Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (selamat melahirkan bayi perempuan)

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Aishwarya Rai ? ?mrao Jaan?: a positive review

Umrao Jaan is an Aishwarya Rai movie. Thats what Abhishek Bachchan has to say. And we have read a few not so good reviews of the movie till now. Fans termed it as boring. But here is a positive review. Lets see what it has to say.

Film: Umrao Jaan; Cast: Shabana Azmi, Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, Puru Raj Kumar, Suniel Shetty; Director: J.P. Dutta; Rating: ***1/2

In one of the countless visuals of stunning resonance, Aishwarya, playing the doomed and poetic tawaif (courtesan) Umrao Jaan Adaa, travels through a burning field of crops. ?he crops have been reaped, now the fields are being burnt for good luck next year,? explains a co-passenger.

That one gloriously revealing moment captures the sublime pathos that coloured the life and times of 19th century Lucknow? famed courtesan, who in her words is a ?adnasibi ki misaal? (the classic example of misfortune).

We?e seen Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh in several Hindi films ranging from Muzaffar Ali? ?mrao Jaan? to Chandan Arora? ?ain Meri Patni Aur Woh?. But the city and its surrounding topography have never looked more vivid.

Perched between the world within a kotha (brothel) and the outer world of growing deceit and betrayal, the story of little Ameeran? journey from her quaint and happy family life to the Kotha is mapped in lucid, flamboyant and sometimes muted colours of utter enchantment.

J.P. Dutta, along with cinematographer Aynanka Bose, takes us on a pilgrimage through Umrao? inner and outer landscape creating perfect visuals to portray her predicament as a ?allen woman? forever rising above her destiny.

What lifts this ?mrao Jaan? far above the 1978 version is its sense of imminent historicity. While the original stopped just after the doomed woman returns to the comforting yet claustrophobic space of the kotha, Dutta? narrative moves forward, carving a socio-historical perspective for his protagonist in a Lucknow going through a bloody turmoil, as its cultural legitimacy is questioned and mocked by the British Raj.

The film? most memorable sequence is when the kotha? practical and yet emotional madame (Shabana Azmi) packs off her endangered girls and stays on in the brothel - a solitary figure standing over the looming architecture as a symbol of unaccompanied bravery.

Shabana? histrionics are awe-inspiring, comparable with her mother Shaukat? performance in the same role in Muzaffar Ali? film.

?mrao Jaan? must not be allowed to be a victim of cynical readings. Its statement, comparing the woman? heart to a railway station, where any man can stop to while away time, has a resonance way beyond the time-zones Dutta creates within his lengthy but satisfying work of art.

The ambience of the kotha is superbly re-created by art director Bijon Dasgupta. But Vaibhavi Merchant? choreography lets down the courtesans? tale. It fails to evoke the sensuous grace that Rai is capable of. Too much of Javed Akhtar? evocative lyrics are expressed in hand movements.

There? a great deal of warmth in the crisscross of relationships that the screenplay creates. Umrao? rapport with her surrogate father in the brothel, played by Kulbhushan Kharbanda, is truly special.

Aishwarya imbues a sense of luminosity into Umrao? all-giving nature. As Umrao, she? remarkably vulnerable and gentle, trying to safeguard her interests emotionally rather than instinctively.

Her two key romantic sequences with Abhishek Bachchan convey a feeling of bridled anxiety but are felled by their inordinate length. They needed to be curtailed and streamlined. The same applies to the plethora of mujras (dance sequences) - all gracefully performed by the resplendent Rai, but monotonous for their frequency and genre-specificity.

Anu Malik? music and Alka Yagnik? singing go a long way in evoking the poetic tragedy of a woman who craves to break free from her destiny.

?mrao Jaan? is remarkable for recreating the rhythms of a charming though lost culture through the pacy movements of the tawaif? feet, though the choreography does restrict the Aishwarya? swan-like agility.

Abhishek Bachchan, as the tormented, torn and yet restrained Nawab, is a portrait of bridled intensity. That little smirk in the corner of his mouth or that almost-invisible twinkle in his eye - these nuances show how much Bachchan junior has evolved.

The film also gives space to lesser-known actors like Puru Raj Kumar, who is splendid as Umrao? roguish in-house suitor at the kotha, and Divya Dutta melts your heart in the one important sequence that the script allows her.

For creating an ?mrao Jaan?, who stays in our hearts, and for giving Aishwarya Rai yet another memorable role, J.P. Dutta must take a bow.

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Monday, November 06, 2006
Which Umrao? Whose jaan? What ada?

