shooting venue in the jungles of Kerala that rendered the couple totally inaccessible to the world.

payal said...

For Aishwarya Rai, who turned 35 yesterday, life has never been more beautiful. She is happy and married, her career has reached a peak and she is keeping up there with new projects on hand.

payal said...

Talking about her last film with Mani Ratnam opposite Abhishek Bachchan, she said, “It has been a very precious experience on every level, and not just on a personal level. I’d say it was professionally very fulfilling.”

payal said...

She adds on a softer note, "I've always loved wearing the sari. I think I dress beyond my age." Getting back to more pleasant topics, how's life as a bahu? Does she plan dinner like the average Indian wife or perhaps pick Abhishek's clothes? "I'm still finding out about the intricacies of married life. A woman, I believe, has it in her to embrace everything — home, career, responsibility."

payal said...

She's also used to a family, which is constantly on the move. "Earlier, dad was sailing constantly and I was often away on 'location'. So I used to ask my mother to come along for shoots. Though the industry tittered that 'she wants mummy on the sets', for me, it was a way of spending time with her." She adds, "My life has always been a race against time. My days are getting fuller. We have no Sundays and consider ourselves lucky if we get a holiday

payal said...

But does being the daughter-in-law of the Bachchans mean working with the family only? "I've never made such statements. But, yes, life is short and relationships are important. I would like to invest my time carefully."

payal said...

But she insists that life hasn't changed after having added a powerful surname to her name. If anything, life has got more hectic. "Do you know that I was married in April and till Diwali I was still moving my stuff from Bandra to Juhu? I didn't stop working just because I became a Bachchan bahu."

payal said...

Aishwarya Rai with Amitabh Bachhan.

Life may be one BIG Drama, and we, character in it.... But....LIVE IT.....Every moment in it !!?!!

- Aishwrya rai

payal said...

Once, while shooting abroad, we were dancing in the middle of the street. My co-star was feeling ridiculous. "Why are we doing this?" he cribbed constantly. I told him, "Look at it this way. You can use this as an excuse to do anything really stupid and get away with it. All that you can't do in real life, you can express through films. Here you can fool around and enjoy it."

- Aishwarya Rai.

payal said...

This is the news that everyone has been waiting for. Frankly I am extremely happy for Aishwarya and Abhishek. God bless you folks. Ash - you have a healthy and safe pregnancy. Our good wishes always.

Now this explains her recent weight gain.

payal said...

Ash is new Dream Girl - Hema Malini

She has carried the Dream Girl tag for decades but now Hema Malini is ready to part with it and says she won't mind transferring it to Aishwarya Rai.

payal said...

My ideal man should be madly in love with me because I won't have it any other way. I am a total romantic at heart, so naturally, my ideal mate better be well versed in the art of romance. Not flirting, but romance. And there is quite a difference. I dig dignity. It is rare and priceless in a world that's so taken over by images and put-ons.

payal said...

I would also like in my ideal mate is that infuriating and yet endearing quality, childishness. My ideal mate would be a little bit of man and a little bit of child, rolled in one

payal said...

"He is original and real, like our relationship. There is nothing predictable or boring about our life. We nurture each other. The gesture was spontaneous and meaningful. God has been kind to us. We can certainly afford those standard rocks. But do we need them," she asked.

payal said...

The Bachchans not only took care of their own privacy, they were thoughtful enough not to disturb their neighbours - the lawns at the venue were covered with soundproofed, air-conditioned tents.

payal said...

Tight security has been put in place for the function which is expected to go on till late tonight. Around 1,000 policemen will be patrolling areas around 'Jalsa' and 'Prateeksha' in addition to the private security guards hired by the Bachchans

payal said...

Guzaarish is going to be different from their first two films. “This time we aren’t going into the glamour zone,” said Ash. “Sanjay was so excited when he found the right script for us to work together in. ‘This is it,’ he said. For the first time I didn’t even read the script before I said yes. It’s a very real, very intense drama. I respect filmmakers like Sanjay, Mani Ratnam and Shankar who make the films they do because they have to. The family that I’ve married into, this belief and faith in the work we do is predominant. Ma or Pa only go into projects with complete conviction. I follow that faith.”

payal said...

"I am feeling wonderful. I am very happy. By the grace of God, everything is wonderful it has been fantastic. It’s probably the best time for any normal girl. ," Aishwarya Bachchan nee Rai told a private news channel in Cannes where she is set to walk the red carpet with her husband at the film festival.