Obamas shake a leg with school kids to celebrate Diwali

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle celebrated Diwali in style with school children in Mumbai on Sunday. What added to the joyfulness of the moment was US President joining his wife Michelle and school kids in dancing to the tunes of a Maharashtrian Koli song. The US first couple started their day at 9.50 am, when they arrived at Holy Name High School, located very close to the Taj Mahal Hotel – where he stayed overnight – to meet school children and celebrate Diwali with them. As per the Indian tradition, he lit the lamp and shook hands with children and patted them on their backs. Thereafter, students first performed a traditional dance with diyas (earthenware lamps). A visibly pleased Obama was seen smiling all through the dance performance. Michelle also could not hide her excitement and keenly watched the traditional dance form of India. After the dance with lamps, students danced on the tunes of a traditional Maharashtrian Koli (Fishermen) Song. Midway, some of the kids requested the Obamas to join them. At first the President turned down the invite politely even as Michelle got out of her seat in flash and joined the kids in dancing to the peppy tune.
Soon afterwards, the kids once again requested Obama to join in, he could not say no this time around and joined the kids on the dance floor amid applause from all those present in the small room where the function was being held. The students then showed Obama and his wife the traditional ‘rangoli’ made by them for the occasion. The visiting dignitaries were also requested to fill the Peacock design with coloured powder. The first couple of United States were then taken around a science exhibition, highlighting awareness about pollution and environment, followed by an interaction with 16 students, who participated in the exhibition, and a meeting with their parents and teachers. Last year, the US President had presided over a Diwali celebration at the White House. Following his engagements at the school, Obama headed straight to St Xavier`s College, where he is to address a gathering of select student from different city colleges and also take questions from the young minds. Connecting with real India The American President will also be interacting with farmers of Kanpura village of Ajmer in Rajasthan via video conference. He is said to be keen to understand how IT is revolutionising agriculture and governance in India’s villages.
Delhi calling The US President’s entourage will leave Mumbai at around 1.30 pm to arrive in Delhi at 3.35 pm at the Palam Air Base side of Indira Gandhi International Airport. In a special gesture, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur will be present at the tarmac to receive Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. Singh, 78, and Obama, 49, share a special chemistry and have praised each other on several occasions. Obama hosted the first state dinner of his presidency for Manmohan Singh in Washington on November 24 last year. The US President will then head to the Roosevelt House located inside the US embassy to meet Embassy staff and then visit Humayun’s Tomb. Later in the evening, the Obamas will be attending the private dinner being hosted by the Prime Minister at his official residence, 7 Race Course Road.

எனது சிறந்த நண்பன்

நாளை தனுரீசன் நின் பட்டம் ஆளைபு விழ. இந்த விழ புத்ரஜெயா வில் நடைபெறும். தனுரீசன் எனது சிறந்த நண்பன் அவன் மேலும் வெற்றிபேரே நான் கடவுளை வேன்ன்டிகொல்கிறேன்.

தீபாவளி 2010

தீபாவளி எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடிக்கும எல்லோரும் இந்த தீபாவளி வரவைப்போம்

DEEPAVALI COMING

HAPPY DEPAVALI FOR ALL HINDUS .WISH ALL IN GOOD WAYS HOPELY GOD BLESS ALL OF US OM JAI RAM

King Of Indian Film Rajinikanth

Rajinikanth (Tamil: ரஜினிகாந்த், born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, शिवाजीराव गायकवाड, on December 12, 1949) is an Indian film actor, producer, and prominent media personality. He is best known for his mass popularity and appeal, largely drawn from his mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue in films. He received India's third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 2000 for his contribution to Indian cinema. Other than acting and producing, Rajinikanth also worked as a screenwriter, and playback singer. Apart from his film career, he is a philanthropist, spiritualist, and serves as an influence in the politics of Tamil Nadu.
Rajinikanth made his debut as an actor in Apoorva Raagangal (1975), a Tamil film directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers as his mentor. He was later favoured in Tamil cinema for portraying antagonistic characters and gradually rose to acting in lead roles. Post-1978, he became known as the "superstar" of Tamil cinema and successfully held a matinee idol status among the mass media and popular culture of India. While acting in many Indian languages, he also appeared in films of other nations, including in those of the United States. After being paid a salary of 26 crores for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan.[1][2]
His most recent work was released on 1 October 2010, Enthiran directed by S. Shankar.


Rajinikanth was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Marathi-speaking family, mother Jijabai and father Ramoji Rao Gaekwad, on December 12, 1949 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.[3] He was the youngest among four children and has two elder brothers and a sister. After the death of his mother at the age of 5,[4] he struggled with an impoverished lifestyle during his childhood. During that time, he often did odd jobs as a coolie in his community.[5] He attended the Acharya Patasala for elementary education and had his higher education at the Ramakrishna Mission in Bangalore.
Between 1968 and 1973 he worked in many places in Chennai, thus moving continuously from Bangalore to Chennai. He performed various jobs before joining the then-Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) as a bus conductor. In 1973, he moved to Chennai to seek a career in acting and joined the Madras Film Institute with the help of his friend, Raj Bahadur, who was his co-worker in the BTS.[6][7]

Film career

Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute in 1973 and completed a basic course in acting. In the film institute he was helped by his vice principal, A. Prabhakaran.[8][9]
As of 2010, Rajinikanth has acted in over 150 films, including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, English, and Bengali films.[10] After the release of his first Bollywood film, Andha Kanoon, Rajinikanth did not make as much of an impact in the Mumbai-based industry as he had in the south. He still appeared in several Hindi films, such as Chaalbaaz, Uttar Dakshin, Giraftaar and Hum. He appeared in a supporting role in the American film, Bloodstone, co-produced by Ashok Amritraj in 1988, with much fanfare in India at the time of its release.[11] He also made brief stints in the German- and Japanese film industries. His film Muthu was dubbed into Japanese and later turned out to become a major hit in the country, ultimately creating Rajinikanth a huge Japanese fan-following.[12] In 2005, his film Chandramukhi was dubbed in German and released in all German-speaking nations.[13] Despite his first language being Marathi, Rajinikanth has not yet acted in any Marathi films for the reasons known best to him.

Negative roles: 1975-1977

Rajinikanth's first film was in Tamil cinema, where he was initially casted in supporting roles, debuting as a cancer patient in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. The film was directed by K. Balachander, who is constantly referred to by Rajinikanth as his own "guru" or mentor. The following year, Rajinikanth acted in his first Kannada film, Katha Sangama, directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Though Rajinikanth refers to director K. Balachander as his mentor, it was director S. P. Muthuraman who actually revamped Rajinikanth’s image entirely. Muthuraman first experimented with him in a positive role in Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977), as a villain in the first half of the film and a protagonist in the second.