Pratim D. Gupta watches J.P. Dutta? Friday release and then rewinds right back to the Muzaffar Ali film for relief, reason and Rekha

umrao jaan (1981) vs umrao jaan (2006)


  
In the spirit of Arthur Golden? Memoirs of a Geisha, Mirza Ruswa? novel was about the life and times of Ameeran, a lovelorn tawaif. It needed the deft hands of a poet like Muzaffar Ali to breathe poetry into just another period piece about a golden-hearted courtesan. His Umrao Jaan not only looked beautiful, it felt the same. And a lot had to do with Khayyam-Shahryar? musical gems. Dil cheez kya hai, In aankhon ki masti, Justuju jiski thi and Yeh kya jagah not only captured the myriad moods of melancholy, it actually transported you to 19th-century Lucknow and Kanpur kothas, where Umrao Jaan was oozing ada.

Isssshhh! What has J.P. Dutta done?! Insomniacs look no further. Pay Rs 200 for three hours of valium-sprayed babel. Bad enough to demand a Sidhuism: No loss, only gloss! Dutta has mixed up a brothel with a battlefield and bombarded us with one listless ghazal after the other. What was he thinking while placing those Abhishek-Ash love songs back to back? Neither do they sound good (sorry, Anu Malik) nor do they take the story forward. Here is where Dutta missed the Farhan trick. A Dil cheez kya hai or In aankhon ki masti could have, maybe, salvaged things ? at least for five minutes out of the 180.

rekha vs aishwarya rai


  
A defining scene early on in the original Umrao Jaan was of young Ameeran being rejected as a domestic help in a royal house because she was dark, a subplot Dutta conveniently blacks out because of Ash. This pain of rejection at every corner of life from then on is reflected in every glance of Rekha. She never cries till the very end but behind every turn, every swing and every nod, there is an inner pain that touches the soul. Like her tears, Rekha could hold herself back in every scene of Umrao Jaan.

The magic of Rekha? Umrao were woven around her sense of enigma, her perfect body language, her poise, her restraint. And through all her pathos, she made an alluring temptress, playing into Gauhar Mirza? (Naseeruddin Shah) hands, rallying around dacoit Faiz Ali (Raj Babbar), loving the Nawab Sultan (Farooque Sheikh) with all her heart.Much like Taal and Chokher Bali, Umrao Jaan revolves around Ash, with the other characters turned into mere props. From the first frame to the last, Madame Rai? green eyes shed copious tears but you hardly feel her hurt. The sense of doom is missing... largely because Ash becomes an object of maudlin pity. There is no zest for life in her character, as if a rudaali ready to burst into tears at the slightest provocation. And how, pray, can a tawaif afford to act like an achyut kanya? She shrieks at every man? touch (apart from Nawab Abhishek, of course). Come on, give us a break! Aishwarya does put in a lot ? her Urdu diction is spot on and some of her dance moves mesmerising ? but much like the mystery of the missing ethos in the film, her character? pathos is nowhere to be found. Ash puts it best: Which Umrao? Whose jaan? What ada?

farooque, Naseer and the rest


  
The Nawab-Umrao romance in Umrao Jaan 1981 is an important sub-plot in the film, but not the plot. Beautifully pitched, Farooque and Rekha exchange notes on shayri and there is born the romance that brings the two as much pleasure as it brings pain. It may be the love story of a tawaif (randi in commonspeak, a word used more than once in the film to deliberately dehumanise) and takes place in kothas, but there is an innate sense of innocence in the Nawab-Umrao romance. And that? because Farooque Sheikh doesn? carry any tag with him. The helplessness, the vulnerability, the angst... the love story holds the film together.

As integral to the film as Farooque? Nawab Sultan is the brilliant Naseeruddin Shah as the cheeky charmer Gauhar Mirza. There is a constant inner turmoil between his feelings for Umrao and his struggle for sustenance in the kotha. And who better than Naseer to change colours like a chameleon?

Even Raj Babbar? Faiz Ali is so intriguing. He wants to say so much to Umrao but knows that his dacoit background will be revealed if he opens his mouth or tries poetry. There is a clear character graph from a ruthless dacoit to a platonic lover and that too in just a few scenes.

What Muzaffar Ali did best was bring the kotha culture of Lucknow alive with his mise-en-scene, a brilliant blend of bright and bleak. And why not? Art director Banshi Chandra Gupta had done Satyajit Ray? Shatranj Ke Khiladi just four years before Umrao Jaan.

abhishek, shabana and the rest


  
For J.P. Dutta, Umrao Jaan? life has only one focal point ? her feelings for Nawab Sultan ? and her life journey has only one destination ? Nawab Sultan. Maybe Ash and Abhishek were so much in love during the making of the movie that the Ruswa novel read different to Dutta. But where is the love on screen? Forget chemistry, the romantic banter between Abhishek and Ash is perfect material for Scary Movie 5. It? that funny!

