Gurgaon, Feb 1 (IANS) Ace designer Neeta Lulla has been lending her creative touch to Aishwarya Rai's wardrobe for more than a decade. Having dressed the actress in varied costumes in movies like "Taal", "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Jodhaa Akbar", the designer feels the sari suits the former beauty queen best.

"No doubt Aishwarya looks beautiful in Indian outfits, but, personally, I feel that she looks her best in a sari. She can carry a simple cotton to a designer sari with equal poise and elegance," Lulla told IANS in an interview.

Lulla has been named for a National Award for best costume designer in "Jodhaa Akbar" - her third National Award. She previously won the award in 1992 for "Lamhe" and in 2003 for "Devdas".

The Mumbai-based designer was here to give a sneak preview of yet-to-be opened entertainment destination, Kingdom of Dreams, which will play host to Bollywood musicals. Lulla will be designing the costumes for the stars performing there.

Lulla said she was more than happy to be a part of the project as it will give her a huge opportunity to explore her creative side.

"In Bollywood, you do sometimes face limitations. With this magnum opus concept, I can see myself putting my creativity at its best and exploring various new facets," she said.

Her association with Kingdom of Dreams would require Lulla to spend more time here than her home in Mumbai, but the designer seems unperturbed and welcomes the change.

"This city is huge and sprawling...I like it for many reasons. So I don't mind spending some time here. It's just that I would be juggling between the two cities. But the concept behind this project is so intriguing that I couldn't have said no," said the soft-spoken Lulla.

Lulla has been a part of the industry for over two decades and has designed for over 350 movies.

Expressing happiness over winning her third National Award, Lulla said these honours not only make her feel special but also inspire her to perform better.

"It's always nice to receive appreciation for your work. I do feel special but at the same time each project that I take on gives me an opportunity to work and explore my creativity and this in the end helps in delivering a good product," she said.

Lulla's upcoming Bollywood project is Ashutosh Gowariker's "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" that has Abhishek Bachchan and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles. But she refused to divulge any details about the movie saying, "It's too early to talk about it."

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

London, Jan 22 (IANS) Supermodels Padma Lakshmi and Lakshmi Menon have beaten Indian actresses Aishwarya Rai and Freida Pinto in a most desirable women poll conducted by a portal.

According to the top 99 women poll by askmen.com, Padma Lakshmi has grabbed the 15th spot while Menon sits at the 45th position leaving behind "Slumdog Millionaire" star Pinto and former Miss World Aishwarya in 50th and 63rd positions respectively.

"I am delighted that the readers of this portal have chosen to include me on their list. I am extremely flattered," the website quoted Padma as saying.

Beating all of them, however, is Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, who tops the list. It also features singer Beyonce Knowles at sixth position, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz and "Tranformers" star Megan Fox at seventh and 11th spots respectively.

After a six-week long voting period, six million votes decided the ranking of these beautiful women.

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

Mumbai, Jan 13(IANS) If grapevine is to be believed, Karan Johar is toying with the idea of finally working with Aishwarya Rai, with whom he hasn't made a single project in his over decade-long career.

"Karan said that Aishwarya is his ideal heroine and all the scripts that he writes are keeping her in mind. He also said that various reasons have veered them from working together. But he is hoping that it is the right time that he gets her to work in his production sometime soon," a source, who overheard Karan's conversation with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The two filmmakers were discussing Aishwarya at Sonali Bendre's birthday party Dec 31.

"Sanjay Leela Bhansali was overheard telling Karan Johar that Aishwarya is very original and there is no one like her. He further said that if a director has not worked with her in his or her career, it's a big loss for them. Sanjay also praised her work in 'Guzaarish'," the source said.

Aishwarya has worked with Bhansali in "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" and "Devdas" - both of which did well at the box office. Now she is being directed by him in "Guzaarish", which also features Hrithik Roshan.

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

Labels: Abhishek-Bachchan, Aishwarya-Rai, Amitab-Bachchan

The much awaited Bollywood flick 'Sarkar Raj' starring the trio from the Bachchan family is all set for release in June. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma the film is the sequel to the earlier hit film Sarkar.

The film themed on politics and power will star Amitabh Bachchan as Sarkar along with Abhishek and Aishwarya in powerful roles.

Apart from the Bachchan's Tanisha Mukherjee plays a key role in the film who plays Abhishek's wife in the film. Others include Ravi Kale, Govind Namdeo, Victor Banerjee, Supriya Pathak, Sayaji Shinde.The film is expected to reach theaters on June 6th.
--MP

Labels: Abhishek-Bachchan, Aishwarya-Rai, Amitab-Bachchan

Labels: Abhishek-Bachchan, Aishwarya-Rai, Amitab-Bachchan

Labels: Abhishek-Bachchan, Aishwarya-Rai

Chennai, Dec 21 (ANI): Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is basking in marital bliss as she termed the whole experience incredible.