Breakthrough: 1978-1991

Rajinikanth in the film Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979)
Around this time Mullum Malarum (1978), directed by J. Mahendran, established Rajinikanth in the Tamil film arena as a film hero. The success of Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri prompted Muthuraman to make a mushy melodrama with Rajinikanth as a hero sacrificing everything for his siblings in Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979). These films were the turning points in Rajinikanth’s career; he changed from an actor who merely enthralled the audiences to one who could also evoke emotions. The acceptance of Rajinikanth sans his stylized mannerisms proved he had at last become a "star" from a "common actor." His film roles were mainly as a villain during the period 1975 to 1977, co-starring frequently with Kamal Haasan as the protagonist, in movies like 16 Vayadhinilae, Moondru Mudichu and Avargal. In 1978, Rajinikanth acted in the film Bairavi, in which he was credited as "superstar."[14][15]
During this phase of his career, when he was reaching dazzling heights, Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but was coaxed back.[16] He continued acting with the blockbuster Tamil film Billa, which was a remake of the blockbuster bollywood movie Don. With its phenomenal success he was accepted as a full-fledged hero. Billa was followed by a row of hits, namely Murattu Kaalai, Pokkiri Raja, Thanikattu Raja, Naan Mahaan Alla, Pudukavithai, and Moondru Mugam. K. Balachander’s first home production, Netrikan proved to be yet another milestone in Rajni’s career. He acted in his first cameo role alongside Meena Durairaj, who was a child actor then, in the movie Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984).
More box-office hits dominated the 80's with Padikkathavan, Thee, Velaikaran, Dharmathin Thalaivan, Mr. Bharath, and Maaveeran all of which are remakes of Amitabh Bachchan movies.[17][18] In his 100th movie, Sri Raghavendra, he played the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami.

Peak years: 1992-1999

The majority of his movies released during the nineties were extremely successful, notably Thalapathy, Mannan, Annamalai, Uzhaippali, Veera, Badsha, Muthu,[19] Arunachalam and Padayappa. Rajinikanth wrote his first screenplay and made a special appearance in the film Valli (1993), which failed to make an impact at the box office. His cult classic Badsha, released in 1995, went on to become a massive blockbuster and is routinely touted by his fans and critics alike as the movie which elevated him from being just another very popular actor with loads of charisma to an almost demigod status in the eyes of the masses. His film Muthu was the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese as Muthu: The Dancing Maharajah and became very popular in Japan.[20][21] Throughout this decade, Rajinikanth established himself as a box office phenomenon. It can be argued that it was also during this time that Rajinikanth started to converge with politics; whether that confluence was voluntary or not is debatable, but as his films began to take on a whole new dimension in terms of expectations, hype and revenue, his political clout also steadily rose. This trend began with the release of Annamalai in 1992 and arguably climaxed during the time of Padayappa's release in 1999. His 150th film, Padayappa, directed by K. S. Ravikumar, was the largest blockbuster in his career before 2000.

Sabbaticals and political affairs: 2000-2003

The new millennium began very well for Rajinikanth; Padayappa had rewritten previous box office records. Finally, after more than a three year sabbatical from cinema, at 52 years of age, he starred in his home production, Baba, which released on August 15, 2002 amid much fanfare and hype. The film did poorly at the box office due to a very weak screenplay, which Rajinikanth himself had written, in his second stint at screenplay-writing after Valli. The thin screenplay revolved around the story about a gangster who later engages in spirituality; when compared to his previous film, Padayappa, it was a colossal disappointment. Although the film grossed enough to cover its budget, it was viewed as a tremendous loss when compared to his previous box office successes throughout his career. It fell short of market expectations and the high bids reportedly translated to heavy losses for the distributors. Rajinikanth himself repaid the losses incurred by the distributors.[22][23] Rajinikanth thereafter reported that he planned to quit acting to take part in social and political activities.

Return to success: 2005-2007

Rajinikanth, right, in Sivaji (2007).
After the Baba debacle, Rajinikanth mulled over numerous scripts with many directors, including K. S. Ravikumar, and finally chose to act in director P. Vasu's Tamil remake of Manichithrathazhu, Chandramukhi. Many people within the industry had written Rajinikanth off after the Baba fiasco, essentially saying "the bloom was off the rose" and that "the gold does not glitter anymore".[24] In essence, many viewed Chandramukhi as Rajinikanth's comeback film, his make or break movie and in the end, when it was released on April 14, 2005, it went on to create new box office records and smashed his own previous records and once and for all removed any doubt within the industry with regards to Rajinikanth's box office clout and incomparable appeal to the masses. Chandramukhi broke the record of being the longest running Tamil film, as of 2007.[25] Just after Chandramukhi's release, it was reported that AVM Productions were to produce a film directed by S. Shankar starring Rajinikanth, the largest collaboration yet for a Tamil film. The film was titled Sivaji and released on June 15, 2007 after two years of filming and meticulous production. With massive international anticipation, it subsequently went on to become a major blockbuster, being ranked among other major Bollywood and Hollywood releases of the year. Sivaji became the first Tamil movie to be charted as one of the top-ten best films of United Kingdom and South Africa box-offices upon releaseRajinikanth received a salary of 26 crores, approximately US$5.3 million at the time, for his role the film, which made him become the second highest paid actor in all of Asia

Kuselan and controversies: 2008

Following Sivaji, Rajinikanth worked with P. Vasu again for Kuselan, a remake of the Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol, in which Rajinikanth played a cameo role as himself, a star in the Indian film industry, and as a best friend to the main character. According to Rajinikanth, the film somewhat narrarates his early life. The film however performed poorly at box offices; some distributors incurred major losses due to the film, which Rajinikanth voluntarily settled with his own budget.[28][29]

Recent work: 2009-present

During the course of the production for Sivaji, Ocher Studios, the animation company of Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth, in association with Adlabs announced their intention of producing a CGI animation film starring an animated version of Rajinikanth.
In 2010, Rajinikanth appeared in Endhiran, a science fiction film directed by S. Shankar. Endhiran is reported to be the costliest Indian film ever made, with a budget of 162 crores (US $36 million).[30] The film released on October 1, 2010, and is said to have grossed 205 crores on its opening day alone.[31] It received generally positive reviews; on the review-aggregation website ReviewGang, the film scored 7.5 out of 10 based on 5 reviews.[32]
Rajinikanth will soon be lending his voice to the lead character in the animation film Sultan the Warrior, which is being directed by his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth.
A. R. Murugadoss had previously shown interest in directing Rajinikanth in his next feature film after Ghajini.[33] Rajinikanth has stated that he is interested in starring in Pyramid Saimira's next production, in order to compensate for Kuselan.[34] Rajinikanth announced that he will no longer be acting in "youth roles" after Endhiran and will begin to act in roles which will be closer to his real age.

