Heroine was always my film: Kareena

Bebo has broken her silence on speculation that she may be doing Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine, which was shelved after lead actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan announced her pregnancy. “The whole world knows that Heroine is my movie, that it was written for me and Madhur was in talks with me. I couldn’t do it because of date problems so he moved on. What happened in between is not my concern,” she says. Does that mean she is on board again?

Kareena-Ash“I don’t have any dates till January next year so I’m not going to sign on any movie till October. I’m really keen to work with Madhur but you’ll have to wait for an official announcement,” says Kapoor, 30 admitting that she’s “looking at three-four scripts”. Bhandarkar flew down to Hyderabad when Kareena was there last week and narrated the film’s script to her. “I was there to meet Saif (beau Saif Ali Khan). I’ll leave people to fantasise about what we did there, but let me tell you, I don’t listen to scripts in my personal time.”

Prod her on script changes that she’s reportedly been insisting on, which includes ‘toning down’ intimate scenes, and she says that’s never been an issue. “I liked the script that was narrated to me; if the director is open to discussion, we’ll talk more ... He brings out a different side to an actor ... I’ve always been an experimental actor rather than just a singing-dancing, glamorous star. I made my debut with the off-beat Refugee and did Chameli when I was 22. I’m open to all kinds of cinema.”

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/bollywood/Heroine-was-always-my-film-Kareena/Article1-724718.aspx

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan postpones French honour

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."

Source:http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/bollywood/news/a330230/aishwarya-rai-bachchan-postpones-french-honour.html

Aishwarya Rai to spread smile around the world…

The world’s most beautiful woman, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is now the ambassador of the world’s largest cleft lip charity, Smile Train. Aishwarya will work with Smile Train to achieve an ambitious new goal in helping change the lives of over one million children worldwide who suffer from shame and isolation because of cleft lip and cleft palate.

The actress will work to help provide free cleft lip surgery to children in 76 developing countries around the world, including India.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan mentions, “God has given me plenty of reasons to smile and I feel it’s time to spread it around. There are a lot of children out there who so desperately need help, but can’t receive timely care because their families cannot afford this surgery or are ill-educated about this condition. Working with Smile Train, if I can make a difference in their lives, it will certainly make me feel honored and blessed.”

May God bless this wonderful woman…

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/aishwarya-rai-to-spread-smile-around-the-world/

Mumbai blasts makes Aishwarya Rai postpone French Award ceremony.

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, who was to receive an honor from the French government here Wednesday, requested officials to postpone the ceremony in the wake of the Mumbai blasts. The actress also maintained a minute’s silence to mourn the deaths.

“Thank you all for being here. The current situation has really disturbed and shocked all of us. I thank the French embassy for being supportive and considering the sensitivity of the situation. They have been kind to consider me and my family’s request to postpone the celebration till another time. We as Indians can’t go ahead and celebrate in such a situation,” Aishwarya told reporters at the event.

“The terrible blasts have shook us, but we shall stand strong. They (terrorists) should get it straight that we won’t let them succeed. You cannot break us, we all believe in deep strong Indian spirit. You will not get the better of us. God bless us and Jai Hind,” added Aishwarya, who was accompanied by her actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan.

Mumbai was hit by three blasts that left at least 21 people dead and over 100 injured on Wednesday evening.

French Ambassdor Jerome Bonnafont said: “The terrible series of blast 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.”

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/mumbai-blasts-makes-aishwarya-rai-postpone-french-award-ceremony/

Double celebrations for the Bachchan Pariwaar..

Apart from being happy about the fact that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be becoming a mother soon, the actress has another reason to celebrate. The French Government has decided to honor Ash with the Knight Of The Order Of Arts And Letters (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) for her contribution to the world of cinema and the development of Indo-French relations.

This honor, however, was bestowed upon her in 2008 but she was unable to receive it in person because of her father’s illness. This time, Aishwarya will receive the award in Delhi by Jerome Bonnafont the France Ambassador to India on the eve of the French National Day on July 14. Both the Bachchan family and Aishwarya’s maternal family will be present at the occasion.

Congratulations Ash!

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/double-celebrations-for-the-bachchan-pariwaar/

Mommy’s day out!!! Ash to attend the French National Day celebrations.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is all set to attend the French National Day celebrations in Mumbai, this Thursday, July 14. The event will be hosted by the French Embassy at a South Mumbai hotel.

Ash has been maintaining a low profile ever since the news of her pregnancy was out.

The actress’ French connection goes back a long way. Last month, she attended the French derby in Chantilly, France. Aishwarya is also a regular at the Cannes Film Festival for last several years.She is also the brand ambassador for a French cosmetic and a watch brand.

A source says, “She will be attending a show organised to celebrate the French National Day. There are several dignitaries and Aishwarya may make an appearance as she endorses a French brand. This would be her first public appearance since the announcement of pregnancy.”

As part of the celebrations, designers Rahul Mishra, Nachiket Barve and Narendra Kumar are designing costumes inspired by the French flag.

Nachiket Barve for whom Aishwarya has been a muse, is making a garment embodying the spirit of France using its national colours of red, white and blue.

Nachiket says, “She has sported my garments in the past and it’s always a pleasure to dress her up. Her presence in itself is great attraction to the evening.”

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/mommys-day-out-ash-to-attend-the-french-national-day-celebrations/

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Amitabh Bachchan defends Aishwarya Rai against Bhandarkar’s tirade

Madhur Bhandarkar broke his silence with a tirade against Aishwarya Rai for having kept him in the dark about her pregnancy which led to huge losses for the film Heroine.

