If you are sandwiched between South Indian matinee idol Rajnikanth on one side and his robotic clone on the other, chances of being noticed in a movie are slim to none. But Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 37, is unfazed — even if her role in the aforementioned film, Endhiran, is primarily dancing, singing and romancing the hero like a "typical Hindi heroine". During a telephone interview with the Bollywood royalty, we naturally led with the obvious: what made Ash agree to appear in the Tamil magnum opus, where she faces the danger of being reduced to a glorified prop?
Was it economics? After all, Endhiran, released in Hindi as Robot, is billed as India's costliest film with a budget crossing Rs1.6 billion (Dh130 million). Or was it nostalgia, since this film reunites her with director Shankar, with whom she worked in 1998's romantic drama Jeans? Or was it the prospect of acting alongside 60-year-old Rajnikanth — the long-enduring South Indian superstar whose popularity defies logic?
"It's not really about acting when it comes to Endhiran … in fact dare I say I play a typical Hindi heroine because this one is a commercial entertainer. It was prospect of working with Shankar and Rajni sir — both individually and as a team — that made it an exciting prospect. And let me tell you economics was never a deciding factor here. Budgets don't bother me," says Rai Bachchan.
Mix
Her 13-year career graph — dotted with an eclectic mix of epics [Devdas, Jodhaa Akbar], festival favourites [Choker Bali, Raincoat] and commercial gems [Dhoom 2, Khakhee] — is proof enough of that.
"Ten years into my career I did a Dhoom [2], which most heroines do in their first year of their career. From the beginning itself I was hoping to dispel myths that are associated with a leading lady. In fact, that is what I did when I chose Iruvar — a Tamil film — as my debut. With Iruvar, I wanted to say: ‘Look, I want be an actor and I am unwilling to be slotted into any conventional leading lady mould'."
2006 blockbuster Dhoom 2 saw the former Miss World play a bikini-sporting glam doll, while her debut film Iruvar (1997) — a political multi-ensemble drama helmed by Mohanlal — saw her play a dual role. By no definition was it a high-octane glamorous debut, unlike most Bollywood hopefuls who tend to make their showbiz splash in glittering Bollywood musicals before graduating to intense, dark dramas.
"That's exactly my point. I was a popular model and had a beauty pageant behind me before entering films. Many thought I would make an entry with a pretty role showcasing my dancing skills and looks. But all I wanted to do was learn and display my range as an actor. And remember, in my first year I began working on Josh, where I was willing to play the sister of Shah Rukh — the top star of Hindi films. Not many would have made that choice."
If the convoluted Bollywood dynamics need a translation, here is a quick heads-up. The moment an actress agrees to play a sibling to a top actor, it's considered career suicide — because it's unlikely she could be considered for a romantic role afterwards.
But Rai Bachchan proved to be one of the few actors who overturned these time-tested convictions. A year after the release of Josh in 1999, Shah Rukh Khan and Rai Bachchan played lovers in Mohabbatein — yet another blockbuster.
"I think I have tried to make statements in the first year itself and I can gladly say that my journey so far has been my story, my choices … Even with Endhiran it was my conviction that it will turn out to be this entertaining, spectacular film [that] made me jump aboard the project. And also, Shankar and Rajni sir have time and again told me that they would love to work with me. This was a long time coming."
The flop-proof Shankar-Rajnikanth duo had wanted her to be a part of their 2007 outing Sivaji and had courted her actively for many years.
"When they offered me Sivaji my schedule didn't permit me to give them dates. Later, their offer for Endhiran came to me when I had just finished wrapping up Jodhaa Akbar and Pink Panther. Also during that time, I had taken three to four months off after marriage because I wanted to settle into my new life and give time to my family. So for the first time in my career I was looking at a clean diary. And since Shankar was the most persistent, I knew I couldn't say no."
‘Adorable Rajni'
The prospect of watching an icon like Rajnikanth, with his signature moves — like twirling his sunglasses and mouthing bombastic dialogues with his index finger pointed skywards — was another draw.
"Rajni sir is just so adorable — his mannerisms and his signature moves are all his own. We have all been entertained by him for years. In fact, log onto the internet now and there are so many Rajnikanth-isms floating around. They are simply adorable," gushed Rai Bachchan. But she adds that Shankar has achieved the impossible of not basing his film entirely on this icon's signature moves.
"I have a feeling that Shankar has created something new with Rajni sir in this film. He has just not capitalised on his, Rajni sir's, fame. You may even see some new signature moves being created in Endhiran. All this makes me glad that I am a part of their spectacular, visionary project."
Turn to page 21 for tabloid!'s tribute to Rajnikanth.
Beauty-pageant touch
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan — who has featured twice in Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World list — is often criticised for her politically correct answers. Most of her responses bear a beauty-pageant touch. Short of espousing world peace, Rai Bachchan didn't disappoint us this time around either. If tabloid! were to judge her we would have crowned her with an "Eternal Miss World" tiara. Here are a few instances:When asked about her decade-plus reign in Bollywood: "I feel so blessed that I have directors who envision me in their narrative. It feels great knowing that I am not just a passable element but an intrinsic part of their narrative."
She signs off saying: "My best wishes to all your readers and I thank them for their support. It's their love that has inspired me to give my career my best."
Ash rubbishes rumours of ...
Turning into a fashion designer with Endhiran:"These are just rumours. But it's true that I have actively participated in the discussions with Manish Malhotra about the look I wanted to project. But it was all team work and believe me I was not acting like an individual who was on her own trip."
Allowing a Hollywood filmmaker to document her life in a reality-show style: "I get these requests every day. But at this point in time I have denied any such documentation."
Don't Miss it
Endhiran and Robot release in cinemas across the UAE Thursday.