Popularity

Rajinikanth is consistently touted as the most popular South Indian film actor of his time.in films, as well as his political statements and philanthropy. In 2007, Asiaweek magazine named Rajinikanth as one of the most influential persons in South Asia.[ It is also suggested by the media that some popular actors who worked with Rajinikanth earlier in their careers, such as Gouthami Tadimalla and Nayanthara, were recognized because of their association with Rajinikanth, giving other aspiring actors the urge to work with him.[ Some fellow actors, such as Cho Ramaswamy, have commentated that Rajinikanth has the potential to be successful in Indian politics due to his popularity and fan base alone.[38]
After the release of Muthu (1995), Rajinikanth became the only Indian actor to earn a Japanese fan base, opening a new market for Tamil films in the nation. Other films of Rajinikanth also released in Japan and garnered immense success, notably Baba (2002), Chandramukhi (2005), and Sivaji (2007).[39] During a visit to Japan in 2006, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged the success of Muthu in the country during a speech, justifying the positive relationship between the two nations.[40][41] Chandramukhi is notable for being the longest-running Tamil film in India, playing for a total of over 800 days. Sivaji was instrumental in making one of the largest releases for an Indian film in the world; the film entered the list of top ten films of the United Kingdom upon release. Chandramukhi and Sivaji were also released in South Africa, where they eventually became high box-office grossers.[42]
A survey conducted in 2008 by Loyola College in Chennai suggested that Rajinikanth's popularity was decreasing in Tamil Nadu. The survey saw late actors M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan, as well as Joseph Vijay, topping the list with Rajinikanth closely following them, though he was still ahead of other actor-turned-politicians, such as Vijayakanth. However, the low result was attributed to Kuselan, which released at the time of the survey with an unsuccessful outcome at box offices.[43]

Awards and honours

Rajinikanth received his first Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor in 1984 for Nallavanuku Nallavan. He later received Filmfare Award nominations for his performances in Muthu (1995) and Sivaji (2007).[44] Rajinikanth also received Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in the Best Actor category for his roles in Moondru Mugam (1982), Muthu (1995), Padayappa (1999), Chandramukhi (2005), and Sivaji (2007). He also received awards from Cinema Express and Filmfans Association for his on-screen performances and off-screen contributions in writing and producing.[45]
Rajinikanth received the Kalaimamani award in 1985 and the M. G. R. Award in 1989, both from the Government of Tamil Nadu. In 1995, the South Indian Film Artistes' Association presented him with the Kalaichelvam Award. He was named and honoured with the Padma Bhushan award, India's third highest civilian honour, in 2000 from the Government of India.[46] He was selected as the Indian Entertainer of the Year for 2007 by NDTV, competing against the likes of Shahrukh Khan.[47] The Government of Maharashtra honoured him with the Raj Kapoor Award the same year. He received the Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Award for Excellence in Indian Cinema at the 2010 ceremony of the Vijay Awards

Endhiran the best indian film ever

Like everyday, Chennai got up early on 01.10.10. But instead of heading to the Mylapore Kabaleeswara temple, it went to Kasi `temple' much before 5 am. Where Lord Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, also known as Rajinikanth, has been consecrated as the presiding deity. This is the `speed 1 tera Hz memory 1 zetta byte' modern-day avatar of the Super God, providing darshan to millions of those who love him, on 2000 screens worldwide. Carpet bombing now has three new names. Endhiran in Tamil, Robo in Telugu and `Robot' in Hindi. Like all of director Shankar's films, the scale and canvas of Endhiran is huge. Or calling it HUGE would be more apt. Rajini has worked overtime in Endhiran. He is the not just the hero of the film. As Chitti, the robot, Rajini also plays the comic part. And as Chitti, the reincarnated robot, he is also the villain of the film. The bad guy has hundreds of sidekicks, who are also Rajini. For fans who can never get enough of their Superhero, he is all over the screen, literally. Paisa vasool for diehard fans of the superstar. Those familiar with the dynamics of the Tamil film industry would say Rajini has out-Kamaled his closest screen rival Kamal Haasan, whose ten roles in Dasavatharam were a landmark. Ironically, for a film that is India's most futuristic till date, Shankar has turned the clock back by 35 years on the superstar. Rajini who started his career as the bad guy in the mid 70s, plays the antagonist to good effect. And just like in the past, he makes the bad guy look more interesting and stylish than the hero, who seems quite a wimp. Shankar loves gizmos and in Endhiran, he has been pampered excessively by Sun Pictures' Kalanithi Maran, for who sky (even without Spicejet !) is quite literally the limit. The quality of special effects used in the film, are the kind never seen before in Indian cinema and certainly raise the bar. The hard work put in by the crew, both actors and technicians, is visible in every frame. It is flawless, seamless and perfect. ``In this world, only two people are perfect,'' says Chitti the villain to Sana (Aishwarya Rai). "Me and you''. Both aren't. Chitti, corrupted by crook-scientist Bohra (Danny Dengzonpa), has to be eliminated and Aishwarya doesn't think twice before cheating in a medical exam, a la Munnabhai MBBS. It is Shankar who is attempting to be perfect. A film, where everything, from sets, animation, action to costumes, make-up and cinematography, aims to be perfect. The focus, like in all of Shankar's films, is on the opulence. The director, it would seem, wanted to prove that it can't get bigger than this for a Rajini movie. The real biggie of course is the 160 crore rupees budget, that makes Endhiran the costliest film made in India. And therein lies the problem. Shankar has sacrificed substance for form. The comedy fails to tickle beyond a few feeble laughs (the Amman scene is hilarious though), despite having an actor like Rajini, whose sense of comic timing is legendary. Having decided to invest in awesome special effects, he goes overboard with it. Like the scene with the mosquitoes, literally sucks. So much so that in the second half, you just want it to end now. The cacophony, mindless destruction of cars, ruthless killing, the Rajinis in the shape of a huge snake that cannot be vanquished, all in the name of a sci-fi movie fail to sustain interest. Excite it does initially, but then it becomes like a loud video game that refuses to pause. If the Tamil audience at Prasads multiplex in Hyderabad, where I watched the film, greeted every move and gesture of Rajini with claps and whistling in the first half, the second half evoked a robotic reaction. In the hugely mounted climax, we would have liked to see Rajini the actor emote. Instead, he is just another cog in the techno wheel, consumed by Shankar's desire to be India's Steven Spielberg. Chitti in the end, admits he is Aishwarya's toyfriend, not boyfriend. The problem with `Enthiran' is that it too is like a toy that has been overwound. But despite all its flaws,Endhiran is a very watchable film. Even if just for those five seconds of the typical Rajini walk in slow motion in the Kaadhal Anukkal number. It is amazing how a 60-year-old gets more of an ovation than the former Miss World. And the hard work Rajini has put into the film shows. He looks very good and carries the film entirely on his shoulders. I only wish his look in the lavishly shot `Kilimanjaro' song didn't remind one of how he looked in Baba. Since Baba was a black sheep in Rajini's magnificent CV. Do watch it for the special effects and for the scale of Shankar's vision. And of course Thalaivar. And Aishwarya looks gorgeous. All the others characters in the film are irrelevant, there only to fill up the empty space. But may I also suggest you carry cotton for the ears. You are quite likely to need it in the second half. P.S. Thalaivar, now that `Enthiran' is behind you, you owe films like Thalapathi and Badsha to your fans. Rajini, the actor, Vazhga !Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?Section=Movies&ID=ENTEN20100155102&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=regional&nid=56446&cp