You soon end up admiring their costumes (stunning work by Anna Singh and Bindiya Dutta) and the ornate sets (the ever-reliable Bijon Dasgupta) rather than bother about what they are saying or doing (they do so little, anyway!).

After his scorching act in Sarkar and his cool cut in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Abhishek in Umrao Jaan is a huge disappointment. With a body language suggesting he? straight out of the sets of Bluffmaster!, he hopes his glances will do the trick. But alas! Watch out for the scene when he is drunk. A bit of Baap B, a bit of Devdas SRK, Abhishek is like a cow without a cowbell, meandering into mediocrity.

But then, compared to Puru Rajkumar (Gauhar) and Suniel Shetty (Faiz Ali), Abhishek? performance is worthy of an Oscar. Yes, they are that bad.

But the one lady who rises above the script is Shabana Azmi. As Khannum Sahib, the brothel owner, she registers a knockout performance. Very differently played from her mother Shaukat Kaifi in the Muzaffar Ali film, Shabana shows what great actors can do from ordinary, repeat ordinary, material.

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Aishwarya Rai plays thief in action movie 'Dhoom 2'

Mumbai, Nov 6. (AP): Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai plays a smooth-talking thief in her latest movie ``Dhoom 2,'' scheduled to be released later this month.

A former Miss World, Rai described her character as a sassy girl who wants to be one of the guys.

With Hrithik Roshan as her co-star, Rai's role is high on style and fashion, she told the Mumbai Mirror newspaper.

``I play this petty thief who thinks she's pretty cool. My character thinks she's smarter than the smartest,'' said Rai, according to the newspaper. ``She's a sassy girl and at the same time she's a cool dude.''

The movie is a sequel to the 2004 hit ``Dhoom,'' or ``Big Bang,'' in which a gang of bike thieves rob rich Mumbai businessmen.

It was shot largely in Brazil and South Africa and also features popular Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu.

Rai said the movie was ``high on the hot and sexy elements'' and actors had to look great in every scene.

``It was just the need of the hour. We had to constantly pay attention to our hair, clothes and body language,'' she said.

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'Guru' music launch
Monday, November 06, 2006 10:47:51 am



The year 2006 has been a year with a variety of subjects making an impression at the box office. And, the year promises to end on a bright note as well with Mani Ratnam's 'Guru' set for a December 22 release.

Guru, the next Hindi film from Mani Ratnam's stable is all set to hit the charts as the music of the film was released on Sunday (November 5) night in Mumbai. The occasion was not only graced by Abhishek Bachchan and rest of the film's star cast, but also by the Big B has he played compere for the night.

The music for this Mani Ratnam film is composed by AR Rahman and penned by Gulzar. Its been after nearly eight years since this trio last worked together.

?'m excited that the music is done and we're ready to play it for the people. I'm very happy with what AR Rahman and Gulzarsaab have done for us,? said director Mani ratnam.

?uru?, they say, can be summed up in three words summing up the essence of 'Guru' - villager, visionary and winner. The film is inspired by the life of Dhirubhai Ambani and has Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai sharing the screen space together once again.

?t? inspired by many great Indians and many great lives; people who have set about fulfilling their dreams. Dhirubhai is one such person and I'm sure he serves as a great inspiration to Mani (Ratnam) as well,? said Abhishek Bachchan.

One thing to certainly look forward to in this film is Mallika Sherawat, who will be seen playing a cameo. One can only hope that there is no culture shock for the audience to see Abhishek and Ashwarya playing three completely different roles in three films back to back. Now that the music of ?uru? is out, the expectations for the film continue to rise.

By Gayatri Kerkar

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Aishwarya Rai will be smarter than the smartest in 'Dhoom 2'
06th Nov 2006  14.00 IST
By ApunKaChoice  

The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai says that her character in the upcoming racy thriller Dhoom 2 will be smarter than the smartest.

The sequel of Dhoom has Ash playing a smooth-talking thief opposite Hrithik Roshan .

Ash recently described her character in the film as a sassy girl who wants to be one of the guys and her role is high on style and fashion.

? play this petty thief who thinks she's pretty cool. My character thinks she's smarter than the smartest,? said Ash.

?he's a sassy girl and at the same time she's a cool dude,? Ash added.

