*UPDATE* , Anuraadha Tewari has been following the comments on this post and wanted to respond to some of the comments. Here it goes!
Heya people! Thanx so much for all your FANTASTIC comments . . . truly touched and humbled . . . just one clarification . . . my comment on Rani was hardly a derogatory remark . . . its just a comparison . . . an obvious one at that . . . I am a HUGE fan of Rani's by the way and think that she is easily the BEST actress of our times . . . would so lovvvvvve to work with her when I can . . . hence the comment she is not 'considered' hot . . . I didn't say she isn't hot . . . but 'mass sex appeal' has other parameters and my point was that Motherhood has nothing to do with it like the way the debate was being portrayed . . . so hey Rani Fans . . . chill . . . I am soooo one of you!!! :)
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A day after Madhur blogged on why he shelved Heroine, Anuraadha Tewari, the co-writer of the movie penned her thoughts on the whole 'Heroine' brouhaha. Here it goes.
I think this one has to be the non debate of the century . . . I mean I can't believe its become about gender discrimination . . . my first reaction was huh???? And that is from me . . . often 'accused' to be Feminist and accusation or not . . . often known for standing up for the right thing . . . and being as unbiased about things as one can . . . at least I try. And here's my thought . . . Dude, this is the VISUAL medium . . . unlike any other profession . . . this is work where writers and directors 'visualize' things and break their backs trying to make it all real or believable or both. Am not even harping on glamour . . . am just saying believable . . . and here's a simple fact . . . the character in 'Heroine' (since I have written it) CANNOT be pulled off by someone pregnant . . . it is as SIMPLE as that . . . forget the physical strain and emotional stress and all that jazz . . . we can keep debating that ad nauseum . . . it simply does NOT fit into THIS role. This is a strictly adult film with mature content (no its not porn) . . . its just bold in the visual and mature in what its depicting.
Of course, people have gone on about it without knowing ANYTHING about the script . . . but surely knowing the kind of cinema the Director is known for . . . I can assure you . . . it is NOT nice . . . even for an informed audience member like me to see a pregnant woman . . . drink and smoke and snort coke and sleep with various people and what have you . . . I would cringe . . . seriously I would. Much like if I knew Mallaika was pregnant WHILE doing Munni Badnaam (not before and after) . . . or Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. Or Hema in Sholay as Basanti or Kareena in We Are Family while the other actress in both the Films (Jaya and Kajol) was pregnant . . . cause it didn't get in the way of their roles . . . simple.
It is about creative liberty and NOT about desirability in Motherhood that its suddenly been turned into. OF COURSE Mallaika is hot even now, post motherhood . . . most Hollywood actresses are . . . what's sex appeal got to do with Motherhood anyways??? Rani isn't considered hot without being married or a mother, Mallaika is hot with both . . . so??? Am just amazed that we have such short attention spans that anything that is said in a high pitch with authority becomes the truth . . . I mean really!!!
As for the contentious pregnancy clause . . . well, I am personally all for it. Because its a CLAUSE not a LAW . . . no one is saying that there soul be a law stating that no actress can ever be a Mother. It is a clause that may be needed in a certain Film . . . i think that should be left to the Producers as well as the actress . . . actors include clauses of their own (some of them would really kill you!) so why not one from the makers' side . . . the actress can REFUSE if she doesn't find it important or applicable . . . or offensive . . . or whatever . . . She has a Choice. But here is what the clause protects . . . not just the Producers' money but hey . . . the hard work of an ENTIRE unit . . . people seem to be forgetting that altogether!!! Like in the case of 'Heroine' . . . where because of the actress not fitting into the role anymore . . . the Film gets plugged and at least a 100 technicians find themselves jobless . . . all of us employed for the next 6 months (not writers but the others) are suddenly without work and NO MONEY!!! (Even writers are only paid about 50% before shoot). So the situation is not just responsible for the Makers . . . it is so for the ENTIRE unit . . . the true victims of the case.
Having said all of this, and in no mood to mud sling . . . and as the only woman on the team I must state that I am quite CONVINCED that the intention of the Actress was NOT to be unfair or dishonest. I personally think (and have said so earlier) she was genuinely warm and receptive and TRULY CARED for the script . . . however, my sense is that she was caught in a personal situation . . . a very tricky one at that . . . and so kept the truth from us . . . and perhaps hoped that it would all work out in the end . . . specially, since I have no doubts on her dedication and sincerity to the Film . . . my feeling is that it sort of got baldy handled from the announcement onwards . . . even after that things could have been sorted from both ends . . . and knowing the Director if sorted amicably, there is no DOUBT in my head that he would have waited for her to return. Alas . . .