Jayam Ravi

Ravi Mohan known professionally as Jayam Ravi (Tamil: ஜெயம் ரவி ; born 10 September 1980 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India) is an Indian Tamil film actor. Ravi is best known for his appearances in Jayam, M. Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi, Something Something ... Unnakum Ennakum, Santhosh Subramaniam and Thillalangadi, all of which are movies that have been directed by his brother, 'Jayam' Raja. The brothers' five joint ventures have been very successful.
Contents[hide]
1 Background
2 Film career
3 Filmography
4 References
5 External links
//
[edit] Background
Ravi was born to tamil parents editor Mohan and Varalakshmi Mohan. He has one brother, M. Raja, who is a Director. He also has a sister, Roja Mohan, who is a dentist. He completed his schooling at Jawahar Vidyalaya in Ashok Nagar, Chennai. He studied dancing with the bharatnatyam dancer Nalini Balakrishnan and performed his arangetram at the age of 12. After completing his degree in Visual Communications from Loyola College, Chennai, he decided to get into the acting industry. He has also undergone training in acting with Kishore Namit Kapur Institute in Mumbai.
He is a martial arts expert and a trained bharatanatyam dancer. He also learned martial arts for the character in his second film, M. Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi. Prior to acting, Ravi had been an assistant director to Suresh Krishna in the 2001 film Aalavandhan.
[edit] Film career
Remake Ravi made his acting debut in the 2003 Tamil film Jayam, produced by his father and directed by his brother M. Raja. The film, a remake of the 2002 Telugu blockbuster of the same name, became highly successful at the box office, running up to 200 days. Thanks to the enormous success of the film, the prefix "Jayam" was given to his name Ravi.
His next venture was M. Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi (2004), the remade version of the Telugu film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi, in which he starred alongside Asin Thottumkal. The film, considered a family entertainer, received the Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Film and fetched Ravi himself the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. Then came Daas (2004) which marked 100 days in theaters and termed as an average. Mazhai, a remake of the Telugu movie Varsham is also became an average. This was followed by Saran's Idhaya Thirudan; unlike his previous films, this film garnered negative reviews as well as very poor box office returns.
In 2006 he appeared in the film Something Something Unakkum Enakkum, which turned out to be a super mega hit, much like the original version. It made a huge mark on the Tamil film industry. Trisha Krishnan acted alongside Ravi in the film, (she was in the original version too). His next film Deepavali under director Ezhil's direction released February 2007. This film, which saw him pairing with Bhavana Balachandran, was good but not good as expected. It was an average movie.
In 2008 Ravi appeared in three films. In his first release Velli Thirai, he appeared in a cameo role, whilst his second release was the family-drama Santhosh Subramaniam, once again under his brother M. Raja's direction in a remake again. In the Tamil version of the 2006 Telugu film Bommarillu, in which he starred opposite Genelia D'Souza, he essayed the role of a young man, whose choices and wishes are continually subdued by his father's. The film won high accolades and went on to become one of the most successful films of the year, whilst Ravi received a Filmfare nomination for the Best Actor Award. Next he starred in the action thriller Dhaam Dhoom, directed by late cinematographer-director Jeeva, who died in the midst of the film's shooting in Russia. Completed by Jeeva's assistant Manikandan, his wife Aneez Tanveer and his guru P. C. Sreeram, Dhaam Dhoom released in mid 2008. Though the film had the biggest opening of Jayam Ravi's career, it turned out to be only a moderate hit. For his portrayal of a Gautham Subramaniyam, a man accused in a murder he did not commit, however, Ravi received rave reviews from critics.
In 2009, he starred in the action film Peranmai, directed by S. P. Jananathan, in which he enacted the role of Dhruvan, a tribal forest officer. His performance was widely appreciated and praised, whilst the film itself was lauded for its patriotic theme. Ravi also did something few Indian male stars have done, appearing in his opening scenes in the film near nude and proudly showing off his bare body.
Ravi's latest film is Thilalangadi, pairing up with his brother for the fifth time to appear in a remake of a Telugu film. In the Tamil version of the 2009 blockbuster film Kick, he has worked in this film with Shaam, Tamannaah for the first time and with veteran actor Prabhu for the second time after Something Something Unakkum Enakku

Aishwarya Rai and Rajinikanth Grace the Cover of 'South Side'

Endhiran, the Robot is a Tamil language action-packed science-fiction flick co-written and directed by S. Shankar, produced by first-time producer Kalanidhi Maran.
It took about two years to film Endhiran and it was shot at various locations, including Chennai, Goa, Pune and Mumbai. The romantic film also took the cast and crew to international destinations like Brazil, the United States and Peru where Ash and Rajinikanth shot a number in front of the historic site Machu Picchu.
Endhiran, the Robot tells the story of Dr. Vaseegaran, a scientist who specializes in robotics. In true Frankenstein fashion, Dr. Vaseegaran creates a robot that looks like a human. He names the robot Chitti and introduces it to other humans, which obviously leads to some very funny situations!
South Indian 'Superstar' Rajinikanth portrays both Dr. Vaseegaran and Chitti - he even takes on a third role! Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plays a woman named Sana, while Danny Denzongpa portrays Bohra. Other actors include Karunas, Santhanam and Kalabhavan Mani.
Endhiran, the Robot will come out in two different dubbed versions; Robo in Hindi and Robo in Telugu. Costing over $1 billion, the film is said to be one of the most expensive Asian movie ever made so hopefully fans will enjoy the movie when it hits theaters on September 24!
What do you think of Rajinikanth's and Ash's South Side cover; hot or not? Drop us a line.