The film, shot largely in Brazil and South Africa also stars Abhishek Bachchan , Bipasha Basu and Uday Chopra .

Ash said the movie was ?igh on the hot and sexy elements? and actors had to look great in every scene.

?t was just the need of the hour. We had to constantly pay attention to our hair, clothes and body language,? the former Miss World added.

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Guru, a film inspired by many lives

Aarti Kapur Singh
CNN-IBN
Posted Monday , November 06, 2006 at 13:05
Updated Monday , November 06, 2006 at 13:10 Email  Print


GUARDING GURU: The film is perhaps Mani Ratnam's most closely guarded film after Iruvar.


GURU COOL: Guru's music was released in Mumbai this weekend.


WAITING FOR GURU: The film also stars Mithun, Vidya Balan and Mallika Sherawat.


Mumbai: The music of Mani Ratnam's much-awaited film Guru was released at a starry event in Mumbai this weekend.


Mani Ratnam, Gulzar and A R Rahman - the ensemble that gave to the audience Dil Se has got together once again with the much talked-about and yet closely guarded film, Guru.


And even as the proud father - Amitabh Bachchan - took on the role of introducing Abhishek Bachchan to the audience, neither he, nor any of the cast and crew are spilling the beans.


"Guru is not based on anybody's life, it is inspired by many great lives," was all Junior Bachchan had to say.



"I don't know whether to call it a biopic, but it definitely follows the arc of a real life story," added Aishwarya Rai.


"It's a fictional film, but it hopefully will be in touch with reality," said director Mani Ratnam.


Guru is perhaps Mani Ratnam's most closely guarded film after Iruvar. It is for this reason that music albums and CDs were not handed out to guests at the music launch of the film.


But here's what you can expect from the film's soundtrack.


"It starts with a Gujarati sound, goes on to Turkish, then very north Indian friendly kind of music and also some opera stuff," said music composer A R Rahman in an effort to lift the veil a bit.


Apart from Abhishek and Aishwarya, the film also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Madhavan, Vidya Balan and Arya Babbar with a cameo by Mallika Sherawat.


And whether or not Guru is the Dhirubhai Ambani saga, one will have to wait till the last week of December to find out.

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Rs 150 crore bet on Aishwarya
Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai is on a roll with a series of films ready for back-to-back release.



The former Miss World, who is known for her picture perfect chiselled features, will rule the marquees in movies that are vastly different from one another, as she desperately tries to impress with her acting prowess.

"Umrao Jaan", the first of the lot and perhaps the most challenging, released Friday to mixed reviews. The J.P. Dutta film is a remake of a Bollywood classic about a courtesan named Ameeran or Umrao Jaan Ada, kidnapped from her home and sold to a brothel.

Even the most ardent of Aishwarya's critics could not help but be softened by the zealous efforts put in by the actress in the film. Most critics found the story slow-paced and laborious, but were not too stingy in giving points to Aishwarya and her co-star Abhishek Bachchan.

In a country where women-centric films get barely noticed, the film has generated much buzz owing to media interest surrounding Aishwarya. Though the film may not be as commercially successful as the reigning Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Don", but would certainly do better than any other woman-oriented film in recent times.

For Aishwarya, the ballgame has just begun. She will next be seen in Yashraj Films' "Dhoom 2" in an avatar that is an antithesis of her role in "Umrao Jaan". The big-ticket film - a sequel to blockbuster "Dhoom" - is will be released Nov 24.

Promos and posters depicting a toned-up, slimmed-down Aishwarya in sport clothing are already doing the rounds and have made the film's rights hot property. To fit the role, the actress underwent a strict fitness regime, results of which are for all to see.

Before the year-end, Aishwarya will be seen in Mani Ratnam 's much-anticipated film titled "Guru". This again is a period film but minus the grandeur of "Umrao Jaan" and stars Abhishek Bachchan in a pivotal role.

And then there is the much-publicised $67 million Hollywood period action adventure - "The Last Legion" - featuring Aishwarya. Distributed by MGM, the film that stars leading Hollywood actors is scheduled to hit the theatres in early January 2007.

Director Jagmohan Mundhra's Aishwarya-starrer "Provoked", which is based on a true story, has received rave reviews during its screening in film festival circuits.

Apart from critical acclaim from the international media, the film's producer J. Murli Manohar got a record number of queries from buyers and sold the film to more than 12 countries in four days following the screening at the Cannes Film Festival.

But as far as Hollywood projects are concerned, Aishwarya is adopting a wait and watch policy. About her future projects in Hollywood, the actress was quoted as saying: "I really want time to decide. I don't know what will come my way. I will go through the scripts; I will look at the dates and only then will sign new movies. When I am not convinced about something, I simply say no."