While Bhandarkar laid the blame squarely on Aishwarya Rai, her doting Pa-in-law Amitabh Bachchan has jumped to her defence and claimed that pregnancy is a personal issue for any actor.

“Everybody knew that Aishwarya was married when she signed the film. So you mean to say that actors can’t get married or have children? I don’t think this can be a part of any contract that you cannot get married or have children if you working in a project,” Bachchan is quoted as saying by DNA.

As for the production house UTV suffering losses, Bachchan said that he too has worked in a UTV film ‘Shoebite’ and invested his time in the project. But the film is far from releasing.

Heroine was 10 days into the making when the news of Aishwarya’s pregnancy broke out. Director Bhandarkar and producer Ronnie Screwvala were left with no option but to shelve the film. Bhandarkar had kept quiet till Tuesday when he came out with a long letter in which he said that Aishwarya hid the truth about her pregnancy from the film’s crew.

Source:http://www.apunkachoice.com/content/article/sid100005941-amitabh_bachchan_defends_aishwarya_rai_against_bhandarkars_tirade/1-oldest-1.html

Shabana Azmi: Pregnancy clause isn't sexist

While at one hand it's all celebration for fans and Bachchan family over Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's pregnancy, there is a debate going on amongst the producers of Bollywood.

Rumour has it that Aishwarya's pregnancy has made many producers think about implementing a 'pregnancy clause' in the contract before starting any project.

And Shabana Azmi feels there is nothing sexist about it. 'Insurance companies in Hollywood insist on many clauses including no pregnancy to safeguard huge monetary investments. its not sexist,' she tweeted.

Source:http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-celeb-tweets-through-the-day/20110706.htm

Madhur Bhandarkar finally breaks his silence on the ‘Heroine’ episode..

Madhur Bhandarkar finally gives his side of the story about the ‘Heroine’ controversy.

Just a few days into the shooting of his dream project Heroine, Madhur got to know the news of its lead actress Aishwarya Rai’s pregnancy, that too, not directly but from the media.

Many theories floated around but the director chose to remain out of the media glare and stay mum. However, now the filmmaker has decided to break his silence.

He says, “Today I am sitting alone in my office after the plugs being pulled off. No which way would I have trampled my dream project on which I have given my sweat and blood for almost one and a half years. This was going to be my most ambitious project.”

“My inherent belief is that motherhood is pious. I salute every woman who chooses to work in this delicate state but I would never knowingly put a woman in harm’s way knowing the delicate nature of her health.”

“The lead actress is the main protagonist of Heroine. We need to state this is no normal film. The film entails a huge canvas of around 40 locations in which heavy-duty scenes involving massive crowds are to be shot.”

“Scenes of the actress being mobbed… adult content… heavy-duty scenes involving physical exertion. One of the days amongst the eight days shoot… one of my associate directors tripped and injured himself… the terrain was rocky.”

‘Today, when I know the condition of my then lead actress, I shudder at the thought… what if she would have been injured; I would have suffered a major guilt throughout my life.’

“The entire event would not have taken place if at the beginning the actress had informed of an impending maternity. The truth was hidden from us,” Bhandarkar is quoted to have told Mid-day.

Now that the film has been shelved, a loss has been suffered by not just the producer but also the crew who was associated with the film. Worst, Bhandarkar’s hard work of one-and-a-half years on Heroine has come to naught.

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/madhur-bhandarkar-finally-breaks-his-silence-on-the-heroine-episode/

Divine intervention for Aishwarya Rai-Abhishek Bachchan?

There have been too many speculations about actor Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan’s pregnancy, but this one takes the cake. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said that he had a role to play in the actor’s pregnancy! Startled? Well then read on…

The chief minister, while attending a publicfunction, said that he had encouraged actor Abhishek Bachchan to go and pray at a particular temple in Shimla, following which his family got the news that Ash is pregnant.

According to Dhumal, the conversation happened when Abhishek had come down to unveil the world’s highest idol, an 108-feet idol of Lord Hanuman at Shimla. The idol was unveiled at the historic Jakhu temple in November last year. The temple is famous for fulfilling wishes.

“I told Abhishek to pray to Hanumanji and ask for a wish. Isn’t it a miracle that we are now hearing good news from the family,” Dhumal apparently said in the public function.

Though it is not clear what was Abhishek’s wish but it is true that he had gone to Shimla during that time.

The most bizarre part of the story is that the chief minister now feels that this small little story about Abhi’s wish being fulfilled might result in an increase of tourists to the spot. Well, you never know, it might come true too.

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_divine-intervention-for-aishwarya-rai-abhishek-bachchan_1562429

Aishwarya Rai goes the IVF way??

Actress Bhairavi Goswami has made a shocking disclosure about Aishwarya Rai. She claims that the actressi, who is four months pregnant, has undergone an IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) procedure at a Bangkok clinic that specializes in providing male babies.

Bhairavi particularly took on Abhishek Bachchan who earlier posted on his Twitter page that he hopes for a baby girl.

Bhairavi Goswami wrote on her Facebook page: “Nauseating 2 read superstars giving interviews abt wanting a girl baby whn she has gone 2 Bangkok to an IVF clinic which specializes in boy babies. Height of hypocrisy. They knw damn well its a boy, aftr all she has to produce a male heir at any cost – Typical UP mentality, no wonder that state has such high female foeticide.”

Bhairavi is so confident of her claim that she has refused to retract her statement even after a backlash from the fans of the Bachchans.

“Only people wth no balls retract statements, issue denials & clarifications. I hv never felt the need to do any of the above ever,” she tweeted.

There has been no reaction from the Bachchans yet.

Source:http://bollywood.celebden.com/2011/07/aishwarya-rai-goes-the-ivf-way/