December 10, 2004
PLAYING, ASH:
From Bollywood to Hollywood: Indian star Aishwarya Rai discusses feel-good Hindi cinema, the persistent Bond girl rumors and opening her new movie in the U.S. (Emily Flynn, Nov. 30, 2004, Newsweek)
In India Aishwarya Rai needs as little introduction as a Hindu goddess. Since being crowned “Miss World” in 1994, the emerald-eyed beauty has starred in over 30 blockbuster Bollywood movies, been the face of Pepsi and L’Oreal in India and last year became the first Indian actor to be a judge at the Cannes Film Festival. Now 31, Rai is the Hindi film industry’s highest paid star, the object of more than 17,000 Web sites and has been dubbed "the most beautiful woman in the world" by none other than Julia Roberts.Not content to rest on those laurels, the crowned Queen of Bollywood is set on expanding her kingdom. December sees the American release of Rai’s first English film “Bride and Prejudice,” an all-singing, sari-swirling Bollywood-inspired take on Jane Austen’s classic from “Bend it Like Beckham” creator Gurinder Chadha. Though British press panned the film last month for bastardizing Austen, Rai herself was credited with a charismatic performance. Rai’s Western credentials are growing fast: next year she’s starring alongside Meryl Streep in “Chaos” and Brendan Fraser in “Singularity.” NEWSWEEK’s Emily Flynn spoke to “Ash,” as she is known by her fans, by telephone from her studio in Mumbai about what it’s like to bring Bollywood to Hollywood. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: Over the past few years, Bollywood has been making inroads out West with Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Bollywood Dreams,” Indian films being nominated for Oscars and increasing international interest in celebrities like you. What does Bollywood offer that Hollywood doesn’t?
Aishwarya Rai: I’m not sure I’m an authority to make comparisons, but I definitely think the Hindi film industry offers wonderful, feel-good cinema. Movies like "Lagaan" [where Indian villagers beat the British at cricket] or "Devdas" [a tale of star-crossed lovers] and movies that have reached that kind of caliber have had the world audience reacting to their feel-good element and their focus on family values. When we were on the set, Martin [Henderson], my co-star in “Bride,” kept saying: “There’s just this innocence to the emotion of love in this movie, which makes it very pure.”
Lagaan is a great introduction to Bollywood. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 10, 2004 5:43 AM
I watched Lagaan on your recommendation a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed it. First, let's assume it's OK to fast-forward through the few (in Bollywood terms) musical interludes. What you are left with is a great sports movie, a great political metaphor, and a decent love story. To have made a great spots movie out of a cricket match is quite an achievement. The political angle deserves a closer look, as it shows why India must have a place in the Axis of Good. While a typical Hollywood paen would have pit the noble Indians aganist the vile British, this movie was far more balanced. Sure there is plenty of implied criticism of imperialism and chauvinism. But at the end, you can see what the Indian creators appreciate the British respect for the rule of law (rules), impartiality, and ability to produce individualistic, empathetic characters to confront those of them who are not. I feel modern India is proud to have assimilated this from the Empire, however other criticsm
Posted by: Moe from NC at December 10, 2004 7:29 AMLike Moe, we rented Lagaan a few months ago and found it to be a most enjoyable film experience. Although the musical interludes do not advance the story, they are very intertaining on their own. Caught my wife chair dancing a few times.
Posted by: Rick T. at December 10, 2004 9:16 AMBah. Rocky III is way better.
Posted by: Ali Choudhury at December 10, 2004 11:10 AM