All the films belong to different genres and her roles in them are diverse, making her one of the few Bollywood stars who are hard to be stereotyped. Perhaps she needs to try extra hard because her beauty is too distracting and overshadows her skills as an actor.

In the past, she has even undertaken small-budget so-called art-house films to prove herself as an actor.

Aishwarya, who turned 33 Nov 1, can also be credited for defying the invisible age ceiling in Bollywood. Till some years ago, heroines beyond 30 were either relegated to playing second fiddle in films or would simply retire. She is doing far better than most actresses her age.

Next year, Aishwarya will return to the marquees in "Jodha-Akbar" by Ashutosh Gowarikar and "Sarkar-2" by Ram Gopal Varma and perhaps a clutch of other films.

With all these in stock, end 2006 and 2007 seem to be earmarked for Aishwarya.

Bollywood is banking heavily on Aishwarya Rai to help it end 2006 - its most successful year ever - on a high. Revenue of over Rs.7 billion is expected from six big-budget movies being released in the next five weeks, three of which star Aishwarya.

Over Rs.1.5 billion have been invested in Aishwarya's "Umrao Jaan", "Dhoom-2" and "Guru". The other three are "Vivah", "Baabul" and "Kabul Express", business daily reports.

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I play Abhishek's wife: Ash



The music launch of Mani Ratnam's Hindi film "Guru" set a new trend in Bollywood with superstar Amitabh Bachchan hosting the event here Sunday.

Amitabh called son Abhiskeh Bachchan, the film's lead actor, on stage and asked him: "What was your reaction when Mani Ratnam offered you the role?" To which Abhishek said: "My reaction was, thank god he called up again."

After scenes from "Guru" were shown, Amitabh called the film's heroine Aishwarya Rai, who wore a white and gold sari, and actor R. Madhavan on stage.

Asked about her role, Aishwarya said: "I play Abhishek's wife. I am his emotional strength, his moral support, his everything which a wife does."

Madhavan said he "was very delighted" to work with the ace Tamil director again.

Amitabh then called lyricist Gulzar and music composer A.R. Rehman together on the stage and asked them what came first, the music or the lyrics?

Gulzar said, "We both worked together." Speaking about the film Abhishek Bachchan told CNN-IBN, "Guru has been a very challenging film. A very tough film to do. I hope it is rewarded. More so for Mani because he has worked very hard on it. He is just truly a genius and deserves every bit of credit that he gets."

The film also stars Vidya Balan, in a small and pivotal role along with Mahadevan . Other credited cast includes Mallika Sherawat and Mithun Chakravarty.

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Umrao Jaan performs better in the overseas
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By Rohini Bhandari
6 November 2006, 08:29 PM     

MUMBAI: While J.P Dutta's Umrao Jaan starring Aishwarya Rai and Abhishekh Bachchan hasn? done well at the box office in India, the reports from the overseas are certainly looking up.

Adlabs is the worldwide distributor of Umrao Jaan. Adlabs Films COO Sunir Khetarpal informs, "Umrao Jaan is doing better business in the overseas then in India.?

In UAE, the film did a business of 500,000 dirham. In the UK Umrao Jaan has garnered 135,000 pounds, whereas in the US, the box office collections are $ 300,000, which also includes Canada. ?n Canada, the film is doing exceptionally well and has collected 100,000 Canadian dollars,? adds Khetarpal.  

"The film is also doing good business in Singapore too," he says.

Umrao Jaan also stars Shabana Azmi Suniel Shetty and Divya Dutta. The film released worldwide on 3 November, 2006.

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Local author invited onto set of new Bollywood blockbuster

NORTH HARROW man Fuad Omar, author of Bollywood: An Insider's Guide, was invited on the set of the soon-to-be-released Bollywood blockbuster Dhoom 2.

Fuad, who lives in Hawthorne Drive and whose father Cllr Asad Omar, is a former deputy mayor of Harrow, has also just agreed to have his book quoted in an English textbook used in schools and colleges in the US and Canada.

Dhoom 2, a sequel to the 2005 action flick Dhoom, stars Fuad's friend Hrithik Roshan, India's highest paid film actor.

continued...
Fuad, who has just returned from a trip to India for the launch of his book, said: "I was invited to see a new studio complex called Yash Raj that is taking Indian films to international standards, and my friends were shooting there for Dhoom 2.

"The film's cast are all friends.

