Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has returned the token signing amount she had taken for Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine and has sent a legal notice to the producers not to use any material from the film shoot she had done for perpetuity on any platform. And she is upset that her name is still being dragged into every story on the film or otherwise for publicity.
To quote the actor’s spokesperson, “Certain section of the media have recently carried stories about Aishwarya being miffed because Kareena (Kapoor) has stepped into the film after Aishwarya backed out. When did this become backed out! We would like to put on record for the final time that the necessary dates were given by my client as per schedule. But the producers and the director put a halt to the shooting, leaving the situation “blurred” and “vague” for a while about whether the film had been “stalled”, “delayed until resumed” or “shut down”. This is far from the truth because as everyone is aware of what, she was removed due to a implied prejudice after they learnt about her pregnancy.”
The spokesperson insists that such rumours should be ignored and no one has the right to speak on behalf of Aishwarya on her reaction: “We have put an end to this chapter and would like to request the media not to drag my client’s name in this regard in future.” Credit Hindustan Times
Aishwarya may have lost Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Heroine' due to her pregnancy but it is certainly not stopping her from doing other lucrative assignments.
The Bachchan bahu is in her sixth month of pregnancy and totally enjoying her pre motherhood phase along with wrapping up her previous professional commitments.
The actress was recently spotted in Bangkok for the shooting of her new Lux ad. Ash looked absolutely stunning in her off-shoulder peach-coloured gown designed by Manish Malhotra. She was glowing and full of energy and excitement.
The mommy-to-be reached the sets on time and was extremely professional. After seeing Ash on the sets everyone was stunned by her glowing face.
Soon after the shoot, she flew over to London with husband Abhishek Bachchan.
When it comes to matters related to wedding, Aishwarya Rai is very much like any other emotional Indian woman, Zee News reports. She might be a proud endorser of countless international brands but at the end of the day, Ash is typically Indian at heart.
So what if she walks the Cannes red carpet in designer western gowns, our very own Bachchan bahu will never do what Princess Catherine aka Kate Middleton did recently! The newly crowned Duchess of Cambridge had happily put her iconic wedding gown on display at an exhibition at the Buckingham Palace. But soon ‘mom-to-be’ Aishwarya will never exhibit her wedding attire in public. Talking to a daily, a source close to the actress said, “While most brides want designers to make their wedding outfits, Ash and her mom chose her wedding saree from a non-designer store. daily times monitor
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has requested that officials postpone an event held in her honour in the wake of the Mumbai bomb blasts.
Bachchan was to be awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, which recognises contribution to the arts.
According to IANS, Bachchan said: "We are very shocked and saddened by this incident. Our prayers are with the people affected.
"It is important for us Indians to stand strong and tell the perpetrators of terrorism that they cannot shake us. We believe that justice will be done.
"We pray for the victims and their families. And keeping in mind what's happened, we didn't deem it prudent to celebrate. My family and I felt it would be prudent to request that the ceremony be postponed, and we thank the French government for understanding our sentiments in the current situation."
French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont said: "The terrible series of blasts has shocked all of us. It seems the time is not right. I pay my condolence and want the Indian people to know that the government of France is with them."
Madhur Bhandarkar has accused Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan of holding back details of her pregnancy.
The director was forced to halt filming on Heroine after her pregnancy was announced on Twitter by her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan.
Writing on his blog, Bhandarkar said: "The truth was hidden from us. We learnt about the entire thing from news channels like the rest of the world that the said actress was four months pregnant and she was due in November.
"Film making in Mumbai film industry is not a mere business but one big fraternity who functions on total faith and trust."
Bhandarkar admitted that he is devastated about the scrapped project, which was reportedly inspired by the life stories of old Hollywood heroines.
Bhandarkar revealed that he felt he had no choice but to end the shoot, which was still in the early stages.
"Cinema is a visual medium and keeping in mind the physical state of the actress, the total interpretation of the character of a diva and the story would land up in major jeopardy post 65 days of her pregnancy," he wrote in his blog.
The pregnancy has led to rumours about producers wanting to put in "no pregnancy" clauses in contracts with their stars in order to avoid filming delays and cancellations.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's pregnancy is reportedly making more filmmakers consider "no pregnancy" clauses in their contracts.The actress's announcement has meant that the shooting of Heroine is indefinitely on hold.
Murder 2 producer Mahesh Bhatt told Mumbai Mirror: "When the leading lady has to provide the glamour quotient and she [then becomes] another entity completely in the eyes of the consumer - from a desirable diva to a new mother - [it] serves as a body blow to producers."
