Now here’s a rebel in the true sense of the word. While the world remained dazzled by her beauty, she chose to make her film debut in a starkly contrasting avatar. When every filmmaker was trying to pitch her opposite the country’s leading superstar romantically on screen, she challenged the norms by playing his sister instead. When the biggest of ‘commercial’ makers were chasing her with guaranteed blockbusters, she steered towards realistic cinema to explore her avenues as an artiste. And just when archaic mindsets believed that married actresses had a limited shelf life, she sprung back with a whopper of a hit followed by one of her most acclaimed performances to date. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan believes in rewriting rules and she’s done a pretty good job so far.
The gorgeous actress is in the news for all the right reasons. She’s had a hell of a year with four releases within six months. Each one has been radically different from the other; each experience coming with its own rewards, both personal and professional. Raavan got the thumbs down in Hindi but the Tamil version fetched Aishwarya loads of acclaim. Robot (Endhiran) with Superstar Rajni proved to be the biggest money-spinner of all time. Action Replayy didn’t work but it got her back into the mainstream groove. And the last one, Guzaarish, with her delicately nuanced portrayal, has made her a favourite at the awards season this year.
“She just keeps getting better with each film,” says hubby Abhishek. But Aishwarya firmly maintains that her best is yet to come. The creative doyens believe that too, which explains why she keeps getting the best of offers and roles. Despite being the first (and only) Indian actress to make a mark in the international arena, Aishwarya now wants to surprise even herself. She won’t settle for anything less than extraordinary so even when a Vishal Bhardwaj comes to her with a script, she wants to be sure it’s his best. She’d rather wait for the big ones to come along rather than take up random assignments to prove to people that she’s still worth it.
She is for sure and that’s what makes her one of the most powerful people in the business. It’s time to celebrate her 14 glorious years on celluloid. That was the thought when we decided to explore the journey of this superstar. From the struggle to the fame to the acceptance and the acknowledgment, it’s all there as Aishwarya relives all the action, frame by frame. Be prepared to catch those classic moments in this hearty tête-à-tête…
I am going to have my own story to tell - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
The interview:-
14 years in the industry and still at the top. Aishwarya, you must be pleased…
The journey has been superlative in every sense of the term. I have to use the word because any other word I use will not be enough to quantify how full, fulfilling and overwhelming an experience it has been. Simply because there has been a lot in terms of the number of different experiences that can enrich a person. That’s the way I look at myself who incidentally is an artiste and when you have such enriching experiences in life itself, I think it contributes immensely to the craft somewhere in the subconscious knowingly or unknowingly. And for that, I am extremely grateful that God has given me an increasingly overwhelming time in my life. For me, it has been like this since my 12th grade because being a science student, I only knew a hectic pace of life.
You came at a time when beauty queens were not taken seriously as actresses. You were the first one to change that perception.
It makes me smile when you ask me this because suddenly it feels like such a long time ago. I know what you are saying. When I came in, I heard that a lot. It was almost like a very sweet forewarning that I was given. It was like, look, this is the assumption and this is what will be assumed where you are concerned as well. But you know, I’ve always been very schoolish, if that’s the right word and the right attribute towards my outlook to whatever I take on. If I joined movies, firstly, it was not to prove any point to anybody else or to dispel any perceptions that existed. It was just that the industry had been inviting me, in fact, even before the title (Miss World). So thereby, my story is a little different.
Later on, unfortunately, it became a perception that entering a pageant is an inroad to joining the industry and somehow it has been attributed to the year I won. But honestly, my story was different. The industry was sending me very strong feelers. There was always a strong invitation in terms of not just somebody saying, “Hey, join movies” but from top makers like Yashji (Chopra), Subhashji (Ghai) and Rajiv Rai. Sanjay (Bhansali) also told me later that he actually wanted me for Khamoshi but I was leaving for Miss World then. There was Dharmesh Darshan who wanted me for Raja Hindustani – so many of them. And all this was before I won the Miss World title. Eventually, when I joined the industry, it would make me smile when people would say, “You know, you were going to do your first film with me.” And I’d be like, “Oh yeah, there are quite a many of those.”