About The Maharani Queen Of Bollywood Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Date of Birth1 November 1973, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

Birth NameAishwarya Krishnaraj Rai

NicknameAshGulluThe Queen of Bollywood

Height5′ 7″ (1.70 m)

Born into a traditional south Indian family, Aishwarya started modeling at a young age. This green-blue-eyed beauty appeared in advertisements for many prestigious firms; the ones that brought her into the limelight were the garden sari and the Pepsi ad. Crowned Miss India 1994 runner-up, she was a hot favorite in the run for miss world title, which she won, her beauty and charm made her India’s darling. Ash stormed into the Indian movie industry, where she has proven herself a brilliant & genuine actress. Her performance in Iruvar (1997) was critically acclaimed, and she won the Screen best female debutant award for her role in …Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya (1997). She was adored in movies like Taal, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, her item number in ‘Bunty & Bubbly’ had sent waves of rhythm across the nation. With her successful Bollywood movies & prestigious Hollywood projects lined up for release it is impossible to ignore this Indian diva in international scenes.
Mini Biography

Aishwarya was an architecture student before she entered modeling as her part-time job. She was best known for her Pepsi commercial with Mahima Chaudhry. With her green-grey eyes, she was already approached by big names in India’s film industry, where they offered her starring roles. She rejected the film offers since she aimed to be an architect. However, fate had other things in store for her after she was crowned Miss World 1994. Soon after her winning, again she received offers to star in movies. In Southern India, she was best known for her role as Madhumita/Veishnavi in Jeans (1998) and as Meenakshi in Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000). She won the Filmfare Award for best actress for her performance in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) as Ajay Devgan’s wife who is in love with another man. She also won rave reviews for her performance as a rape victim in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000).

Mini Biography

Aishwarya Rai (Ash) is one of Bollywood’s pre-eminent leading ladies. This Indian darling burst upon the world stage when her striking beauty, poise and commanding intelligence won her the Miss World crown in 1994. This former architecture major soon became one of India’s most famous models landing a prestigious Pepsi campaign and appearing in Vogue Magazine. India’s top Bollywood directors were soon lining up to work with Ash. Her film debut in Mani Rathnam’s ‘Iruvar’ (1997) received critical acclaim and her performance in Aur Paar Ho Gaya’ (1997) directed by Rahul Rawail garnered her the Best Female Debutante Award. In 2000 she was awarded Best Actress by FilmFare and Zee Cine for her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”, in that same year, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her special appearance in Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein (2000). In 2001 Ash was nominated for FilmFare’s Best Actress Award for Satish Kaushik’s “Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai”.
Ash’s star continued to rise in 2002 working again with Sajay Leela Bhansali in ‘Devdas’.

‘Devdas’ is the most ambitious and most successful film in Bollywood history. It became the first Bollywood picture to ever receive a special screening at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and broke box-office records in India and the United States.
2003 brought even more exciting opportunities. Ash became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the latest member of the elite L’Oreal Dream Team, joining beauties Catherine Deneuve & Andie MacDowell as their international ambassador. She graced the covers of India Today and the prestigious TIME Magazine. Time Magazine has also listed her on their list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World Today”. She has graced numerous covers worldwide including USA, UK, China, Russia, Israel, United Emerites, Italy, Spain and France. Ash was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine’s annual “Hot List”, Hello Magazine’s Most Attractive Women in the World”, Stuff Magazine, FHM magazine, V-Life from Variety Magazine, GQ Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Harper’s & Queen and countless others.
2004 saw Aishwarya take on the leading role in her first English language film for Gurinder Chadha in “Bride & Prejudice”. She also became the first Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London.
With over 17,000 websites dedicated to her, Ash finally launched her “Official Website” www.AishwaryaWorld.com
2005 started with appearances on “60 Minutes”, “David Letterman Show” and the most watched television program in the world the “Oprah Winfrey Show”. Aishwarya’s career continues to grow even stronger – she will soon be seen in Mistress of Spices for director Paul Berges, Jag Mundhra’s Provoked, Sanjay Gadhvi’s Dhoom 2 and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis’s The Last Legion opposite Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley. The Queen of Bollywood is already becoming the talk of tinseltown and is currently in negotiations on two major motion pictures.