"Dhoom 2 stars Hrithik, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra and Aishwarya Rai, who was also the lead in Hollywood films Bride and Prejudice, the Mistress of Spices and Provoked, which was shot in Harrow earlier this year.

"Yash Raj Films do not typically allow journalists to their sets but I've been fortunate to have been involved in covering the making of their films since 1999.

"Everyone's liked the book in Bollywood, which is a bonus and Hrithik has been particularly complimentary, so I'm on a high."

Dhoom 2 will be released on November 24 and will be showing at Harrow's Vue cinema. Bollywood: An Insider's Guide is available at bookstores.

4:00pm Monday 6th November 2006

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Gushing mama hushes up
- ?ot-nice? snap on off-screen equations  
RESHMI SENGUPTA



Abhishek and Aishwarya in Umrao Jaan. (Right): Jaya on the Sunglass sets. Pix: Aranya Sen  
Calcutta, Nov. 6: Gushing about the on-screen pairing but brushing off the off-screen one, Jaya Bachchan swung from mother candid to mother cagey three days after the release of Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai? Umrao Jaan.

? have seen Umrao Jaan... What I loved about the film is that Abhishek and Aishwarya looked very nice together? And I loved that,? declared Jaya, in between playing mother to Konkona Sen Sharma on the sets of Rituparno Ghosh? Sunglass on Monday afternoon. ? can? say how good or bad a film it is. It? very difficult for me to be objective. I liked the film and I liked Abhishek? performance. He was very comfortable in the role and he gave a look to the film?

And his lady love? ?ishwarya, I thought, was quite good,? said the Bachchan bahu.

Then, when the obvious question was popped ? so, is Abhishek going to marry Aishwarya ? Jaya snapped: ?hat? not a nice question to ask.? Period.

The ?ot a nice question? is, of course, being asked in hushed tones everywhere in the film fraternity. The biggest buzz in Bollywood grew louder when at the stroke of midnight on November 1, the Bachchans co-hosted a birthday bash for Aishwarya in Mumbai.

Three days later, the Ash-Abhishek-J.P. Dutta film hit the theatres ? the first in a long line of Sanjay Gadhvi? Dhoom II, Mani Ratnam? Guru and Ram Gopal Varma? Sarkar 2, where the two share screen space.

Monday took Jaya to St James Church and a house in south Calcutta, where some mother-daughter scenes were canned for the film that Ritparno and she had first discussed 10 years ago.

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Couple of capers...

Monday, November 06, 2006  20:38 IST


Arun Nayar and Elizabeth Hurley (top) and Aishwarya Rai with Abhishek Bachchan  
  
Knot so fast!

Following the report in After Hours about Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar asking friends to keep dates in March, 2007 free, the frenzy surrounding the impending nuptials have started careening out of control, especially  since the couple was spotted in India.

But rubbishing rumours of the wedding date being moved up, a source close to the family groaned, ?hey?e just jumping to conclusions. It? true that the entire Nayar family (Vinod, Joanne, Nikki and Samantha) is in India right now, but it? just a coincidence more than anything else.?

Adds the source, ?here? absolutely no reason for this confusion. It? now a known fact that there will be two wedding ceremonies ? the first one will be a church wedding in England on March 3, followed by a lavish Indian-style ten-day celebration here.?

The 50:50 partners

It was one of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan? rare public appearances together and making it even more memorable was the towering presence of Amitabh Bachchan ? who actually interviewed them.

The ocassion was the music launch of director Mani Ratnam?  'Guru' and Bachchan Junior turned up wearing his now famous hair band while Ash traded in her usual western wear for a more traditional sari.

When Big B asked Ash, "What are you doing in the film?" she had a ready reply: "I am playing a 50 per cent partner of 'Guru?," going on to explain that she was his wife in the film and was by his side in everything he did.

Later when Bachchan Sr turned his attention to interviewing Gulzar and AR Rehman, 'partners' Ash and Abhishek were too engrossed in exchanging notes to notice.

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Aishwariya Rai on 'Guru'
Tuesday, November 07, 2006 08:21:20 am



After Umrao Jaan, Aishwarya Rai will be seen in a different avtaar in Guru. Indiatimes? Madhureeta caught up with the star and got her talking on her de-glam look in the film.

Actresses who do de-glam roles say its very liberating to go sans make-up. How do you feel?

Interestingly, I work on the visual of each character, and very often with the director. So even if you've got very little make-up on, you're still creating her. In this movie, I've got dark eyes, dark her, and there's a certain way I tie my hair. With dark hair, you darken your brow and darken the lashes. So it's not the make-up, it is the character you are creating.