However, Bhatt and fellow producers Ekta Kapoor and Vipul Shah argued that such a clause is not enforceable, saying that it should remain an "unspoken" agreement.
It was rumoured that the "dark" subject matter of the film may have made shooting it too stressful for the pregnant star, while speculation has also centred on whether she would be able to act out key scenes.The pregnancy was revealed last week by her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, who tweeted fans with the news.
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s fans are likely to get disappointed as buzz is in the air that he may not perform at the IIFA Awards, due to his knee problem.
Fans are eagerly waiting for the superstar who was supposed to perform at the stage of the prestigious IIFA Awards after 7 years.
Shah Rukh Khan has posted a tweet stating that he is in hospital getting his knee tapped up. He is feeling awful as he is not fully fit for performing at the IIFA.
But he also told his fans that he will try and give his best. He had attended the IIFA Weekend twice in the past—in Singapore in 2004 and in Amsterdam in 2005.
King Khan had performed last at the Singapore show. The superstar has been nominated as the best actor for his character of Rizwan in My Name Is Khan who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome.
On the other hand, news is that Aishwarya Rai Bachhan is also not performing in the upcoming awards due to her pregnancy. Ash and Abhishek will not attend the grand award ceremony that is scheduled to take place from 23rd to 25th June at Toronto.
Raveena Tandon has revealed that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has wanted children for a long time.
News broke that the former Miss World and her husband Abhishek Bachchan are expecting a child when the couple were congratulated by his father Amitabh in a tweet.
Tandon tweeted from her own account: "I remember, she and me together on flights, going for concerts, chatting, long hrs (sic) away, then too she dreamed of a happy settled family life."
She added that Rai Bachchan is "a strong [Scorpio] lady" and has "moulded" her life as she wants.
Tandon recently returned to cinema, starring opposite Amitabh in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap.
He recently complemented the 36-year old actress on her first Bollywood role in five years, describing her as having the same "gusto" as earlier in her career.
It was recently reported that Rai Bachchan will continue shooting on Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine throughout her pregnancy.
Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan is pregnant with her first child in her marriage to fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan, it has been revealed.Amitabh Bachchan, her father-in-law, delivered the news to followers on Twitter, dispelling months of rumours.
He tweeted: "T 410 -NEWS NEWS NEWS !! I AM GOING TO BECOME A GRANDFATHER .. AISHWARYA EXPECTING .. SO HAPPY AND THRILLED !!!"
The couple have been married for four years, but have persistently batted away rumours that they are planning to start a family.
The 37-year old actress described her husband as potentially a "good father" in 2009, because of his role playing the parent of his own dad Amitabh in their film Paa.
Amitabh last year criticised the media for its speculation that his daughter-in-law and son were unable to conceive despite reportedly stalling her career in preparation.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has made an appearance at the 162nd edition of the Prix De Diane in Chantilly. The actor arrived on the French horse racing course in a carriage wearing a peach dress from the Elie Saab Spring 2011 collection.Priya Tanna, who is editor of Vogue India, said of the actor's appearance: "Aishwarya has a classic, elegant style that never overwhelms her personality. She wears clothes, not the other way around. Her sartorial choices are rarely off the mark.
"Her Elie Saab dress at the Prix De Diane perfectly compliments that famed porcelain skin and exemplifies her feminine aesthetic."Rai Bachchan was seen at Cannes wearing an outfit from the same designer. 2011 marked her tenth appearance at the French film festival.She has reportedly reduced her fee for her next project Heroine and will instead take a share of the profits from the movie.
Ex-couple Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were the most searched celebrities online in the month of May, according to a recent survey.
Salman’s latest film, Ready, was named the most popular movie of the month. He’s also been in the news for his charity work.. He is followed by Shahid Kapoor at number two, Shah Rukh Khan at three, Akshay Kumar at four and Aamir Khan at five. The survey pegged Rai as number one after the announcement of her film Heroine at the Cannes Film Festival. Next in line is Katrina Kaif, followed by Kareena Kapoor. Rounding off the list are Sonam Kapoor at number four, and Zarine Khan at five.
MUMBAI: While the former beauty queen and B-town actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been confirmed as the female lead for Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Heroine’, the hunt for a younger lead actor is still on.
The buzz has it that the movie requires two male actors, and while Arjun Rampal has been signed for the main male lead, Bhandarkar is still confused over whom to cast as the other man in Ash’s life.