SpouseAbhishek Bachchan (20 April 2007 – present)
Trade Mark
Her blue-green eyes
Trivia
Wanted to study medicine, but circumstances prevented her.
Miss World 1994.
Dated Salman Khan.
Was offered Rani Mukherjee’s role in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998).
Runner up, Miss India 1994
Ambassador (spokesperson) for Longines watches since 1999.
Daughter of Vrinda Rai
Sister of Aditya Rai
In April 2003, she suffered an accident on the sets of Khakee (2004) when a car driven by a stuntman got out of control, hit her, took her down a crevice, and slammed her into a cactus plant. She broke a bone in one foot and suffered severe cuts, and she was rushed to a hospital. The incident rekindled the discussion about poor safety standards on Bollywood film sets.
The first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival.
Has made over 50 music videos in only seven years.
Despite the fact that she is adorned with jewelry in her music videos and movies, she is apparently not too fond of it.
Is the highest paid actress in Bollywood.
Created a frenzy at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival when she arrived at the premiere of her film _Devdas (2002)_ in a coach and wearing a beautiful yellow-orange-embroidered sari.
Was originally cast in the role of Jwala in the film _The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005)_, but dropped out before filming started due to contract problems. The role was later given to Amisha Patel.
Loves collecting watches.
Made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade.
Was the Coca Cola Girl for the Middle East and south Asia.
Favorite subject in college was Zoology.
Has achieved iconic status all over South Asia.
Is featured in the 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
In a poll conducted by Hello magazine, she was voted the number-one attractive woman of 2003, beating actresses such as Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
In April 2003, L’Oréal signed her as its new international brand ambassador (spokesperson).
The first Bollywood star to appear in Rolling Stone magazine (Issue 932, October 2, 2003)
Gained 20 pounds for Bride & Prejudice (2004) because she didn’t want her character to look like a supermodel and also felt that it would add a sense of realism to the character.
Is a Bunt, like fellow actors Shilpa Shetty and Sunil Shetty. The Bunts are a South Indian community who mainly speak Tulu, which is Aishwarya’s mother tongue.
Turned down the lead in Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003). The role was given to Gracy Singh.
Turned down the role of Mastani in the film _Bajirao Mastani (2005)_.
The first movie star she ever met was Rekha. Aishwarya was still in high school at the time and was a model. While at a grocery store with her mother, Aishwarya was tapped on the shoulder by none other than Rekha herself. Rekha recognized Aishwarya from her modeling ads. She complimented the young Aishwarya on her good looks and wished her all the best.
Is fluent in the languages English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Urdu.
Receives at least two movie offers every day.
Was originally intended for the role of Priya in the film _Chalte Chalte (2003)_.
Aamir Khan and Aishwarya Rai are the only stars to advertise for both Coca Cola and Pepsi.
Before she was famous, she auditioned to do voice-dubbing for a television serial and was rejected.
Shahrukh Khan recommended her to play Kaurwaki in the film Asoka (2001). But the director wanted to cast someone who hadn’t already been paired with Shahrukh as a leading lady.
After winning the title of Miss World in 1994, the host of the event, Richard Steinmetz, actually asked Aishwarya out. But being a professional, she refused right away.
Sued the magazine Star and Style for a sum of Rs 20 million (2 crore) for printing an article claiming that actress Raveena Tandon had caught her and Akshay Kumar in a compromising position at the poolside of a five- star hotel.
During the filming of the song ‘Dola Re Dola’ from the movie _Devdas (2002)_, Aishwarya’s ears were bleeding because to the heavy earrings she had to wear, but she continued to perform anyway.
Is a trained classical dancer. She learnt classical dance and music for five years while in her teens.
Has a puppy named Sunshine, which was given to her as a gift by friend Vivek Oberoi.
Won the title of Miss Photogenic in the 1994 Miss World Pageant.
Has won over 100 awards since 1994 when she was 20.
Is good friends with actress Preity Zinta.
Has gained a cult following in Pakistan.
Was listed in Time magazine as one of 100 most influential people in the world (The 2004 TIME 100).
Ran the Olympic-torch relay in June 2004.
Turned down a role in San wa (2005) due to her touring schedule. The role was eventually given to Mallika Sherawat.
Has refused to work with Salman Khan after their break-up, in spite of several offers.
Has over 17,000 Web sites dedicated to her.
In 2004, Aishwarya became the first Bollywood and Indian actress to have her own statue at London’s Madame Tussauds museum.
On January 2nd, 2005, she became the first Indian actress to be interviewed on “60 Minutes” (1968).
Voted #9 in Harpers and Queen magazine’s list of the 100 most beautiful women of today. (Harpers and Queen, June 6, 2005)
A tulip produced in 2005 was named for her.
Member of the jury at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
When Oprah Winfrey saw Aishwarya’s interview on “60 Minutes” (1968), she was so fascinated by her that she got a hold of Ash and invited her to be a guest on her show. On April 25, 2005, Aishwarya became the first Indian and South Asian actress to be featured on _”Oprah Winfrey Show, The” (1986)_.
Turned down the role of Helen in the film Troy (2004).
Director Andy Tennant offered her a part in _Hitch (2005)_, but she turned it down because she was so busy with other films.
Turned down the role of Anna in Barsaat (2005).
In the summer of 2005, Mattel released limited-edition Barbie dolls inspired by Aishwarya and her costumes. They were released only in Britain and sold out within minutes. These dolls are now considered rare collectibles among fans.
Her favourite film is Casablanca.
Was voted number 12 on VH1’s 50 Sexiest Actresses of the Last 20 Years. (December 2005)
Roger Ebert has said he considers her the most beautiful actress in the world.
Was voted as E’s 7th sexiest celebrity in the world
The first actress from India to get signed on with the American Library Association and also have a poster made of her for schools and library’s all across America.
Was originally signed on to play the part of Simmi in Bluffmaster! (2005), but was replaced without any notice by Priyanka Chopra. Director Rohan Sippy then gave Aishwarya a “special thanks” in the end credits as an apology.
Turned down the part of Sandhya in _Saamna (2006)_.
When President George W. Bush visited India in March 2006, he invited Aishwarya, along with Aamir Khan, to a luncheon. Aishwarya could not attend because she was in Brazil at the time filming for Dhoom:2 (2006).
Was considered for the role of Priya in Krrish (2006).
Turned down the lead in Corporate (2006) because she didn’t have any dates available for filming. The role was given to Bipasha Basu.
In mid 2001, Aishwarya started work on two films titled Radheshyam Seetaram and Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke. For reasons unknown, filming stopped on these films in February 2002. Filming was never completed and the films have now been shelved. The only glimpse of the movies that exist for the public to see are photographs from the sets and publicity shots.
Performed to an audience of 85,000 in Melbourne, Australia at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games with 800 backup dancers. (March 2006)
Was cast with a small role in Lajja (2001), but was dropped because there were already too many major stars in the film.
When Karan Johar asked Aishwarya on his talk show which film she wishes she could have been a part of, she responded _Khamoshi: The Musical (1996)_.
Is the second Indian actress to appear on the cover of TIME magazine in 2003. The first was Parveen Babi in 1976.
Is very popular in many Arab countries.
Featured in People Magazine as one of the 100 Most Beautiful People in the World. (Issue May,8,2006)
Was considered for the role of Kalyani in Water (2005).
Got her education at Arya Vidya Mandir and DG Ruparel College, both in Bombay, India. She was also accepted into Raheja College of Architecture in Bombay, but never went.
Good friends with fellow Indian superstar and icon, Madhuri Dixit. The two worked together in the super-hit and widely acclaimed Devdas.
Listed as number 3 of ‘Top Bollywood Actresses’ of 2006. (rediff.com, 8-25- 2006)
Caused a day long traffic jam in Dubai, United Arab Emirates while filming a soap commercial. People would stop for hours just to catch a glimpse of their favorite actress. (September 5, 2006)
Listed #3 by UK magazine Eastern Eye one of “Asia’s Sexiest Women” (Sept/ 2006).
