Is Aishwarya Rai India’s Glam Diva???

The glam diva, Aishwarya Rai, was recently on a television show “India’s Glam Diva”. She says that she is very lucky and extremely happy to have worked with different directors.

“I am glad to have worked with different directors on different roles. I had always been greedy to work with different directors on different characters,” Aishwarya Rai said.

“I enjoy music and dance, a fact that you all by now are familiar and I guess it translates to the work I have produced on celluloid,” added the 38-year-old.

Aish is one among the other top-notch actresses who is participating in the show “India’s Glam Diva”, so as to win the win the title. Purely on the basis of public voting, the winner will be decided. Ash’s episode will be aired Sunday on Big CBS Love.

Aishwarya to return to film when she feels like: Abhishek Bachchan..

Aishwarya Rai is currently playing mother to her three-and-half-month-old daughter and the actress is very happy about it. She has no plans to return to films anytime soon, says hubby Abhishek Bachchan.

Says Abhi at an event, “As and when she wants to come back, is completely her decision… as and when she decides, when she sees a script she is inspired by – the decision is entirely hers. Currently she is very happy doing what she is doing.”

The 36-year-old was at the launch of Sorabh Pant’s book “The Wednesday Soul”.

Abhishek Bachchan would love to act in a film based on plays penned by young writers.

“I like to read biographies and autobiographies. But there are some wonderful plays out there that a lot of young, Indian talent is writing. I would love to do one of them,” said Abhishek Bachchan.

“I can’t decide which one. Like I said, there is a lot of interesting material being written in India, I would love to delve into that resource to come up with a film,” he added.

Meanwhile, Beti B’s name is still a secret.

SRK-Aishwarya in Swades sequel???

Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will share screen space in Swades sequel.

This movie will mark the return of the hit jodi of Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Sources claim that the duo after making waves in Devdas, is planning a comeback.

The jodi never worked together after Ash’s then boyfriend Salman Khan created a ruckus on the sets of Chalte Chalte, which was made by SRK’s home production.

But now that SRK and the Bachchan family are friends again, the two might work together on screen.

SRK has even asked his old friend Sanjay Leela Bhansali for help. Shah Rukh and Sanjay had worked together in Devdas which proved to be a major hit at the box office. And now the star has shown a keeninterest in working in another film with him.

Bhansali is keen to work with SRK too. After having made a flop film such as Guzaarish with Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan, the director has been looking for a bigger opportunity with bigger actors.

His earlier film Saawariya too had flopped and his discovery – Ranbir Kapoor – has also been giving him a cold shoulder.

Apart from talks with Bhansali, Shah Rukh is discussing another project with Ashutosh Gowarikar.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the Prix de Diane horse race…

The very gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchanis in France for a series of events for a watch brand that she endorses. Clad in a pale pink dress and an elaborate hat, she was accompanied by her mother Vrinda for the event

Abhishek Bachchan confirms his and wife Aishwarya’s absence at the IIFA…

They are no longer part of the IIFA event. Though the Bollywood’s smashing jodi Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai has given some outstanding and memorable dance performances on IIFA stage, they are not going to perform at the award function in Toronto this year.

Recently a Toronto magazine allegedly used Aishwarya Rai’s name in an IIFA related story. The magazine Toronto Life had Aishwarya’s photograph on the cover which said “Toronto is hosting the Bollywood’s Oscar with celebs like Aishwarya Rai.”

Abhishek Bachchan, much aware of the all the IIFA hype and hoopla, decided to clear the air. Bachchan Junior tweets, “Just to clarify….Neither Aishwarya nor I will be performing or attending IIFA Toronto, classic case of jumping the gun!”

However, it was recently said that though Amitabh Bachchan, the former IIFA ambassador, has dissociated himself from the awards, beta Abhishek and bahu Aishwarya will perform at the award function to be held at Toronto.

But now it seems that IIFA and the Bachchans, once almost synonymous, won’t go along for at least a few years.

Pics: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan return from the Oscars.

Aishwarya and Abhishek return from the Oscars…

Aren’t they feeling hot, wearing such thick jackets in Mumbai??? And not to forget mentioning about their luggage… Can two people possibly have that much luggage???? That’s crazy!!

But, the couple looks so so so much in love and yeah! lovely together… 

Catch the pics above….

