Aishwarya Rai: 'No more skin show please'

Remember Aishwarya Rai’s entry scene in the Colin Firth-starrer, The Last Legion? Wearing a skin-coloured, body-hugging outfit, Ash emerged out of a lake with her back to the camera, leaving men heaving and drooling.

However, chances of her showing any skin in her second Hollywood outing are rather slim.

If sources are to be believed, fans eager for another eyeful will be disappointed by her fully-clothed attire in the Pink Panther sequel.

Sources close to the film reveal that Ash has decided not to indulge in any skin show or wear revealing clothes in the project. Not only has marriage changed her outlook, but now she also thinks twice before saying yes to scenes or costumes that may make her look sexy on screen.

“Ash will be wearing lots of designer outfits, shoes, and accessories in the film. Her look is not just elegant, but also classy. In fact, one of the costume designers has modelled her look along the lines of Catherine Zeta Jones in Ocean’s 12,” says a source.

Apparently, Ash has had lengthy discussions with the makers of the film before signing the contract. Even though there is no such clause in the contract, Ash has made it clear that she will steer clear of any revealing outfits in the film.

Ash plays Sophie, a detective with a flair for karate, in Pink Panther 2. She teams up with Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Steve Martin) on a mission to track down a thief who steals expensive art pieces from all over the world. Ash is currently in Boston (Massachusetts) for the second schedule of the film.

Bridal look for Aishwarya's new wax statue

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will unveil her new wax statue at Madame Tussauds in Times Square, New York. She already has a wax statue at Madame Tussauds in London which was created before her marriage, while her new statue will have her post marriage bridal look.
Aishwarya has been briefed about the wax statue. Her statue will be dressed in bridal wear and will also wear a Mangalsutra. She is however caught with her film commitments and is yet to take some time out work on the detail of her wax replica.
Currently, Ash is busy with the dubbing of Jodhaa Akbar. Besides, she is also shooting for RGV’s Sarkar Raj starring herself with Big B and Abhishek Bachchan in Hyderabad.
Ash’s wax statue is likely to be unveiled early next month.

Ash-Hrithik Vs exquesite Urdu

The determination to see Jodhaa-Akbar release on time is no longer unreal.

Post-production work on Ashutosh Gowariker magnum opus is on full swing.

The editing and dubbing are going on simultaneously.

Speaking exclusively to me Ashutosh says, "I'm currently editing the film in Mumbai. It's not an easy task."

Considering the canvas of the storytelling this could well be the director's toughest film yet.

"That isn't all. Aishwarya is shooting in Hyderabad. So she'll dub in that city. While Hrithik will dub in Mumbai,"says Ashutosh.

On top of it there are dozens of other actors, big or small, whose dubbing has to be done under the strictest supervision to make sure that the Urdu dialogues are in place and the pronunciation is impeccable.

In fact Hrithik and Aishwarya have been working doubly hard on their dialogues to live up to Ashutosh's exacting standards.

'I'm cutting down Ash's beauty!!!'

Ram Gopal Varma is currently in Hyderabad shooting for the sequel to Sarkar. The two Bachchand Amitabh and Abhishek are with him. Aishawarya is expected to join them later during the month.

"Aishwarya plays a very strong part with shades of negative in it. I'm completely changing her image. I'm cutting her beauty down. I've gathered a large supporting cast of ugly people and put her in the middle, so she'd come out looking stunning in her naturalness."

Apparently the two Bachchan men are so taken up with Aishwarya's part that they keep joking they could play her role.

Ramu is relieved to be away from Mumbai. "Hyderabad is like coming home for me. I belong to Hyderabad though I am a total Mumbaiyite now. Some of my early films were made in Hyderabad. So life has come a full circle," he says from Ramajirao studiow where a set depicting the home of the Bachchans has been built.

"Sarkar 2 is far more original than Sarkar. It will have far less of Godfather 2 than Sarkar had of Godfather 1. Sarkar 2 isn't about the mafia. It's a family drama."

And then a whammer of a confession. "I haven't made a single original film till Sholay. Every scene shot and frame of my earlier films have been copied from some source or the other. It could be a novel, a Hollywood or an old Hindi film. If I haven't been caught out it's because people haven't been able to locate my sources. Sholay is my first original film."

Sholay, says the incorrigible Ramu, isn't an underworld film. "It's almost a throwback to the kitschy films of the 1970s, like Nasir Husain's Yaadon Ki Baraat or Chori Mera Kaam. It isn't a gangster film nor a dacoit drama. The original Sholay created an excitement by giving the audience one slammer of a scene after another. I hope to do the same."