For Guru you had to put on weight. So was it a treat for a change, where the director tells you to go and eat?

When the director says 'eat', it is not an issue for me because I always eat. I have a voracious appetite. The tougher the work schedule and longer the hours, the more hungry I get. But the difference was that for ?hoom 2? I had to bring tone to my body. It involved a little bit of working out as compared to my regular self. Mani (Ratnam) didn't want that; He didn't want toned arms. When you raise your arm, he didn't want to see definition because that takes away from the woman of that era. He wanted a very regular Indian woman.

Who is Ash's real Guru?

Life! I'd like to say parents, definitely. But I would extend it to life as well, because every experience, every single day is a learning one.

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Dhoom II on 24th  
Updated:  11-06-2006  By andhracafe   Email this Page





All the films that released in Bollywood for Deepavali have cooled heels at the box office and now there is another big movie that? hitting the screen on November 24th.


That? the sequel to hit movie Dhoom. This is titled as Dhoom II. The film has Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bacchan, Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu. The audio recently released at the market. The film will be dubbed in to telugu too. And guess what it will be out on the same day too.

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How Aishwarya, Abhishek changed for 'Guru'!
07th Nov 2006  22.00 IST
By N. K. Deoshi  

Both Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan had to change themselves to play their respective roles in Mani Ratnam? movie ?uru?.

Guru is a realistic tale of a man who comes from a village to Mumbai with a dream to make it big in the world. With his vision, perseverance and endless dedication to his aim, Guru starts a company that goes on to become one of the best in the nation.



The film starts from late 1940s and spans a period of several decades as the story of Guru? struggle unravels. Abhishek Bachchan plays the protagonist Gurukant Desai and Aishwarya Rai plays his wife Sujatha.

For their respective roles in the film, Mani Ratnam , the film? director, wanted the two actors to put on weight. Aishwarya was required to put on at least 4 kilos (as she plays a housewife in the film) and Abhishek had to appear in several looks from slim to overweight.

Aishwarya says: ?ani sir made sure that we got excellent tiffins full of delicious food on the movie? sets. As I have a sweet tooth, I love to eat. Within days I gained upto 4 kilos.?

Abhishek also gained weight for his role in the latter part of the movie when he is shown as a businessman with a chubby face and a protruding belly.

Not just this, Abhishek? hair-do and his dresses were styled and designed keeping in mind the period of the story.

For both Ash and Abhi, ?uru? is the second period film in a row after Umrao Jaan .

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Interviews : When there's a marriage, I won't hide it: Aishwarya
Posted by admin on 2006/11/8 0:09:37  

Mumbai, Nov 8 (IANS) Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai is more exasperated than amused by stories of her impending marriage with "Umrao Jaan" co-star Abhishek Bachchan.

"Who's doing all these marriage soap operas on my life? I don't know. Maybe you can enlighten me. One TV channel got seriously imaginative. They actually put together film clippings, voice-overs and background music to do a marriage story on Abhishek and me. Full marks for imagination," Aishwarya told IANS in an interview.

"But when you bring someone's old and seriously ailing family member into your soap opera (the report on STAR News had a voice impersonating Abhishek's grandmother Teji Bachchan), then you're offending more than just good taste. It's not nice to drag old and ill family members into a story just to prove a preposterous point."

Taking a deep breath, Aishwarya continued, "I've absolutely no marriage plans in the near future. Earlier, there was that whole media 'tamasha' about my horoscope. I thought that was the end of the marriage episode in the ongoing soap opera of my life.

"But it just goes on and on. Now fertile sections of the media are setting dates for my marriage. They might as well decide the venue, print the cards and invite me for my own wedding."

Maybe the whole world wants her to get married?

"I'm glad that they feel so strongly about it. But I've to feel the urge to marry and the time has to be right before I can oblige my well-wishers."

Laughing heartily at her own joke, the screen queen calmed down.

"When there's a marriage, I won't hide it. I'll stand on rooftops and talk about it. For now, could Abhishek and I just be allowed to concentrate on our individual careers?"

--By Subhash K. Jha

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Umrao? dress auctioned  
Updated:  11-07-2006  By andhracafe

  

Aishwarya Rai? courtesan? role in Umrao Jaan got good reviews but the audience are not happy with it.

Critical acclaim is not enough, the film should rake in big bucks too. Now that the film has been declared a flop an auction of the costumes have begun. A dress worn by Aishwarya Rai was bought for one lakh. This shows the craze Aishwarya has amongst her fans. The money that comes from the auction will be used for a constructive purpose.