Aishwarya says NO to SRK…

Recently, at an award function, Aishwarya Rai refused to dance with SRK to Kajra Re.

Says an eyewitness, “Shah Rukh had planned a gig around Bollywood heroines over the years and he wanted it to conclude with Aishwarya’s performance.

He had planned to dance with her to Kajra Re. But Ash refused. Her argument was that Kajre re was a family song and that she performed the number in Bunty aur Babli only with her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and husband Abhishek and that she will not dance to that song with anyone else.

No amount of persuasion from the organizers helped her change her mind. Finally, Shah Rukh had to scrap this plan.”

Shah Rukh and Aishwarya share an OK rapport with each other. They bonded superbly during the shooting of Devdas. But later, Ash was ousted from Chalte Chalte and replaced by Rani Mukerji after Salman disrupted the first schedule of the film.

Well, we now wonder what kind of rapport will they share after Ash rejecting SRK…

“We were destined to come together”: Aishwarya Rai.

Bollywood’s gorgeous; Aishwarya Rai is the leading star Rituparno Ghosh’s film Devi Chaudhurani, which is an adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s 1884 novel. The film will be made in Hindi and Bengali. Ash has earlier worked with Ritu in Chokher Bali and Raincoat.

Bankim Chandra’s novel advocated violence against the ruling British empire to get independence. Therefore the British banned it. The ban was only lifted after India got independence.

In Devi Chaudhurani, Ash will be seen as an exceptionally good looking woman who is non-conservative and ahead of her times. Her life’s journey takes many intriguing twists and turns until the day she becomes one of the most powerful woman of Bengal.

Confirming the news, Aishwarya said to a tabloid, “Ritu has been coming with so many wonderful offers after Chokher Bali and Raincoat,” “We were destined to come together.”

The film will be shot in Kolkata. “The city always welcomes me with open arms. I’d love to work here again,” says Aishwarya.

Ash is currently on a break…

Aish and Saif pair up for Vishal’s next…

Vishal Bhardwaj ‘s Saat Khoon Maaf is finally come to an end. He now has a wish to fulfil his long cherished desire of working with Aishwarya Rai and has approached her for a film opposite Saif Ali Khan.

Buzz has it that Vishal has been trying to rope in Ash for the last 14 years but never a project could appeal to the actress.

But now, Vishal finally met Ash and read out the script to her at a Juhu bungalow where the Bachchans generally conduct business meetings. The director also had other two scripts for her, one is said to be adapted from Shakespeare’s celebrated tragedy ‘Hamlet’.

The hopeful Vishal is trying to woo the actress for various projects. Hope she says yes to at least one.

What do you think about their pair???

Ash is pregnant!!! Rumours doin the rounds again…

Rumours related to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have again started making the rounds. The rumours, this time, are related to her pregnancy not in India but in Dubai.

Ash was recently set to fly to Dubai to do some important interviews but her visit was canceled on account of ill health, which sparked the rumour that Ash is finally in the family way.

“Unless it is a case of dodgy Indian curries that is slowly but surely emanating, the rumour mills are grinding to grist the possibility of a classic Ash diva tantrum because she is pregnant,” a local newspaper in Dubai is reported to have printed.

Sources had informed the newspaper that Ash was not well and hence had cancelled the said interviews. This is not the first time that the buzz about her pregnancy has reached us.

Ash and Abhishek should have had a few babies by now, had we believed in all these gossips.

Ash and Hrithik in Vishal’s next…

Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will most probably be seen in director Vishal Bhardwaj new venture, which is believed to be based on Shakespeare’s literary work Hamlet. Earlier, the director made films like Maqbool and Omkara, which were based on Macbeth and Othello respectively. However, Vishal believably abides by his principle of not following the mode of true translation of the original version.

The industry is looking at Hrithik and Aishwarya as a hit jodi after Dhoom 2, Jodhaa Akbar and Guzaarish. So, Vishal is reportedly keen to cast the successful duo for the film, but he is yet to confirm the news.

Do you wanna see them together on screen again???

And the Teacher’s Acheivement Award goes to…..

Bollywood beauty, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was honoured with Teacher’s People Achiever Award at the 10th edition of the awards in Mumbai over the weekend.