Ramu feels Nishabd to be the senior AB's most accomplished performance to date. "I personally think Sarkar was a cakewalk in comparison. To carry off a subject matter like that isn't very easy. However making Nishabd was a mistake. When Cheeni Kum did a old man-young woman love story there was a tongue-in-cheek element to it. Nishabd was too dark. There was resistance against seeing the film."

He ponders, " Mr Bachchan in Nishabd was over-cast. It should've been done with sn actor with a much less strong image. When Victor Bannerjee fell in love with a much younger woman in Joggers Park it didn't matter whereas there was outrage about THE AMITABH BACHCHAN falling in love with his daughter's friend in Nishabd.

To me Nishabd was Mr Bachchan's most accomplished performance. But I'd rather use him in a film like Sarkar where one closeup had more impact than the whole of Nishabd."

In Sarkar 2 Ramu is showcasing the senior and junior Bachchan keeping their image in mind. "Only Aishwarya gets the privilege of revamping her image," Ramu shoots off.

Which actress has the best eyes?

They come in various shades and sizes. They can twinkle with mischief or shimmer with unshed tears.
They are, ladies and gents, eyes, the windows to the soul. And nowhere are these twin orbs more important than in the world of showbiz, where just a look can speak a thousand words.
Some of the best cinematic moments consist of unspoken glances, and haunting eyes.
And it seems our actresses are quite gifted in this department.
Which actress, do you think, has the best eyes?

Abhiash on Koffee With Karan

The current season of 'Koffee With Karan’ is coming to an end with a grand finale episode which will feature Bollywood’s currently most sought after couple Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan.

Karan Johar, who has been getting honest confessions out of his guests on his shows this season, is expected to have a frank, heart-to-heart conversation with the newly weds in which he will touch upon numerous subjects from their love affair to their marriage and Bollywood career.

It would be interesting to see who will win the rapidfire round, Ash or Abhi.

Although there is no confirmation, it is being speculated that Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan may also make an appearance in the second segment of the episode featuring Ash and Abhi.

Whatever the case, one thing that is sure is that Karan wants a grand finale. He plans to give away special Koffee awards to the Best guests of this season in various sections like best rapidfire contestant and best supporting guest.

Reports have it that he is roping in celebrities like Malaika Arora, Rahul Bose, Rohit Bal and Cyrus Broacha to be the jury for these awards.

The episode will be shot in the coming days and will be aired in August.

After wrapping Koffee with Karan, Karan will start working on his next movie, which, needless to say, will star his best buddy SRK again.

How Abhishek fell in love with Ash!!!

Abhishek Bachchan said his wife is uncomplicated and "always smiling," in a newspaper interview published Wednesday, describing how he met and fell in love with Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai.

Bachchan and Rai were married in April in what Indian media dubbed "The Wedding of the Century" — an extravagant affair that had photographers and cameramen camped for days outside their homes in suburban Mumbai.

The two became friends when they worked together on the 2000 movie "Dhai Akshar Prem Ke," but cupid didn't strike until they filmed "Dhoom 2" five years later, he told.

They were paired together again in Kuch Naa Kaho (2003) but it wasn't till Aishwarya and he jived together to the beats of Kajra Re in Bunty Aur Babli, right under the eyes of dad Amitabh Bachchan, that the sparks began to fly.

The romantic drama, Umrao Jaan, was supposed to be their big film together.

When it hit the floors Abhishek and Aishwarya had not started dating, but well before its release they were known, though not acknowledged, to be an item.

The film, though made with a lot of passion, failed to stir audiences and onscreen chemistry between the couple remained lackluster.

Dhoom 2 shortly followed Umrao Jaan. Though Abhishek was not paired opposite Aishwarya the two spent a lot of time together on the sets and that seems to have done it.

"We started dating in the latter half of the film as 'Dhoom 2' was shot for over a year-and-a-half," he said.

"There are so many things I love about Aishwarya. She's very human and unaffected and down-to-earth," Bachchan told The Times. "A simple little girl who is always smiling and that's very endearing."

But he said it was difficult to pinpoint when he fell in love.

"There was no defining moment as such," said Bachchan. "I cannot explain it in words."

Has life changed after marriage? Bachchan says Rai was pressuring him to change his diet.

"She tries to make me eat healthy food as she knows I have unhealthy habits," said Bachchan.