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Marriage with Abhishek? Not Now



Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai is more exasperated than amused by stories of her impending marriage with "Umrao Jaan" co-star Abhishek Bachchan.

"Who's doing all these marriage soap operas on my life? I don't know. Maybe you can enlighten me. One TV channel got seriously imaginative. They actually put together film clippings, voice-overs and background music to do a marriage story on Abhishek and me. Full marks for imagination," Aishwarya told in an interview.

"But when you bring someone's old and seriously ailing family member into your soap opera (the report on STAR News had a voice impersonating Abhishek's grandmother Teji Bachchan), then you're offending more than just good taste. It's not nice to drag old and ill family members into a story just to prove a preposterous point."

Taking a deep breath, Aishwarya continued, "I've absolutely no marriage plans in the near future. Earlier, there was that whole media 'tamasha' about my horoscope. I thought that was the end of the marriage episode in the ongoing soap opera of my life.

"But it just goes on and on. Now fertile sections of the media are setting dates for my marriage. They might as well decide the venue, print the cards and invite me for my own wedding."

Maybe the whole world wants her to get married?

"I'm glad that they feel so strongly about it. But I've to feel the urge to marry and the time has to be right before I can oblige my well-wishers."

Laughing heartily at her own joke, the screen queen calmed down.

"When there's a marriage, I won't hide it. I'll stand on rooftops and talk about it. For now, could Abhishek and I just be allowed to concentrate on our individual careers?"

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'Guru' and 'Tara Rum Pum' postponed  
By IndiaFM News Bureau, November 8, 2006 - 03:40 IST



The highly awaited film Guru starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai has been postponed by a week to end of December. It also has a possibility of releasing in the first week of January. Sources from Kaleidoscope Films who are distributing the film have confirmed the news. They stated the reason of delay of the film was to avert the clash with Bhagam Bhaag, which releases on 22nd Decmeber. Also another reason that could have led to this delay is the fate of two biggies Don and Jaan-E-Mann, which released on Diwali. Nevertheless Madras Talkies claims that they never gave an official release date for the film.

Also another film which has been postponed to April 2007 is Yashraj Film? Tara Rum Pum. The film was rumored to release in January but Yashraj Films seem to be in no hurry to rush the release of the film. When contacted, the officials at Yashraj Films refused to comment on the issue. Apparently they want to capitalize the holiday period around in April.

Meanwhile Kabul Express will release in mid December. Kabir Khan says ?y film will release on the 15th of December?. Well let? wait and watch and hope the best for all the films.

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American critics love Ash

November 08, 2006 15:59 IST
Last Updated: November 08, 2006 16:26 IST



Aishwarya Rai might still be reeling from the shock of her Umrao Jaan bombing in India, but American critics are still smitten with the star.

In a left-handed compliment, the review of Umrao Jaan in The New York Times starts with the declaration: 'The price of being beautiful.' It goes on to say, 'Umrao Jaan, a retelling of a historical Indian tale covered in a 1981 Bollywood classic, might also be a commentary on its star, Aishwarya Rai. Ms Rai, often hailed as the queen of Bollywood, has for many a global allure calling to mind that of Brigitte Bardot or Sophia Loren. But you hope Ms Rai does not suffer for her art as much as her character does.'

Aishwarya Rai: When I get married, you'll know

The review by Andy Webster singles out a 'vivid Shabana Azmi.' Praising Ash's allure, the 300-word review which decried the film's excessive melodrama added, 'But the actress's presence is undeniable. Ms Rai has Western films coming; Umrao Jaan seems like a way station on her path to international success.'

Umrao Jaan is another high profile movie after Jaan-e-Mann to have a soft opening overseas, but it isn't a cold turkey, at least in America and Canada. It grossed about $480,000 in its first weekend in North America, a respectable opening, taking 40 percent more than Jaan-E-Mann did in the corresponding period. But in the UK, the Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan movie made just $250,000, a few thousand more than what Don grossed there in its third weekend.
We will have to wait for one more week before we know if Umrao Jaan becomes a modest hit in North America or eats dust in its second week.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan's Don which is going stronger in the United Kingdom than in North America has grossed $2.4 million by its third weekend, and is sure to leave theaters with an impressive $3 million gross. With Dhoom 2 around the corner, the durability of Don is seriously impaired.

In the North American market, it has grossed $1.95 million and could end its profitable run with a $2.3 million total gross, about $1 million less than Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna grossed here. Jaan-e-Mann, in the meanwhile, is not showing signs of an impressive recovery and may end with a decent but unspectacular $750,000 in the lucrative North American market. It may be able to reach just about $500,000 in the United Kingdom.