Is the most photographed woman in India.
She was the first choice for the role of Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), but she turned it down due to filming conflicts.
She secured 90% marks in HSC at Ruparel college in Mumbai.
her Pepsi ad with Aamir Khan was shot in one night during the infamous Bombay riots.
Has been in six movies with Abhishek Bachchan, more than with any other actor.
Came in #1 in BollySpice.com Magazine’s list of “Top 10 Actresses of 2006″.
Turned down the part of Malvika Talwar in Baabul (2006).
In January 2007, she announced that she has accepted a marriage proposal from current boyfriend, actor Abhishek Bachchan.
Is often referred to as “the most beautiful woman in the world”.
In 2005, Hugh M. Hefner attempted to create and Indian version of Playboy for India, which would feature South Asian women and Indian pop culture articles, but no nudity. He wanted to have Aishwarya on the cover of the first issue. The magazine was rejected.
Twice turned down the lead in the Hindi version of Chandramukhi (2005).
Was invited in 2005 to be a presenter at The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) (TV), but was unable to attend because she was busy filming for The Mistress of Spices (2005).
Is active in various charities and often visits orphanages.
Her favorite Western designer is Giorgio Armani. Whenever she is in London, clothes are taken to her hotel for her to choose from.
Is the second of five Indian women to win the Miss World title. The first was Reita Faria, who won in 1966. Others include Diana Hayden who won in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999, and Priyanka Chopra in 2000.
Ranked #30 in TIME magazines issue of ‘100 Most Influential People of the Year’. This is her second time making the list, her first being in 2004. (The Time 100, 2007).
Has appeared on more magazine covers worldwide than any other Bollywood or Indian star.
Director Brett Ratner is a fan of Aishwarya’s and he wanted her to be cast in Rush Hour 3 (2007), but she turned down the offer.
Was considered for the part of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale (2006).
Her wax statue at Madame Tussauds Museum in London was borrowed by the museum in New York for six weeks. The statue was flown to New York and made its debut on August 15, 2007, making her the first Indian actress in the American version of the museum.
About 15 kilos of henna was special ordered from Sojat in Rajasthan for the henna ceremony before her wedding.
Her wedding invitations were embossed with two entwined As and delivered along with a box of chocolate meringues. Within the invitation was also a poem about new beginnings written by Amitabh Bachchan’s father and renowned poet Harivash Rai Bachchan.
Her wedding ceremony lasted a total of three days. It was the most awaited and talked about wedding in years and the press followed it like Princess Diana’s wedding.
For her 34th birthday, she went to go see Beyonce Knowles in concert in Mumbai.
Personal Quotes
I’m just average woman with average concerns.
Life will take its toll on all of us. We get injured, we get old. It’s really sad to try to run away from these harsh realities of life. Looks are not everything. I am not going to look beautiful all the time.
You give to the world your greatest gift when you’re being yourself.
I believe that as an actress all my fears and phobias exist till I sign on the dotted line for a film.
I don’t believe in proving a point to anybody. Nobody is that important.
It’s strange that Rakesh Roshan thinks I look older than Hrithik. In fact, he’s approached me for all his home productions.
I always knew I would be successful. So there was no element of surprise.
I know for a fact that if there’s a role which I am suited for, I’ll be signed on. I’ll never go begging.
“I only entered Miss India after pressure from friends and because I thought it would be a laugh”.
Comedy is difficult for an actor. But I think I have a good sense of humor and manage to make people laugh and make them happy.
On donating her eyes after death – “People know me more because of my eyes. So, I decided to donate my eyes. But before that, I acquired all the information about the campaign. Within what time after death one has to donate eyes, and all other information. Only then I decided to donate my eyes. It’s not that just for doing something, I donated my eyes. I found that useful so I did it. I like to do social service from my heart. Whatever is possible I do, but I don’t speak of that. But I would like to give more time to it in the near future.”
Women in the industry have been exploited very often, but there are some actors who belive that the short cut to stardom is through nudity or exposure. Such success is, in fact, very short-lived.
I have never done a kissing scene nor do I have intentions to.
About her film Chaos (2006): When this came to be early this year, I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to work with Meryl Streep, someone I’ve always admired. In all my interviews 10 years ago people used to ask who is your favourite actor and actress and I would mention Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep. On my first trip there I met up with de Niro and my first film is with Meryl Streep, and I said, ‘Oh God that’s really, really cool. Really wonderful.
Ever since I went to the Cannes festival, the media overseas really encouraged me to consider the possibilities of working in the West. Then I got a call from some people who worked in the business in America, who asked me to first obviously get an agent so that they could have direct access because that’s the way they work.
About turning down the role opposite Jackie Chan in the movie _Time Breaker (2004)_, “I did not have the required dates as I was busy with the shows abroad. I had to turn down the film. I have no regrets because there is always a next time.”
Indian cinema has begun to be recognized globally. And it’s very important for us to make our presence felt at important events such as Cannes. I feel there should be more Indian representation at festivals. India is producing such a large cross section of films. We need to be part of world cinema, and we need to do that now.
Someone asked me why I’m politically correct, even when people hit out so openly at me. But the truth is, I’ve never been brought up to behave any other way. I can’t say anything hurtful about anyone. I just don’t believe in saying mean things. I won’t feel good doing that. It’s strange why being well behaved is perceived as being too ‘propah’ and staid. This is the way I am. I’m amazed how many people feel good hitting out at me. They’re welcome to do it. Earlier, they had more leeway to deny their indiscretions in print. But now on television they look pretty ridiculous denying what they say.
About the sari on the Oprah show: “I thought I’d wear one on the show, and packed two of them, in case Oprah wanted to wear one too. As luck would have it, my flight was delayed and I reached minutes before the show went on air! So I had no time to change, which is a pity. Americans love the garment but have no clue how it’s tied. Oprah is very respectful and appreciative of all cultures. She was very curious about the sari and I helped her put it on, on air! She has sent me an autographed picture saying, ‘Next time we change the blouse.’ She was very sweet.” (Rediff, May 18, 2005)
About being on the Oprah show: “Yes, I was extremely happy to be on her show. I absolutely admire her. I never thought I’d actually be meeting her — and that too, on her show! It’s so strange. But prior to our meeting, during my visit to the US for the premiere of Bride & Prejudice, I had some afternoons off and I watched Oprah. I thought how wonderful it would be to be on her show. And within a month, I was!” (Rediff, May 18, 2005)
“I am not comfortable about kissing or nudity. I am clear about what I want. I’ll work only with good directors who’ll offer me two-dimensional roles. The director and the role are most important.” (Movie Mag International, September 2004)
About her long career in entertainment: “This is my tenth year now, so things have changed within this span of time – so drastically that when I look at the work done when I just joined, it’s like, “Oh my God!” So much has changed in these ten years. You get to see how you’re part of the process of change within the Indian film industry. That’s all positive, that’s all a good sign.” (Forbes Magazine, August 25th 2005)
Her advice to aspiring professionals: “My biggest concern is always the students who are working toward a certain career – when they limit themselves to just that one option. They need to know that the world is huge – it’s an ocean, and there are so many options. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t get to pursue an apparent childhood dream. That’s really important, because you find a lot of kids who believe that they want to become a doctor or an aeronautical engineer or something, and if they don’t manage to make their degree, that’s the end. They feel so defeated, which is very disheartening. It’s sad to know that people let themselves be limited by these aspirations.” (Forbes Magazine, August 25th 2005)