Ash dedicated it to her father, Krishnaraj Rai.
“Today is my father’s birthday, so I dedicate this award to my dad,”Rai told reporters after receiving the award at Hotel Taj Lands End.

She went on to add, “Mine was people’s choice award and that’s always special for me. It really reflects what I always said, that my greatest strength and inspiring force has been the audience, my fans world over, that’s what makes it particularly special,”

The Teacher’s Achievement Awards were instituted in 2001, and reward individual excellence in diverse fields under the categories of business, communications, sports, entertainment and lifetime achievement.

“Spending time with Abhi is quite a holiday for me”: Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai says life has been extremely fast-paced since the day she chose to study science in high school. Now the internationally renowned actor is waiting to take a much-needed break before entering another year full of film projects.

“I keep joking that the pace of my life has been so hectic ever since high school. From Class 12, when I was a science student, till date it has only been a hectic pace and that’s the only pace perhaps my body knows now.” says Ash.

This year has been particularly hectic for the 36-year-old actor thanks to the release of her films – Raavan, Robot, Action Replayy and Guzaarish in quick succession.

There has been so much jet-setting in and out of the country and travelling within India for the promotion of her films that Aishwarya fell slightly ill. But she is not complaining.

“Come on! I’m okay now. If you think work pressure has affected me, how would you explain Hrithik (Roshan) getting unwell after doing just two films in two years? I just got a day’s fever and I’m all raring to go,” she said.

Aishwarya is now looking forward to some relaxing time.

“It’s almost the end of November and very little of December is left. I had deliberately kept a little part of December off because, since 2008 I have been working continuously”

Ash is still in talks with film-makers on her future projects and will be able to announce further developments around February next year.

“There have been talks. Producers are working out the scheduling, and then the announcements will be made. I was going to sign two films to do this winter, but I declined them because I had prior commitments. The next lot of offers will materialise post-February and March, and will continue beyond next Christmas,” claims Ash.

So she wants to make the most of her holiday period with husband Abhishek Bachchan and all her family members.

“Spending time together is quite a holiday for me. It doesn’t matter where we are,” she says.

For now, Aishwarya is just waiting to get the audience reaction to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s just released Guzaarish, in which she plays Sofia, a nurse to a paraplegic essayed by Hrithik.

“It is my final release of this year…and what a special film to share with our audience! My character Sofia is very special. The kind of capacity, strength, resilience, commitment, empathy and unconditional love that she has for a patient just takes this character to a different realm altogether,” ends Ash.

Ranbir, Aishwarya, Shabana and Boman win Teacher's Achievement Awards

Click above for more stills

The 10th edition of the prestigious Teacher's Achievement awards was a glitzy glam event as it showcased some of the most envious names in the industry. These nominees were short listed after an evaluation process by the members of the advisory board; comprising of eminent personalities from the fields of business, entertainment, sports and communication.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Shabana Azmi and Boman Irani were few of the Bollywood celebs honoured with the Teacher's Achievement Award at a function held in Mumbai over the weekend.

Ranbir Kapoor received the Teacher's Achievement award in the Entertainment category. He felt a sense of gratitude that his work was recognised and appreciated.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was honoured with Teacher's People Achiever award which she dedicated to her dad Krishnaraj Rai. The People's award was special for her because it reflected the love the audience has for her work.

Boman Irani bagged the Achiever of the Decade Award while his co-star from Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd and veteran actor Shabana Azmi was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Docters angry with Ash’s smoking act…

With just two left for its release, following the copyright row, Guzaarish is yet into trouble again.

The Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health and Doctors for You, organisations working in the field of tobacco control have penned down a strong worded letter to actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan advising her against the use of a promotional scene where she is seen holding a cigarette in her latest film Guzaarish.

A poster of the film, which has Aishwarya Rai Bachchan smoking a cigarette while Hrithik Roshan looks on, is stuck all over Mumbai, including buses, autos etc etc…

The letter written by Dr Ravikant Singh from Doctors for you to the actress goes like this:

“We are dismayed by the posters of your forthcoming film Guzaarish that show you with a cigarette. We are not sure if the producer and the PR agency has taken your consent to use this particular picture for the advertisement.

