On 3 Feb was the premiere of her latest international film Pink Panther 2 followed by Abhishek’s birthday two days later. The couple and Abhishek’s parents brought in his birthday in style.

Aishwarya says, “They wanted me to be here for the film’s promotion from earlier on. But I couldn’t because of my prior commitments in India. We’ve a series of premieres lined up. It’s a crazy whirlwind trip that will take me to several countries and continents from Paris to Berlin to Moscow to Madrid . The final destination for my 15-day trip will take me to a screening of the film at the Berlin film festival. Then I’m back and I go straight to resume Mani Ratnam’s film.”

Aishwarya will be returning to India on Feb 14. “Abhishek is in New York with me. But he won’t be able to accompany me for my other premieres because he has to be in India for the promotion of Delhi 6.”

A part of the press has been writing about how minuscule Aishwarya’s role is in Pink Panther.

Sighs the diva, “It’s a bit silly and exhausting to even talk about the length of my role based on what’s seen in the trailers. Did anyone question my role in Khakee when there was only one shot of me in the promo? Isn’t that a very myopic view of contemporary acting? In my very film Iruvar I thought I transcended this footage fetish ,”She makes it crystal clear thar footage is not a burning issue for her. “The choices I’ve made in my career aren’t just about footage but an opportunity to work with actors directors and technicians who enrich my life. Believe me working in Pink Panther was a joy. It was a wonderful experience working with a stalwart like Steve Martin and the rest of the cast and crew. Why spoil it by questioning how much footage I have? So many Indian actors have worked in international ensemble casts.”

Getting somewhat indignant Aishwarya Rai, “I didn’t work in Pink Panther 2 because it was an international project. I got the script. I chose to be happily be part of the film. They shot exactly what I was offered. I don’t need to work with stardust in my eyes. Of course Pink Panther is a Steve Martin vehicle. Is that something to question? All the rest of the wonderful cast including Jean Reno and Andy Garcia play supporting roles. I treasure the experience of working in Pink Panther 2.”
Interestingly Aishwarya was offered the lead opposite Will Smith in 7 Pounds which opens in Mumbai this week.
“Will Smith and I will work together for sure,” laughs Aishwarya. “There have been a number of offers. Dates just don’t work out. If he’s keen to work with me, so am I.”

While to unveil the bridal collection of watch brand Longines in New Delhi, Ash said, “Marriage is a beautiful chapter in life. It is so blissful and wonderful….it is difficult to articulate. I strongly recommend it to everyone. Each one of us must experience it.”

“Everybody was teasing me when I came here to celebrate karva chauth (a Hindu ritual). But I said I have to experience it,” she added.

Aishwarya, the Miss World 1994, started his film career in Bollywood with Aur Pyar Ho Gaya.

She got married to Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan on April 20, 2007.

Talking about the response of people after her marriage she said, “Wherever we have traveled, people have showered us with their blessings. I am bowled over by their response and very strongly feel that we are a part of an extended family.”

Aishwarya said she hasn’t spent much time with her family.

“Our honeymoon was our first holiday, and after that we were straight back to work. I wish I could have taken more time off. I would love to spend every minute of the day with Abhishek.”

The actress agrees that marriage brings a lot of responsibilities.

“I am enjoying every aspect of being married. But frankly speaking, being a working woman, it is more hectic now. There is a constant race against time. I could never imagine that my hours and days would be so full.”

“Although I have found the key to it – time management. It is imperative for every working individual to discover the ability of time management. You have to take time out for your maternal family, in-laws and for your own (husband-wife) relationship at the same time.”

Aishwarya is set to woo the audiences in Sarkar Raj, Pink Panther 2 and Jodhaa Akbar.

That was what happened to passengers waiting for their trains at the Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi on Sunday night.

A part of the unit of Mani Ratnam’s Ravan took a train to Jhansi from there. The unit’s initial plan was to take a chartered flight to Khajuraho, MP, and then drive down to Tikamgarh district. Tikamgarh is a village close to Jhansi, and that’s where Ravan, Mani’s modern day version of the Ramayana, is being shot next, after the forests of Kerala. But because of the fog, the unit could not travel by air. So a large part of the unit came to Delhi on Sunday, including Abhishek and his co-star Ravi Kissen. Abhishek spent the day with his sister, Shweta Nanda, at her Jor Bagh house, and then they all took the train to Jhansi at night. More than 50 people from the cast and crew of the movie took the train.

Many people at the railway station were pleasantly surprised when they saw Abhishek, but because of the security personnel travelling with the crew, no one could go near him. The people from the unit were in different coaches, and Abhishek reportedly travelled in his coach with his personal security. “There were no security issues. Everything went according to plan,” says a source close to the unit. After an overnight journey, the unit reached Jhansi and then they drove down to Tikamgarh, where they are shooting both the Tamil and Hindi versions of the movie. Filmmaker Mani Ratnam reached the location a few days before the rest. Abhishek plays the role of Ravan in the movie and South Indian actor Vikram plays Ram, while Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plays Sita. Aishwarya is not in Tikamgarh right now because she is shooting in Chennai for Robot alongside Rajinikanth, but she will join the crew soon.

- Aishwarya Rai on relations with hubby

“I admire him (Abhishek) for his approach to work. He understands cinema so well that he is not afraid of taking risks. He stands by his family, friends all the time and because of this I identify a lot with him.”

