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on 2008/7/17 1:30:33
Filmmaker PAUL SCHRADER talks to PRITHWISH GANGULY about Aishwarya Rai’s global appeal and why big banners in the West are queuing up to sign her
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is the most sought after Indian star in Hollywood ‘as she has a far bigger global appeal than any of her contemporaries’. Well, that’s what acclaimed filmmaker and former scriptwriter to Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, says.
“The biggest and probably the only name Hollywood’s top people want to cast from India is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. She is the only one who can be cast in the lead with a Hollywood actor. Her beauty appeals even to the Western minds,” says Schrader, who has written some of Scorsese’s big films like Bringing Out The Dead, The Last Temptation Of Christ, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver.
“Bollywood stars like Amitabh Bachchan and others are well-known in Hollywood, but it is Aishwarya that filmmakers want to cast because she fits the bill completely. She has great screen presence. I can tell you for a fact that big banners are trying very hard to get her dates,” Schrader told After Hrs on the sidelines of the 10th Osian’s film festival being held in New Delhi.
Schrader could be right as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars Will Smith had approached Aishwarya with film offers thrice but she turned him down every time. She has also been approached by many other Western filmmakers.
Aishwarya has acted in several big international projects like Pink Panther 2 alongside ace comedian Steve Martin, the Ben Kingsley starrer The Last Legion, Jag Mundhra’s Provoked, Paul Mayega Berges’ The Mistress of Spices and Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice. She also has two other Hollywood offers as of now – Singularity that has Mummy series star Brendan Fraser and Bhopal Movie. According to rumours, Aishwarya will be teaming up with Ben Kingsley once again for his ambitious project on Taj Mahal.
Schrader’s comments are very interesting, especially in the backdrop of the current scenario when everyone from the Mallika Sherawats to the Celina Jaitleys to the Sonu Soods, wants to get on to the Hollywood bandwagon.
People like Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Kabir Bedi, Seema Biswas, Shabana Azmi, Victor Banerjee and Irrfan Khan have acted in many Western films. However, only Om Puri and now Irrfan Khan have made a name, but again not as protagonists.
However, Bollywood historian Derek Bose cites a reason why Aishwarya has succeeded in the West more than the others. “Ash has grabbed most of the opportunities she got with both hands. Others were too lazy to push themselves. Secondly, Ash took the route of Western films made by Indian filmmakers. Thirdly the Miss World tag, consequent endorsements of beauty products and luxury items have kept her in the limelight always,” he says.
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