The doctors are worried about the larger impact of these posters on the millions of young women for whom you are The Role Model,”

The letter further states, “Remember the final speech you made when you became Miss World, you had promised to “work for Peace, Goodwill, Harmony & compassion and to do full justice with your motto ‘Beauty with Purpose’. However, this promotional scene is against the philosophy that you have been preaching.”

To show their protest, the members of Doctors For You, which is a non-profit organization, will wear black badges on Friday, the day Guzaarish releases.

Aishwarya Rai’s take on Guzzrish…

After Robot with Rajnikanth, and Action Replayy with Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish with Hrithik Roshan. This is what she has to say about her forthcoming flick Guzzrish…

What are your expectations from Guzaarish?

It’s a very, very special film because a very special team worked for an extremely passionate piece of art. It had been a tremendous effort, but everyone worked tirelessly…that’s the only kind of work you are known to do with Sanjay (Leela Bhansali).

Was it easy or difficult for you to smoke in the film?

Have you seen it in the trailer where I get choked while smoking? That speaks volumes on my smoking.

In your life or career, which is that one thing that you have made maximum guzaarish (request) for?

I love my work (acting) too much. So, I can do anything for one more take…that’s what I request for most of the times…’One more time please’.

Guzaarish is your third film with Sanjay (after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas)…

Yes. I am lucky to work with him for the third time. Each experience with him has been exceedingly special, but Guzaarish is extra special…it’s a beautiful piece of cinema and we are extremely proud of it. What’s wonderful is that Sanjay and me have a connection where we are very talkative with each other; at the same time, we are brilliant at sharing silences. Through silences, we communicate so much that nobody on the sets understands it. The connection between Sanjay and me, is very, very special… creatively…for both of us; and very fulfilling.

Out of the three films you did with Sanjay, which one is your favourite?

Sanjay has always given strong characters to me. Take Nandini (from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). Sanjay introduces her as the five elements put together. What an introduction and insight into the character! And then, the journey of life she undertakes. For a new actor, I got to explore such an arch in a character. As for Paro (in Devdas)…by the way, Sanjay always calls me Parvati; he always says ‘She is Parvati for me’. Paro has a different level of intensity. I got to emotionally rediscover the character. Guzaarish’s Sophia is different from Nandini and Paro in the sense that in this film, Sanjay has used my silences immensely.

Sanjay’s films are known to be poetical, something not for general public. What do you have to say on that?

Sanjay makes intense films…be it the moments or the music or lyrics…he makes poetical cinema. Like, in Guzaarish, he described life as a cup of coffee. But he makes all his films receptive.

It’s my third film with Hrithik Roshan as well (after Dhoom and Jodha Akbar).
Nothing can be better if two actors get a chance to act in films back-to-back, yet give something different to the audience each time, so that they don’t feel ‘arre abhi abhi toh saw them together’. Same happened to me and Hrithik.

After spending so many years in Bollywood, how will you rate yourself as an actor?

I am still a student. I am always my director’s student. They are my gurus (teachers). I feel blessed to have worked with all big directors and actors in the industry.

An unusual passion play between Aishwarya and Hrithik…

Its gonna be a funny love making scene.

All thanks to Aishwarya and Hrithik who will be seen indulging in a passion play of an altogether different kind, while shooting for a scene in the film Guzaarish.

Hrithik essays the role of a paraplegic who can’t feel a thing below his neck. While Ash, being his nurse, takes care of him.

The erotic sequence begins with Ash giving Hrithik a foot massage. That’s when Hrithik starts off with the oohs! and aahs! Aishwarya too, no less, takes the cue and makes lovemaking noises, moans and sighs of sexual ecstasy.
This foot massage inturn turns into a love fest!!

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali told reporters, “how can my hero who feels everything from neck up and absolutely nothing from neck down make love with his nurse? He can only pretend. Hrithik has no love scene with Aishwarya. The so-called love-making sequence is actually savagely funny take on a very poignant predicament of a man who cannot feel the things that normal people do. Although his limbs are senseless, his nurse gives him a foot massage to keep the blood circulations going. And that’s when the whole mock-ecstasy scene happens. I must say Aishwarya and Hrithik gave a whole new definition to ‘faking it’ in this sequence. Bahut masti wali scene hai. But the underlying tragedy of a man who will never actually experience what he’s pretending to, has also been brought out.”

The scene is rather funny rather than titillating.