So you were quite sure you wanted to be an actress…
That’s absolutely true. It is tough for me to pin down who might have been my first director because there were so many people. Shekhar Kapoor had told me, “Complete your degree but you will be in movies because I’ve done the same thing.” Yashji said, “After completing your degree, come and start designing my sets and soon you will be in front of the camera because you are meant to be here.” When I decided not to pursue my degree in architecture, I was making a career choice. I was not doing a fly-by-night thing or saying, “Oh, what fun! Let me be an actor.” No, I was making a conscious decision of a career choice. Fortunately for me, the directors who were approaching me were wonderfully accomplished and varied right from the beginning so I just had the perfect schools to start working at and I was spoilt for choice, by the grace of God. It was just the assortment of work that I could choose to be a part of from the beginning that helped to register the fact that I did not want to be a just a pretty face who also wants to doll up and be an actress. I knew I was here to be a part of this creative medium called cinema.
You led the way for other models to follow.
Interestingly, I keep saying it is a bit difficult to take my story as a prototype for understanding a newcomer’s experience because I did not have a conventional newcomer’s experience. In that sense, I was treated as the most accomplished of actors from the beginning by the industry. The industry was very welcoming and generous in terms of the filmmakers or the content as a leading actor in terms of what I was being offered to play in movies. I had some experience in advertising so I approached films in the same way. For example, they had a standard one-sheet paper as the so-called agreement on which I would make handwritten changes.
I felt that some of the clauses just did not make sense and I wanted to change them to make sense out of them. I did not think I was trying to bring change or was on some mission but I thought this was the only logical way to work. I did recognize then at some point that in the industry, some amount of change was beginning to happen and somewhere I contributed to the catalyzing of that movement. When I did my first film (Aur Pyar Ho Gaya), Rahul (Rawail) gave me a one line narration and I was very happy. Later, I realized that the film was totally different from the narration. Sanjay and Mansoor (Khan) were the first two guys to give me hardbound scripts for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Josh.
The industry acceptance was unanimous. But do you feel recognition as an actress from the public came a bit late for you?
I won’t say that. The public was exceedingly supportive from the beginning. I gave myself strength throughout by focusing on the positives because I am a very positive person. But obviously, I am not turning a blind eye to the negatives because if the critiquing was harsh, I understood where it was coming from. I was occupying the space of a top bracket actor; I was being given that league of work; I was getting to work with some of the directors that probably a lot of my other seniors at that point if not contemporaries were aspiring to work with.
In Iruvar, I got great critical acclaim and that was at the beginning of my career. Like Mani (Ratnam) would say, “What is done cannot be undone. You have shown your mettle; now you just have to have that many opportunities to prove it.” Some opportunities allow that and some don’t. Also, in the initial stages of your career, when you meet seniors, it becomes difficult to say no. There are some films you’re doing not for the character or the script but because you do not know how to say no. You’ll be able to figure out these films if you look at my line-up. This I have been able to articulate only recently; I couldn’t do it before.
Your choice of films has always been quite unusual. For every Jeans, you had an Iruvar. You had a Devdas and around the same time, you did a Chokher Bali. And then you had films like Raincoat and Provoked. Was this a conscious decision?
Yes, it was a conscious decision and it started with Iruvar. There were lot of offers and there was a lot of curiosity about which would be my first film. Rajiv Menon had approached me for Sapnay and for a long time, we were discussing the script. Eventually, he told me, “Listen, if you don’t have the conviction, don’t do it.” Then later, he told me that he was signing Kajol for it. I was very happy because I really liked her. Then Rajiv told me, “Go and meet Mani. I know you want to work with him and he’s making a new film.” The thought of working with Mani, in Iruvar, in a role that was going to span 30 years in the life of a girl, was too exciting. I knew it was in Tamil and I did not know the language. But when he called me to Chennai for a screen test, I just dressed up like the character Pushpa, who was a typical south Indian girl. Even Shankar was there. They clicked a few photos, and Mani laughed and said, “You are in the film.” Just like that, while I was all the time thinking that it being a screen test, we all were supposed to act and all. My joy knew no bounds.
