Why is Aishwarya bagging all the period movies?
by: Afsana Ahmed
- timesofindia.com
She’s perceived as the global face of India. She’s now also becoming the actor of choice for filmmakers who’re making period films. And the list is pretty long.
Filmmaker Anil Sharma (Gadar fame) is remaking Nutan-Ashok Kumar-Sunil Dutt starrer Bandini and Ash is playing the pivotal role of Nutan. Then of course, JP Dutta’s Umrao Jaan and Maharani Gayatri Devi, Ketan Mehta’s Jhansi Ki Rani, Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodha-Akbar, Prithiviraj Samyukta, and two untitled films by filmmakers Dharmesh Darshan and Sanjay Leela Bansali.
“Out of the seventeen offers that Ash has at present, a substantial amount are period films — either historical or classic or simply remakes. And all of them are big budget, none less than Rs 20 crore,” says her secretary Hari Singh.
Sharma’s Bandini, for example will be based on the famous novel (of the same name written by Bengali author Jarasandha), with few changes. “I can’t attempt to remake Bimal Roy’s outstanding classic. It’s impossible to do it. My film will be a shradhanjali to him. So I am sticking to the novel, with minimal changes. The male lead of the film isn’t finalised so far,” says Sharma who’s busy researching for the film.
So what is it that makes Ash such hot property as far as period movies go? Gowarikar says the reason he cast Ash for Jodhabai’s role is, “a classical face. Ash looks like the 16th century princess.”
“Unlike the popular belief, Ash never said ‘I am quitting Bollywood to go to Hollywood’. She was always here. I guess filmmakers there are thinking of her now,” he adds.