Running among the top contenders for the role of the man who uses the leading lady as a ladder to establish himself are: Ranbir Kapoor, Imran Khan, and Prateik Babbar.
The Times of India quoted a close source as saying, “Ash has a very interesting track with a young actor who falls in love with her. There are also a few romantic scenes between the actor and Ash. It's a role that's being battled for between the three actors.”
"The decision is yet to be made but it will be one of these three guys. Madhur is still in the process of casting and will be making his decision in the coming weeks,” the source told the daily.
She may have been hogging limelight for her red carpet appearances abroad, but in reality Aishwarya would be facing the cameras after a gap of eight months as she starts shooting for ‘Heroine’ from June 7.
She had faced the arc lights during the shooting of ‘Guzaarish’ in September last year and after that she has been on a break from films.
Reports claim that she has been spending a lot of quality time with her husband Abhishek Bachchan and visits to the international film festivals.
Scuttlebutt has it that Bhandarkar’s ‘Heroine’ is Aishwarya’s story as certain instances in the film have been inspired by her own journey to fame.
While talking about the movie during the Cannes film festival, the ace filmmaker said, “The film is not about Elizabeth Taylor or Marilyn Monroe, but it is a film based on an actresses’ journey to fame, along with the experiences she gathers and the people she meets.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has cut her fee for new Hindi film project Heroine.
The actress, who launched the Madhur Bhandarkar venture at the Cannes Film Festival, will instead take a share of the profits, Mumbai Mirror reports.
A source revealed to the tabloid: "Every actor including Aishwarya Rai, Arjun Rampal and even Madhur Bhandarkar himself have slashed their fee."
Bhandarkar's earlier films Page 3 and Fashion received critical acclaim for the work of female lead actors Kangna Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra and Konkona Sen Sharma.
"It's a sensible business decision. Ash and Arjun will be sharing the profits of the film. They are confident of Heroine's prospects at the box office," added the source.
Rai Bachchan recently made her tenth appearance at Cannes.
The actor accepted the controversial role after Kareena Kapoor unexpectedly withdrew from the production.
Aishwarya Rai is reported to have accepted the title role in Heroine, which Kareena Kapoor had earlier turned down.
The Guzaarish star is expected to officially confirm her collaboration with Madhur Bhandarkar at the Cannes Film Festival, reports PTI.
A source for the news agency revealed: "Aishwarya has agreed to be part of the project. Madhur and Aishwarya both will make the final announcement of this project at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13."
Kareena Kapoor had earlier been linked to the film from director Bhandarkar, but later turned down the part.
Speaking of the casting change, the source added: "The main story of Heroine by and large remains the same, though little changes have been made in the script."
2011 marks Rai's tenth appearance at the annual film festival.
Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan has praised fellow L'Oreal spokeswomen Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto for their appearances at Cannes this year.
The actress will be marking ten years as the Indian ambassador for the make-up brand, The Times of India reports.
Speaking to the paper, she said: "I am happy that with Sonam and Freida, both beautiful women, being invited to the festival this year, India will have a stronger presence, which is a clear sign of the growing importance of the country."
Kapoor was reportedly asked to replace 37-year old Rai-Bachchan in 2009 after the latter was considered to old to connect with younger L'Oreal consumers.
At the time, she praised Rai-Bachchan's career and said that she would be happy to achieve a "tenth" of the same success.
Slumdog Millionaire's Pinto was also asked to represent the brand in 2009, after achieving fame in the Danny Boyle film.
It will be an "Indian flavour" again at the prestigious Cannes Film festival this year with former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan representing the country for the tenth consecutive year.
Aishwarya, along with Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor and the Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto, will light up the Red Carpet for L'Oreal Paris at the Cannes Film Festival to be held from May 11-22.
It is for the first time that L'Oreal Paris will have three spokeswomen representing India at Cannes, a testimony to India's growing influence on the world stage.
Making the announcement, Vismay Sharma, Director, Consumer Products Division, L'Oreal India, said, "On the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, we are delighted and proud to have Aishwarya, Sonam and Freida representing India and L'Oreal Paris at Cannes. They represent the diversity that is India and are sure to be the epicentre of attraction at the festival." Aishwarya, who celebrates a decade of representing L'Oreal Paris at Cannes, will like previous years walk the red carpet on May 11 for the opening ceremony and attend the Opening Gala cocktail and dinner while attending various events at Cannes the next day.