But Iruvar wasn’t exactly a typical launch film…
You know, after a couple of months, Mani told me that the story of the film had changed because of the political scenario. Iruvar was not going to be typical launch role for me anymore; it was just going to be a story revolving around its two main lead protagonists. I looked at him for a second, and he said, “Disappointed? I know it’s no longer the launch film for Aishwarya Rai.’ I still remember I was sitting across the table with my mother and I said, “I am doing it.” That day I told myself, “I am going to be a part of cinema and I want to kill certain preconceived ideas that I am working in the South film industry because I am short of work in the North.” People attach these terms to a lot of leading ladies saying, “Oh you have come from the South to Hindi films to seek greener pastures.”
And then you signed Josh, where you played Shah Rukh’s sister. The industry was quite shocked by that decision.
When Josh came my way, there was this huge discussion that she is nuts; why is she accepting a role like this? I was playing Shah Rukh’s sister and the lead opposite Chandrachur Singh. Initially, in the film, first there was Shah Rukh and Salman, then Shah Rukh and Aamir – all these discussions of casting went on and then finally they said that they were getting Chandrachur and wondered if I was okay with it. I thought all this was really unfortunate because I don’t want to be judgmental about my co-stars. Why should I? This is ridiculous. I just want to belong to cinema because nobody knows what’s in store in destiny for anybody and it is so unfair. I have seen some of my colleagues get disturbed, very disillusioned and very disheartened by the pressures of expectations.
Along my journey, I have seen this happen many times. But my resolve gave me the strength to tide through everything and my every choice, even if it was slightly against the tide, it got me my own little victories in each of them. I felt this is going to be my original story. I am going to have my own story to tell, where I have come and done a Dhoom after 10 years of the business and it got me the fruits. I am very thankful for it and I worked for it. If I want to play a glam doll, then I am going to announce it through my work and say, “Yes, I can do it and I am going to do it very well, and if I can help it then I will do it better than the best.”
You’re the first and perhaps the only Indian actress to garner so much attention in the West. There was a time when the industry believed you were only interested in Hollywood films. How did you cope with that?
I could understand those assumptions; they came from the fact that I was saying no to a lot of work. Actually it is very sweet. It is coming from a positive place. I am saying all this because I know it. We are all part of a very small world, that may seem like this magnificent world on the outside but we are all very compact and we all know each other. We know the roots of certain assumptions, presumptions and where the stories come from. The world, in terms of the media or the showbiz world outside of India actually sat up and recognized this actor Aishwarya from India when Devdas went to the Cannes Film Festival.
It was a huge moment for sure. The media woke up to all of us through that film in a very pronounced manner. It is not that it was the very first time when Indian talent had been applauded, appreciated or recognized abroad. I’m certainly not the first in terms of that and I have always said that all along. It was not expected but definitely cherished. Co-incidentally at that time, Ambika Pillai from Delhi, whose salon I later inaugurated as a friend, had about two months before Devdas called me to say that the West was interested in me. I didn’t believe it. I shelved it aside. Devdas happened, Cannes happened, the Western media was very generous to me and my work, and that’s when she called me again and said, “Now do you believe it because you did not agree to my take earlier.”
But back home, people were still skeptical. For a long time, you didn’t sign any film so they became even more wary.
Shah Rukh and I were supposed to go on a world tour around that time. But as luck would have it, suddenly he and I were not working anymore together during that period. Suddenly there was a lot of change in my life. I was supposed to do many films but they did not happen. There was this huge pocket of time in front of me so I went for two charity functions to the States. When I went there, I met people and had some meetings. I was overwhelmed and suddenly I had scripts. It was all so quick that I just said no to everything and came back.