An industry that rarely likes to depict dysfunctional marriages almost demands the same of its stars. That is Bollywood’s secret to sustaining A-list marriages. They are expected to last because Indian culture and conservatism dictate so. What’s more, in India, divorce can only be granted based on cases of mental cruelty, infidelity or psychiatric illness. Parting ways is clearly not easy for the stars.

But whether propagating a “happy ever after” image is a good thing is highly questionable. In a world where the true value of marriage is wavering, there’s something almost conceited in keeping up appearances of being together for the sake of public image. It promotes an unrealistic impression that marriage works amidst living, breathing and working in that artificial world, which is never helpful as millions of people look upon the stars as role models. Just imagine how many young and impressionable people must have been inspired by Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachan getting married.

When the likes of Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora, or Ajay Devgan and Kajol present a united front for the glaring media, I cannot help but question just what price the couples are truly paying for their fame? How does one cope with having a more popular spouse? Does anyone ever get used to the constant pressures of having to look good, look normal and smile even when they don’t feel like it?

These stars lead extraordinary lives shrouded in intense public scrutiny, competitive careers, drug and alcohol addictions, breakdowns and temptation. When issues arrive, they probably arrive all at once. Unlike a three hour marathon of a Hindi film, these love stories have no intermission. There must come a point where no miracle can inject life back into a dead relationship. But they are bound by marital contract, family expectations and the world’s eyes.

Even more extraordinary is how Bollywood couples never give away the slightest hint of a rocky marriage, even though the mischief mongering media may speculate otherwise. It’s almost like the film stars have been born with an innate skill for PR. So when the few that actually do go ahead with a divorce, the outside world gets a rare glimpse that the likes of Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt live a reality that does not imitate art.

So why have the few divorces not set off a trend across the industry? The reality is that the latest generation of young stars are resisting marriage for as long as possible, opting for a live-in relationship that does not make either party bound together by tradition, joint family expectations or their fans. The new generation that have been in a non-contractual set up such as Kareena and Shahid, or Bipasha and John, lasted as long as they did, and then broke-free with ease once the pressures of Bollywood chewed up the relationship.

Whilst Bollywood may never rival Hollywood’s divorce rates, nor be the next divorce capital, is this really something to be proud of? Marriages in Bollywood are not so different from Hollywood. But failing marriages are yet to come out of the closet. The truth is, it will never do to say “I do” in Bollywood because having a successful relationship is incompatible with having a successful film career.

It is said that Boman Irani has also been signed up for an important role in the film.while other cast has not been decided. Abhinay Deo will direct the film. This will be the Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s sixth films together.

The film will go on floor in June 2009. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai have already worked together Umrao Jaan, Kuch Na Kaho and Guru. They are also doing upcoming film Ravana and the remake of Abhimaan.

it is said that Abhishek and Aishwarya were keen to go for an image makeover and therefore they finalized this film. The title name of the film has not decided and the film will be a fast paced thriller.

Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and who could have been the one with one-sided love with them? It was Vivek Oberoi. Yeah! He fell in love with Aishwarya Rai and nothing really worked out for him as she entered into nuptials with Abhishek Bachchan. Glimpse back to his Abhi’s dad Big B and there’s something more interesting. Buzzes were that actress Rekha was in love with Amitabh Bachchan for a long time even after his nuptials with Jaya Bachchan… Later, Jaya had to interfere in this issue and get things set right with Rekha…

Other triangular love stories that were quite sensational in Bollywood were Saif Ali Khan – Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor…

With the emphasis falling on Indian Cinema this year, the “elite family” of Bollywood – Amitabh Bachchan and his wife-actress-politician Jaya Bahaduri, Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai – is expected to represent Indian Cinema like always. But this time, the onus to represent Indian Cinema does not lie with Bollywood alone as Mani Ratnam and Vikram have also been invited to take part in this film fair and to promote Indian films.

It is to be noted that Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are working in a Mani Ratnam film (the bilingual’s tentative titles are Ravana and Ashokavanam) which also stars Vikram. So they move in as a team to showcase the glory of Indian Cinema.

Usually, Bollywood takes it upon itself to represent Indian Cinema at any film festival or fair. But an invitation to these eminent film personalities of Tamil Cinema is a clear indication that times are changing and other regional films too will get their due share of respect.
Cinema is perhaps the only medium that breaks all barriers in India!

Khuram Khan, the petitioner stated Dostana promotes gay marriage that is proscribed in Islamic as well other religion. The petitioner had argued that Pakistan Censor Board shouldn’t allow the film’s release even though film distributors have obliged to screen it.  Also he added, “according to Islamic religion, Allah tells us in the Qur’an that He created everything in pairs”.

However, the Lahore High Court has stated that the film can be released if it is well-certified by Pakistan censor board. Today after the private screening, the officials of Censor Board signaled green lights for release of film in 4 cinema halls of Lahore…

A body double for junior bachchan was employed to spare him the task of doing all the high risk action scenes himself.

The man who you will be seeing in some long shots and eye popping action filled frames is called Dean Alexandrou.

The 25 year old stunt man is a native of Hollywood and has previously done stunts for films like ‘The Kingmaker’ and ‘Vampire: The Turning’.

Dean is a winner of the 2001 British black belt Taekwondo championship and is famous for indulging in high risk aerial and acrobatic action scenes.