What saddened and intensely angered me though were the planted stories thereafter (I must congratulate the PR though . . . its a great job done, seriously!) . . . to try and fudge and confuse the issue . . . and getting gender into it. But am over that now . . . past the anger and past the frustration of watching 4 months of hard work, sleepless nights and missing life . . . for a script DESIGNED for someone . . . to go down the drain overnight. Knowing that my market value itself will suffer because of a shelved project . . . I am done with that . . . and moved on . . . and let go . . .
In this business, and otherwise, the only thing one can be is being true to one's craft . . . and retain one's integrity . . . and keep up the passion o matter what . . . hopefully we have all done that . . . and now let go . . . knowing the Universe will do the right thing . . . do the needful. Like it always does. :)
'selfish, calculating, shrewed and unprofessional' - Explain to me HOW she is any of these things. Just because MB and his sly pr team are making aishwarya out to be a devil people are forgetting aishwarya hasnt had her side put there are TWO sides to every story, and that writer posting here is proof that they are getting in quick befor aishwarya says anything. people should wait to hear both sides before judging, but i guess that would be too easy right, any excuse to trash aishwarya......
ReplyDeleteand lets just say IF she hid the truth has nayone thought to ask why? maybe she was scared, maybe she was findin right time hell maybe she did tell them and MB is lying through his teeth, why are people so eager to believe him and blame aishwarya and even if aishwarya said anything people will automatically disagree and say shes lying so she cant win with you people. and honeslty the whole they are out of job thing is such crap are they the only film set to deal with a pregnant actress NO if MB is so lost for money that he pay his staff then maybe he should spend more time working on films and less time trashing a pregnant woman.
OH and MB with his silly comment on depression is sick, depression its not something that occurs overnight and not something ud readily agree to share with the world if u had it, its disgusting how hes making fun of depression.
IF aishwarya hid the truth does that mean she deservs to be called manipulative, sick, disgusted etc.... how do those words explain what she did??? simple THEY DONT. You call her these names but fact is a pregnant woman who has maintained a DIGNIFIED silence (MB take note) and hasnt had her say yet, is sitting at home seeing people who dont know her or what happened calling her disgusting names, imagine the stress and hurt this causes, so what if 1 persons film isnt made at the moment that is NOT more important then a woman, and in this case a prgnant woman, you know honestly get over it, trashing aishwarya isnt going to get your film done, focus your energy elsewhere because for a grown man to attack a pregnant woman is what i call a big bully......
Man i feel so bad for aishwarya she fell in love, then fel pregnant little did she know there are people out there wishing bad things for her and readily to attack her without hearing her side, for the record there r many women who stall telling their workplace that they ARE PREGNANT at a fear of loosing their jobs or treated diffrently, these women may be in your own family or live down ther street do you call them 'vile' 'manipulative' 'unprofessional' disgusting etc....... NO.
Treating a woman especially a pregnant woman like this is sick, MB and his clever pr are indirectly bullying and torturing aishwarya now thats DISGUSTING. Raj Kumar santoshi also had a film with aish yet he hasnt acted like this, hes shown what a GOOD human being he is by actually wishing aishwarya congrats and waiting for her, shame MB behaviour jus reinforces that BW has some nasty people present bravo......
once again Big B is coming to rescue her daughter in law or ---------------, she is 37 and old enough to speak for herself. I am sure after all the uproar with the people taking MB side, she rushed to sort things out with MB.
ReplyDeleteRani is the best actress of our times, is the writer telling us jokes. She only get roles in YRC movies, because she was sleeping with Aditya. and I am glad all these movies were big flops. She is been very unlucky for them.
ReplyDeleteDestroyed their wealth, family values and their image. They lost their loving daughter in law.
i am on aishwarya's side she has a right to her privacy and they are giving a bunch invalid excuses why a pregnant aishwarya can not do this role when the cold hard truth is she can do everything that is required of her,all she has to do is act out these scenes and i agree with people who have said the role of heroine is not a action flick where she is scaling mountains and jumping off airplanes.if they don't want her in their flick it is their loss but please stop using her name team heroine for recognition.
ReplyDeletewe are all aware if you have common sense the reason for aishwarya not speaking about her pregnancy is was in her first trimester a delicate time for ladies and she did not want the added pressure of media scrutinizing her , perhaps the only reason amitabh announced she is pregnant is because of the media speculation she was gaining weight now they felt the pregnancy needed to be in the open when it looked like aishwarya was in more of a stable conditional ,nobody can sit in judgment when she she should announce her pregnancy it is her body and she will determine that .i think the story now is aishwarya is pregnant can she fulfill her duties as a actress and finish heroine? if you think rationally there is no doubt in my mind she can with flying colors.