It was my comfort zone that made me say no to scripts. To date I don’t want to even think about that because I said no to some big projects. Then I met Gurinder Chadha and Bride and Prejudice felt like a very comfortable space. I felt I was one foot here and one foot there. It was half Indian and half Western. I do not like to just dive into the deep; I like to mull over and get settled with my idea of taking on work. Hence, it panned out the way it did but Bride and Prejudice worked in the West.
Back home, I was scheduling my work, I was very confused on how the industry was with me.
One moment I was supposed to be looked upon as a pair with this superstar and then suddenly I was not working with him. Then, suddenly for a large span of time, I was not in the city. I also met with an accident on Khakhee’s set and then I went to Cannes as a jury member. The perception gained ground in the media that I had gone away and that I was now part of the international platform. But I was still on crutches when I went to Cannes. While on one side, I enjoyed the adulation and applause of being one of the first stars from the Indian film industry to enjoy this so-called crossover tag, I also risked in a way of being the messenger who got shot down for bringing in their rigid way of work culture here. I think the industry was suddenly dealing with an actor, who was almost disappearing for long periods of time and that was unheard of.
The work pattern in India was also changing by then. That must’ve been a relief for you.
I remember when I came back from Bride and Prejudice, bringing back call sheets to your make-up room had started becoming a norm here. The whole system was changing; there were these assistants to directors who brought that kind of working like foreign units, with their walkie-talkies, constant checking and the like. All this went through some degree of critiquing by seniors, though some would say that this is the way to work. It was an interesting time but I had already experienced the change a year before it came into the industry.
Gradually people started understanding the difference of working here and working there. I had made it clear from the beginning that I am not going anywhere, and even Gurinder, in a press conference, had said that I was not going anywhere. It would’ve been ideal to move to the US for a while, to show my availability and a guarantee of commitment. Because once you are there and if you are fortunate, you could be working immediately within three weeks of landing, if you get the right job. But once I made the choice to be in India, suddenly I started being questioned here as to why I was not doing anything overseas? Now how do I explain that?
But even when you did come back, you stopped signing any new films.
Then I got married and I thought that I would first finish Sarkar Raj, which I had signed before marriage. It had nothing to do with the fact that we were family now. But people started assuming that we are doing the film because we were a family. It’s unfair; it’s taking away from the honesty of the film. Pink Panther just happened to come up, and it worked out because it was a very short demand on time. I also felt that it was a film I really wanted to do. Abhishek was the most excited in the family for it. Then I took a break because I had just got married and then dadima (Teji Bachchan) was critical. But suddenly everybody felt, “Oh is she throwing it all up now?” After that, the family started being judged to be stopping me from working. Many filmmakers started coming to me around this same time. But I had told my manager to tell them that I was not available for a year-and-a-half.
I wanted to look at different kinds of films and roles. But all this gave reason for a lot of assumption and I think it stemmed from my being away for a longer span of time and my having to say no to a lot of films and projects, which a lot of people wanted me to be a part of. I have never made any distinction between actors, stars or directors; I have always said that I am working for the entire gamut. I wanted to work in cinema – period. I did not care if it was Europe, England, USA, Africa or Australia. It was just about doing different work. Why would I be so enamored to work in the West when I had tasted those opportunities after Miss World? There was no need for me to come back but I did.
Strictly speaking box-office results, what would you say has been the highlight of your career?
One thing I would like to share here in all genuine honesty, for which I have to thank God and my audience is that I have actually had at least one peak every year. In that sense, I have not experienced box-office results affecting my experience vis-à-vis the industry or the audience. For instance, reacting to the mixed reports on Bride And Prejudice and Balle Balle Amritsar to LA here, I remember Gurinder once saying that the film has made over Rs 150 crores globally so why is India doing this?