It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
Life is a stage, and we are all characters. So play your part and play it well!
On why she participated in the Miss World Pageant in 1994: “For me, it went beyond being a beauty queen. For me, it was about being the 20-year-old girl from India on international platform and a lot of people actually would assume that I wasn’t even educated in India because of the way I’d speak. And they’d be like, ‘Have you studied in India? Do you actually speak English out there?’ and, I was like, ‘This is so interesting that so many people know so little about my country.’ and this is exactly what I wanted to do when I set out on this little mission in my head.” (Jan 2005, 60 Minutes Interview)
“Good films are good films regardless of being made in India or abroad. I believe a great story transcends cultural lines and language barriers.” (American Way Magazine, 3-15-06)
I choose films with characters that I feel are relative to a woman’s growth for me. In The Last Legion, I play a warrior. This was a first for me and it was a fantastic experience. I would like very much to do more action films. As for the right direction, I make my choices and always move forward one step at a time. (4-26- 06)
On her character in _Mistress of Spices (2005)_: “I have related to each character I have performed thus far, including Tilo. I am very sensitive to moods and one’s inward feelings and emotions. I am a true people person and people watcher. I look forward to meeting interesting people and understanding their experiences in life.” (4-26-06)
On her character in Dhoom:2 (2006): “It’s the kind of character I have never essayed before. Sunehiri, my character in the film, is distinctly different from any other character you have seen me play. That’s what makes her exciting to me. For the first time in my life I went through a bit of a fitness regime. Contrary to popular belief, right since modeling, to the (Miss World) title, to films, I have never been a fitness freak or exercised.” (October 2006)
About director _J.P. Dutta_: “J P Dutta is a committed taskmaster. I have danced to songs before. But he always added to choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant’s steps, and that was quite challenging. He would shoot an entire mukhda in one shot. To do all the songs at that level required remaining focused at all times. In that moment, I felt I became Umrao Jaan. It was interesting to deliver a performance that shows her passionate but tragic story. The film is also reflective of the art that was at its zenith in that era. The sex trade was called the performing arts then and not prostitution.” (October 2006)
On Umrao Jaan (2006) being her first Urdu language film: “Since our generation speaks English, we are not very fluent in Hindi, leave alone Urdu. I loved those dialogs and the experience to work and know about that era. For me, it was a study of Urdu on the sets under the guidance of JP and Javed saab.”
About Rekha: “Rekha is very inspiring. It is not necessarily relative to just one performance, but her entire career, the span of characters that she has essayed, the performances that she has delivered itself is extremely inspiring. I am inspired by her performance. But I cannot ape her.” (October 2006)
On her role in Umrao Jaan (2006) :”Playing Umrao Jaan was a demanding emotional journey. When a story takes that course, it is following an entire arc; it goes through all the possible emotions. The process was satisfying, inspiring and challenging. It forced me to deliver the best in every moment.” (October 2006)
On being compared to Rekha in the original version of Umrao Jaan (1981): “For me, as an actor, it’s a special experience to get the opportunity to play Umrao Jaan who has been already iconised on our celluloid. When I played Paro in Devdas, I went through the same area of questioning about how my role will be compared with the ones played earlier.” (rediff.com,October 2006)
“My reason for choosing a film is not to impress people. I don’t choose films for the box office.” (November 2006)
“The audiences feel I am part of their life so they worry about me. I think that is very sweet of them and I tell them that when I will marry I will announce it. When I get married, you’ll know. I believe in marriage and it is a beautiful institution.” (November 2006)
“It is a very tricky situation when you get the chance to work in English films. I do films based on characters, not to get an entry into Hollywood or whatever. In English, my Bride & Prejudice did well world over. I don’t know how it did in Hindi, but I know Jurassic Park too didn’t do well in Hindi. I was glad audiences worldwide liked an English film that was Indian. When I did Mistress of Spices, I did it for Paul [Mayeda Berges, the director and husband of Gurinder Chadha] as a team. The film found its audiences. When the Provoked script came to me, I felt it was a very important story of an Indian woman based in London who killed her husband because of marital abuse. Kiranjit Ahluwalia made a big impression in England, and so I did this film because I felt it was an important story to be told. Provoked is an important film for many other Kirans in the world.” (November 2006)
As far as The Last Legion (2007) is concerned, it is a film based on a book [A novel by Valerio Manfredi]. I don’t think the character of Meera [her role] is there in the book. I did the film for the new experience and it is for the first time that I was with a complete foreign crew. Working with Ben Kingsley was a great experience. Meera is an Indian in the film and she has great roots and you will identify with her strength. I feel for Indian audiences, and want them to feel pride in what I am doing: I am not doing films just to be there as guest appearances.
On celebrating her 33rd birthday: “I am just not the birthday bash kind. My day will start with a visit to the Siddhivinayak temple with my family, something I do every year. There will be no loud parties… my birthday is a very private affair. Concidering I have to leave for Dubai tomorrow, it will be over early too. Only family and friends will be there.” (November 1, 2006)
On the rumors that her black eye was the result of abuse by Salman Khan: “For some perverse reason, no one wants to believe me, that I fell down the stairs. First the media calls me the woman of the millennium, a woman of substance. Then how can the same media make me out to be such a doormat? I’m a self-respecting woman, I don’t take nonsense from anyone. No one tries caveman tactics on me. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger can fall and get hurt, so why should I be any different?”
I have never deliberately driven attention to the fact that I am working in Hollywood films. I have categorically stated that I am working in different kinds of films, be it British, Hindi, Tamil or Bengali. It’s all about doing films, which are my passion.
On meeting producer Harvey Weinstein for the first time at the 2005 Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People: “He is a big fan of Indian films. He has seen Devdas (2002/I), and said he respected my work. It’s a big compliment coming from somebody who has such an immense body of work and yet is so humble from him? He discussed a few ideas and scripts with me. He is starting his own company. We are discussing projects. Time will tell all.”
On attending the dinner for Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2005: “I am surprised at my life’s turn of events. Six of us were asked to raise the toast for the evening. And I raised it for my parents and for my fans, without whom I wouldn’t have reached where I am today. Nicole Kidman had to rush out for some premiere, but she said that she and her son loved Bride and Prejudice and I told her how I loved all her performances. Sean Penn told me that I spoke well and I told him that I’ve always been his fan!”
Upon hearing that Julia Roberts had said that Aishwarya was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen: “That was embarrassing; at first I didn’t believe she said that. I thought it was a rumor started by a journalist. But it’s sweet. She’s an incredible actor and she seems like a wonderful person, so all you can do is say, Thank you.” (April 2007)
“I am not comfortable about kissing or nudity. I’ve never said I’d never kiss, or whatever on screen. I’ve always maintained I’d cross that bridge when I come to it. Again, I’m accused of playing it safe. The truth is, I don’t know what tomorrow holds. So I can’t make a close ended principle about it.” (2007)
Her thoughts on modern women versus the queens of the era of Jodhaa Akbar (2008): I consider myself lucky to be born in today’s era where a woman has far more freedom to exercise her rights. It took them ages to get ready for one appearance, and imagine staying behind curtains