    
Arijit Bhattacharya (Aishzone)
Username: Aishzone
Registered: 2-2004
Posted From: 61.17.115.6
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 10:00 am: | |
Source : Headlines Today (TV News Channel) dated March 14, 2004
Calling her only India's premiere actor would be an understatement for Aishwarya Rai has truly extended her range to international cinema. Let's begin by asking Aishwarya, what it felt like working on Gurinder Chadha's multi continent, multi cultural Bride & Prejudice
Aishu grinned, "It was an absolute pleasure. That's an understatement simply because she is a wonderful person apart from the fact that she is a brilliant director and I think what she has attempted to do with this film, apart from the fact that she and Paul her husband have written this adaptation, which is wonderfully entertaining, yet emotional and I think it's very interesting how they have juxtaposed the script of the film (obviously inspired from Pride & Prejudice) and managed to evoke an incredible love story within the narrative. We all belong to Cinema broadly, but belonging to our own individual industries, we have probably distinctive styles, or approaches to our work, which could have made us seemingly look foreign to each other, but the workshop that she conducted at the prelude of the film was really really wonderful, enlightening, there was wonderful exchange of our approaches, of our manner, our addressing, our characters, the acting style and all in all I think the best part is at the end of it we all belong to one film and I think that's an incredible accomplishment."
Yeah and it's interesting how the films like these transcend boundaries and barriers, do you think it will help the diaspora engage with questions of identity, you know.. in the context of cultural globalization that's taking place?
"Well" Aishu reasoned, "it is definitely in the interest of that" Aishu chuckles "or definitely it 'll be deep down in my heart. It's definitely in the interest of this very objective."
Aishwarya, the Cannes film festival and your experiences, we all heard about it, we have talked about it, what is the one key thing you came back with after attending the festival and being a jury member?
"Growth" Aishu emphasized, "that's a definite positive trend and thereby my opportunity as a jury member for Cannes, for me was one such experience, I was looking to explore, to grow with and learn from as much as I gave to it in all sincerity, and I promise you I have come over here really really enriched and truly treasuring that experience. It was absolutely wonderful."
What about enriching experiences signing other Hollywood projects, with say Oscar winning actors like Meryl Streep? How are these experiences really added to the growth?
Aishu explained, "Working in an English movie for me.. and I think I have gone through the entire gamut of those questions, where people kept wondering aloud whether I was leaving this place and moving forth and I always drew the comparison to my making choices to work in Tamil films and Bengali films and Hindi films and likewise English films, is just another experience in my belonging to Cinema. It doesn't mean you are moving base or leaving one to go to the other. It's really just an opportunity, of course as an artist to explore a different kind of cinema, but at the same point in time, it would really make me extremely happy, if by doing so, I could strengthen the Indian identity on the global platform in the world of cinema."
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