It does not make any sense. I think it came in the same year as Main Hoon Naa and I remember her saying that it had made more money than MHN. Each year my every experience in that sense has been very blessed. I have been able to focus on that. I have developed the strength because I was put under the microscope from the beginning. When I made the choice for Dhoom, I knew why I was making that choice. I had done only two item songs, Kajra re and Ishq kameena. Adi (Aditya Chopra) told me blatantly that he wanted me to underline this first cinematic moment of Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan. And I did that song. The song got a huge response. Then he came up with Dhoom. So I was doing Dhoom on one extreme, then Guru on another level and then Jodhaa Akbar.
2010 was almost a veritable peaking of a varietal performance spread.
But the fact is also that the releases are never really in our hands. It always pans out the way the business decides on the best time of releasing a movie. Last year, for the first time, four films came in such quick succession. At a time when having two or three releases a year is not normal, I had four. And all came in the latter half of the year. They all panned out from July to December. It was interesting in terms of feedback as people got to see the diversity in my work quite consecutively.
How was it to experience the Rajni mania from such close quarters in one of the year’s biggest successes, Robot?
Evidently going by the response he evokes. He is diverse in his experience. He is legendary in his field. It is like chhota mooh badi baat. There is a term called Rajnism that has been attached to his enigma, which is incredible. But what really stands out is the incredible humility and simplicity of the person, his immense commitment to his craft and the discipline that goes with it. Initially Shankar sir thought of doing the film outside of Tamil Nadu because of his (Rajnikant) persona but eventually we worked there. So we shot late night on the outskirts of the state. Once we were shooting and this huge crowd had gathered outside. He came and told me, “They’re here for you.” And I told him, “Don’t be silly.” He asked me to wave out to the crowd and when I did, there was this huge roar. He looked at me and said, “See I told you.”
He’s that sweet a person. The adulation he evokes is very endearing; there is a lot of love and awe to his stardom and persona. At the same time, there is a very student-like quality in him. Robot was technically a very tricky film. He understood that and there was complete submission to the director’s vision. I guess this is what makes him a legend. I could see a parallel with what paa (Amitabh Bachchan) normally evokes. When I had first worked with him (Amitabh) on the sets of Mohabattein, I had observed this commonality. They are special people; they have been touched by God. They don’t miss a beat but they won’t make a show of it. They have a very professional approach. Being sincere to their craft and humility is their greatest virtue.
You also agreed to do a no-brainer like Action Replayy…
When it comes to gravitating towards challenging parts I think I am a magnet going by the kind of work I am doing. In Action Replayy and Endhiran, I got to do the conventional part. But even within that conventional heroine part given the stage my career is in, I have to do something different. In Action Replayy I was working with the Akshay Kumar-Vipul Shah team. They had also offered me Namastey London in the past but I had not been able to do it. But when Vipul came back with Action Replayy, I decided to do it. I was already doing films that were very challenging and demanding. I felt this came in a different space. It would be a light no-brainer; it would have a lot of popular songs and it would be fun to shoot. But then, Vipul had to spring the whole seventies angle.
In terms of that, there was a lot of pre and post production work to be done. Plus, I was not used to Vipul’s pace of work. He always says, “I finish my films in 32 days.” And I always ask him, “Why? Who are you proving a point to?” This is crazy, especially in the genre. The character was out of my turf and that’s why it was new to me. It was so in-your-face. Mala was such a loud character. I was like, “Can’t you just let me play the pretty girl?” Vipul said no; you have to step out of the norm. It was important for me to play that part right. I didn’t want the audience to question why Aishwarya had to do this film. I am happy people came back appreciating Mala. Akshay and I had worked briefly in Khakhee and people had really liked us in it. Now we were coming back together again but we weren’t giving them what they were asking for. Akshay had this geeky look with that wig and my look was different too. Why? We would laugh about this and often pull Vipul’s leg on the subject. At least, people appreciated the acting efforts in the film.
For some people it worked and for some, it didn’t. Thank God people didn’t go around saying, “What the hell were you doing in that film?” It was a good experience. Just the day before, maa (Jaya Bachchan) and I were coming on a flight and some kids came for my autographs. And they had written a note saying, “We loved you in Action Replayy.” Sometimes, responses like these really make you wonder whether it has worked for people or not.