Speaking at a jewellery launch function here, Rai said that being married was an incredible phase in her life.

"For now, the turn in my life is that I have got married which is an incredible world, an incredible life and that's what I am embracing wholeheartedly. That's what is happening currently in my life. I am sure you all haven't missed that point," she said.

On being asked whether she would done the role of a politician in future, like her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan and mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan, Rai said that she would take life as it comes and had no immediate plans to get into politics.

"One day at a time. That's the way I have lived it up until now. That's the way it shall continue," she said.

Rai would soon be seen in an epic romance 'Jodha Akbar,' directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.

Speaking about the film, Rai said that it was a special project, which was close to the hearts of the entire team.

"We all were really happy to work on a film like this because, one, the pace of the movie, the kind of movie it is, the kind of commitment it required of all of us and that's what we all have been, - a team that has stuck together. We worked really hard. Hence it's a project and a movie that's very special to the entire team," she said.

'Jodha Akbar' is about the romance between Mughal emperor Akbar and his Hindu wife Jodha, in which Rai plays the role of Jodha along with Hrithik Roshan as Akbar.

It is slated to be released on January 25, 2008 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. (ANI)
- AY

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

Talking about Jodha-Akbar, Aishwarya said, "It is a director's film all the way. Ashutosh Gowariker is a committed filmmaker and for me it was another project that I enjoyed. The choice was between two films and Ashutosh was undecided which one he would make first. Then he messaged me one day saying will you be my Jodha. I said why not?" "Ashutosh is not here to give a lesson in history. He just made a movie on the moving love story between Jalaluddin Akbar and Jodha Bai. It is an inspiring story. They were two people, who had an arranged inter-religion marriage despite the fact that they came from different backgrounds," the actress clarified. The only aspect of Jodha Bai the actress identifies with is her "silence". "She made her presence felt
through her silence and spoke only when she wanted to make herself heard," Aishwarya said.
-AA

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai, Jodha-Akbar

Actress Aishwarya Rai is enjoying the speculation about her pregnancy in the media. Ash, Jodha Bai of the period epic Jodha-Akbar, refuses it. The beautiful former Miss World said, "If I walk too carefully or if I stand with dupatta draped on one side, the media will be rife with speculation the next day. So I am myself, going along with the flow." Ash was in New Delhi to inaugurate a new collection of Nakshatra diamond jewellery. "This new phase of my life, as Abhishek's (Bachchan) wife, has been special. I have another set of parents in Amit (Amitabh Bachchan) and Jayaji. The goodwill of the media and the people in general also has mattered," Mrs. Abhishek (Bachchan) said.
-AA

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

Mumbai, Dec 7 (ANI): Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan launched an exciting new sports collection of watches here on Thursday.

Longines chose the exciting sporting atmosphere of the exclusive Royal Western Turf Club of India to launch its new sport collection watches, targeting the young audience.

In a venue that epitomized the occasion, Longines International also decided to make a generous donation towards certain foundations taking care of the HIV affected people in India.

Appreciating this generous gesture, the brand ambassador Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said, "They'll be donating the funds to these foundations. It is an incredible donation from Longines and as their ambassador it thrills me to share this information with you."

Speaking to the media about the new launch, Charles Villoz, President of Longines International said, "This collection is much younger. It is targeted for the younger audience. That is what is new about it."

The new collection is available at the company's selective official outlets in India and abroad.

Exciting sporting performance was seen on the racecourse of the Royal Western India Turf Club during the launch.

The winners were charmed with Longines watches presented by the former Miss World.

One of the seven races of the day at the Royal Western India Turf Club was entitled as the "Longines Classic Race" for the occasion. The winner of this race was awarded with the first watch along with a splendid trophy. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai

New Delhi, Dec 5 (ANI): Seven months into wedlock, a joyous Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, who married Abhishek Bachchan, recommended everyone to enter matrimony.

"It's very difficult to articulate, put it down in just a few sentences because it's obviously a very, very wonderful and joyous phase and I strongly recommend it," she said when asked about her feelings of being a married woman.

"Well, it's a beautiful chapter in my life and it's a fantastic part of the journey. I'd recommend (it) to every one of you out here and I am blissfully happy.  What more can one say," she added.

Aishwarya and Abhishek tied the knot in April, and industry analysts say their marriage created Bollywood's ultimate power couple with public interest in the couple being likened to Hollywood duo of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Earlier in the day, the former Miss World dazzled audiences as she took the ramp wearing a blue sequenced ensemble at the launch of the Bridal collection of Swiss watch company Longines of whom she is a brand ambassador.  (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Aishwarya-Rai