By Fuad Omar
'Aishwarya' in Sanskrit means Wealth and Prosperity. Someone who lives up to
her name is Aishwarya Rai.
The ex-Miss World, model and ever-growing actress is a personality who needs
no introduction. Nothing less than the ultimate fantasy to many men, a role model to
women across the world and a beauty who has made her name in the world of
modelling and film since the day she stepped behind the curtain of the
silver screen.
When she entered the film industry she was greeted with bouquets and
compliments and everyone wanted to sign her, but as time went by the
interest died down and the press realised they had found a new foundation of
controversial banter, and then there was silence. She is not one who plays
along with the media game that dangles a carrot in front of her every once
in a while, or indulges in PR exercises to highlight what she's doing. She
was written about non-stop for months on end recently and not because her
films were making box office history, but because of her association with
Salman Khan, the other media whipping boy who wouldn't entertain their whims
and desires. They couldn't get to him, so they got to him through
Aishwarya. By writing almost every detail (no matter how fabricated) about the two
star's relationship from beatings and bangings to break ups - they began an in-print assault which threw more
assumptions their way than any one could
justify. Finally the tirade has stopped and the press are now trying to find
something new to write about after lost sales, angry fans and achieving
little close to nothing where Salman and Aishwarya are concerned. We read
about what apparently she's up to but rarely about the constant attacks she
undergoes and the survival, or the quiet resilient fight.
I remember when I first met Aishwarya at some public function, I can clearly recall the way a room full of people
parted to make way for her to walk as well as her leaving a trail of heads
behind her who'd follow her every move. She looked a lot more fragile in
real life than she does on screen. It was a few years back and my brief
conversation with her at the time was something to the effect of "how do you
travel so much" and her response was detailing her itinerary for the next
few days which would clock up more air miles than Richard Branson. As
someone poked there head forward and asked for her autograph, she smiled,
nodded her head at the fan and became engulfed in a sea of people.
I remember thinking at the time she would not only be huge soon but also
wondering how she copes with the immense pressure of stardom. How did she
travel to two far apart places within hours and still manage to look fresh? How could
she be so tired from her running around and yet still be able to smile for
every camera that wanted to click her? It seemed she was living in a world
that demanded (and received) much from her. After she left for some shooting
or other commitment and was away from the country the thoughts still haunted
me at how she managed to deal with all the attention, and how strong she
must be to take what's thrown her way - a physically demanding job that
comes with verbal abuse in print from time to time.
I remember seeing Ash first on the UK stage when she came here for the
series of concerts with Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna around the time of
Taal's release and how almost half the people who came to that show had
turned up to see Aishwarya as every time she was on stage the darkness of
the auditorium would vanish under a sea of clicking and flashing light bulbs
that lit up the atmosphere, each one trying to capture a frame of her. The
first time she came on stage from underneath a silvery cloud I watched the
audience, the second time I watched her. The way her feet would stamp the
stage and the smile she'd give the crowd, the way her eyes would dart a
quick look at the audience then at her co-star and the energy she embodied,
I knew while people were caught up in her magic they wouldn't see half the
effort that she had so carefully given each song number on the stage.
The Ash I've seen is the survivor, putting up with being in every gossip
paper and mag every month and being the victim of a scrutinised life. For
her, being judged was not over after the Miss World contest and the initial
response to her entry into the film world, this was just the beginning.
Aishwarya has been publicly maligned by the Indian and some of the
international press, by journalists who if you meet now, will speak highly
of her. Although the negativity bows when these people actually meet and
talk to her, it still surfaces in print. Those who write against her often
change their attitudes but this never comes out in print.
The accusations were many so I'm not going to go through the list or dissect
each one but will say after observing her on the sets I can say she's a
thorough professional. Despite the rumours of interfering, she does not and
just goes about her job, taking time to listen to the director and nod her
head while keeping her eyes focussed on who is talking to her.
The way she listened attentively to Adi Chopra on the sets of Mohabbatein,
pays close attention to Annes Bazmee on Radhesyham Sitaram and Sanjay Leela
Bhansali on the sets of Devdas is not written about.
The smile she gave at Wembley after she finished her piece and the way her
eyes scoured the arena in amazement at every face or the way how every time
I meet her despite it being few and far between, she always smiles and has
never given me reason to believe anything that's written about her. The way
she has grown on screen in front of our eyes and gave a once in a lifetime
performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and gave dance a soul in Taal. I
honestly didn't think there was much acting scope in Taal for Ash, but in
HDDCS (which released almost simultaneously) it ensured no one could ever
doubt her talent. She hasn't had the opportunity to showcase what she can do
since then, and this is not her fault.
This is what people don't write about.
Films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam don't come round every day nor do ones
like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, where Ash is glowing as much as the
sets. I remember marvelling at the sets of the huge palace which was erected
and had a lake built around it. The mahal which had arches and polystyrene
walls with small mirrors in every corner so at night the moon would reflect
off the palace and shine over the lake too to create what is one of the most
beautiful things I've ever seen. She's doing her job on the sets and the
film looks set to be amazing, given Sanjay's style and direction with
artistes of Shah Rukh, Ash and Madhuri's calibre.
Until then she has films lined up like the old backlogs of Radheshyam
Sitaram and Hum Paanchi Ek Daal Ke, and will undoubtedly come under more
fire by the press. Her presence in Mohabbatein was spiritly to the hilt and
her quiet Indian demure was appreciated by many.
Ash is a misfit in the Indian film industry and I say that not because of
her talent, but because she doesn't deserve the constant maligning she is
forced to go through. Of all the interviews I've read of hers I'd say they
only carry 30 percent of worth, because no one has yet been able to get
through to her and ask the right questions that bare her soul. Maybe she
doesn't want to and that's why she carefully answers what she's asked but
doesn't reveal too much.
She's getting through what's being thrown at her and will have wrapped up
the backlog soon, and will dazzle the world once more very soon. This
article is written to say don't believe all you read about her in the gossip
press and all those who have been waiting for her to shine again have only a
short time to wait, because as the world holds its breath, the princess is
set to reclaim the throne very, very soon.
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