How do you review the response to Raavan in hindsight?
Raavan has by far been the most challenging character even for Mani because he has never made a Hindi and Tamil film simultaneously. Abhishek and I were not playing a conventional pair in the movie. And with the audience bound to draw parallels with the epic (Ramayan), it was a very fine line for the character to be essayed. I did get incredible response for Raavan. The whole team used to tell me, “You’re the only one who’s come out smiling.” I didn’t want to ever gloat about it then but today I can speak. At that time, it was a sensitive issue for the entire team. It was more pronounced in the South because the entire response to the film there was positive.
And then Guzaarish rounded it all as the crowning glory in your crown of wow acts.
Guzaarish was the year’s last offering. Actually, Sanjay had come to meet paa for something one day. He saw me and said he wanted to talk to me about some thing too. He gets very shy with me; I don’t know why because he’s such a close friend. He came and met me a couple of months later. He said what we do now together after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas has to be a special piece. I said yes without even hearing the script. People had been really harsh to him during his previous film (Saawariya). And I felt bad about it. You can’t erase talent; you can’t run someone down like that. People go through phases in their careers. It’s important to stand by people when they need it the most. At that time, he gave me a brief idea about Guzaarish and the role. I said yes to him but there was very little of Sofia in the film.
Sanjay felt that I would bring dignity to the character and the film. But he was clear that on paper, it was Ethan’s story and he was the film’s main protagonist. Sanjay said, “If this film has you, it will be a plus.” I was proud that Sanjay chose to make a departure and tell a story that needed to be told. It takes guts to do that. I have a cousin who’s a paraplegic; I call him Sanju anna and he’s been like that for 30 years. Initially I didn’t tell Sanjay about this but as I started talking to him, I ended up bringing back a lot of feedback for Ethan’s character. Sanjay told me later, “It’s so weird that every time we do something together, there’s always some weird connect.” I came on board as a team member.
And a lot started happening to Sofia when we were on set. A lot of thought was put into every scene in the film. For me, Sanjay and Hrithik it was like theatre; it was so intense. Sofia wore these long gowns. We were aware some people would ask how she does all the chores in such an outfit. That’s why she had to be physically very active; we had to make it look practical. There was a reason why Sofia wore that red lipstick – it had to do with her background. When people want to tide over some personal tragedy, sometimes it does reflect in their appearances.
There was a track between me and Makrand (Deshpande) that established it but unfortunately, it was edited because it didn’t seem necessary in the final cut. At the same time, the colour was added to bring some joy into Ethan’s life. What I’m saying is that a lot of thought went into the creation of the film’s every scene. I’m just so happy that the audience, critics and whoever saw Guzaarish came away impacted by Sofia. She was going through the same emotions as Ethan as she was living the same life in parallel with the added responsibility of making a difference. And I am very overwhelmed that people got that.
You haven’t signed any new film. Are you taking a break from work?
People have been taking about this so-called ‘break’ a bit too much. I was supposed to do Singularity and Roland Joffe had asked me about it. He wanted to start it in October. But my films were releasing in November and I had committed to those movies. And he could not delay it. That’s how I had the free time on hand. Vishal (Bhardwaj) came to me with two ideas. I liked one but he wanted to make the other first, which I wasn’t very keen on. That’s when I backed out. Now it’s really funny. Either you take on work to prove a point because all these assumptions are made or you make choices on films you really want to do. I prefer opting for the second. I did go through this internal battle for a week or so and I’m confessing that. I felt if I don’t make an announcement soon, they’ll start saying she’s stopped working. And I was very tempted to take on something just to avoid that. But finally I realized this is something I’ve never done. I cannot get pressured by assumptions. I am meeting directors; I am reading scripts. But I don’t want to take on something unless I’m charged about it. I want to continue the immense satisfaction that I feel with the choices that I have made. There is no rush but at the same time, I do not have a single free day.
*Courtesy: Stardust
A really candid interview, I must say.
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