On walking the Red Carpet at Cannes, Aishwarya, one of the best known faces of Indian cinema globally, said, "Being at Cannes for L'Oreal Paris has been an absolute pleasure and to experience this for the tenth consecutive year has been quite overwhelming. I thank the L'Oreal Paris team and the Cannes Film Festival for inviting me every year to represent India at one of the most glamorous red carpets on the world platform, celebrating cinema, showbiz, beauty, diversity and excellence.
Several countries have always had more than one L'Oreal Paris spokeswoman at Cannes and I'm glad India is finally getting the same recognition. I am happy that with Sonam and Freida, both beautiful women, being invited to the festival this year, India will have a stronger presence, which is a clear sign of the growing importance of the country."
MUMBAI: It looks like Abhishek Bachchan is off on the path made by Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan. Apparently, the actor has planned to express the love for his wife, Aishwarya by tattoeing her name on his wrist.Abhishek is planning to ink Aishwarya’s name permanently on his body but he is confused about the design.
Abhishek Bachchan revealed his desire to ink Aishwarya’s tattoo during the promotional event of ‘Dum Maro Dum'. He said that he wanted to express his love for Ash by flaunting a tattoo.
Aishwarya Rai is reported to have been the first choice to play Abhishek Bachchan's wife in Dum Maaro Dum.
The actress and real-life wife of Bachchan was approached to play the role, which later went to Vidya Balan. According to a source for Mumbai Mirror: "Vidya has a very significant cameo in the film, but she was definitely not the first choice to play Abhishek's wife. Rohan Sippy and producer Fox Star Studios wanted Aishwarya but somehow things didn't work out."
When the tabloid questioned director Sippy on his casting of the part, the filmmaker refused to confirm media reports alleging Rai as his initial choice.
"Vidya was gracious enough to do my film," responded Sippy.
The husband and wife acting duo were last seen on screen in 2010's commercially under-performing Ravaan.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is reported to be walking the red carpet at Cannes this year.
The Guzaarish star will make her tenth appearance at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, Mumbai Mirror reports. Despite the presence of the Indian celebrity, no Bollywood film will be screened at the event.
Director Onir commented to the tabloid: "Being at Cannes can be used to open up the reach of the film to non-Bollywood world cinema audience and also markets where Indian films have still not reached."
India, the largest producer of films globally, last year screened the offbeat release Udaan at the festival.
Dev D filmmaker Anurag Kashyap stated that competing at an international level is a challenge.
"It takes a good film to be at a prestigious festival like Cannes," said Kashyap. "We had a film but it was not ready so we didn't send it. But seeing the films in the lineup the competition would have been very tough."
Rai Bachchan ran into controversy last year after allegedly refusing to appear with Sonam Kapoor on the red carpet.
The 12th edition of the three day FICCI-Frames conclave concluded Friday with Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai bagging the top awards.
FICCI Frames Excellence International Honour was awarded to Jackman, who is best known for his role as Wolverine in the "X-Men" series. The actor is also famed for his versatile style of acting and his rugged on-screen roles in films such as "Kate and Leopold", "Van Helsing", "The Prestige" and" Australia".
Aishwarya was honoured with the Decade of Global Achievement award for her contribution to Hindi cinema. Vidya Balan bagged the best actress award for her performance in "Ishqiya" and Shah Rukh Khan was honoured with the best actor award for "My Name Is Khan".
A film that has sky rocketed at the box office, breaking all records in collections, "Dabangg" also scored two awards at FICCI - Best Film of the Year and Best Music of the Year Award. It also fetched its heroine, Sonakshi Sinha, the award in the the Best Debutant (Female) Category.
"Band Baaja Baaraat" was another film that made a mark at the box office delivering the Best Debutant award - Male to Ranveer Singh for his acting and the Best Director Debut to Maneesh Sharma.
"The entertainment industry in India is booming along with business excellence and we are happy to recognise such levels of talent in both fields. We take pride in honouring best performers for their contributions in their area of work," said Yash Chopra, Chairman, FICCI Entertainment Committee.
Another highlight of the evening was the impromptu gig between Vidya, Shah Rukh and Jackman where the three shook a leg together on stage, entertaining the audience.
Other awards were:
Best TV Series - Non-Fiction - Indian Idol 5 (Fremantle Media, SET and Wizcraft Television) Best TV Series - Fiction - Pavitra Rishta - Balaji Telefilms Best TV Actor - Male - Sushant Singh Rajput in Pavitra Rishta (Zee TV) Best TV Actor - Female - Rashmi Desai in Uttran (Colors) Best General Entertainment Channel - STAR PLUS Best Radio Channel - Radio Mirchi Best Director - Karan Johar (My Name is Khan)
