The gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has bagged another project titled “Devi Chaudhurani” with National Award winning director Rituparno Ghosh.

The two have earlier worked together in films like Chokher Bali and Raincoat. Devi Chaudhurani is a novel penned down in 1884 by renowned writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

The film adaptation of this novel is one of Suchitra Sen’s most cherished works. A source stated “Aishwarya has asked for the DVDs of Suchitra Sen’s film, which is about how a typical affluent housewife turns into the leader of a pack of dacoits.”

The source said further, “The film will be an adaptation of the novel which is set during the 1880s but nevertheless, Ash wanted to do some research on the actor.”

The source added “Ash has always regarded Sen as one of the finest actors that Bengal has ever produced. She also wanted to meet her once, but she knows that this wish is near impossible as word has it that the senior actor rarely steps out of her appartment. Ash is very interested in her though.”

The actress director duo had several meetings to discuss about this project in detail. Both have confirmed the news of the film being made.

The film will be made in both Hindi and Bengali. The source further added “The script has already been handed over to Ash and she is about to allot dates for the shooting.”

“Rituparno had discussed this with Aishwarya when they were shooting for Chokher Bali itself but he finally got the nod from her when she was in Kolkata last year to accept an award for Raavan,” the source added.

Actress Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan is apparently doing her bit of research on the reclusive Bengali cinema diva Suchitra Sen as she is touted to step into her shoes soon. Ash, who has already worked with National Award-winning director Rituparno Ghosh twice (Chokher Bali and Raincoat), will be seen playing a bandit queen in the adapted film version of Devi Chaudhurani.

Devi Chaudhurani is a novel by Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1884 and is regarded as one of the most popular novels of its times. The film’s adaptation is also regarded as one of Sen’s most appreciated works.

“Aishwarya has asked for the DVDs of Suchitra Sen’s film which is about how a typical affluent housewife turns into the leader of a pack of dacoits. The film will be an adaptation of the novel which is set during the 1880s but nevertheless, Ash wanted to do some research on the actor,” says a source.

Incidentally, both of Ghosh’s previous films with Ash were also on-screen adaptations of well-known literary pieces.

According to sources, Ash has already seen the movie once and has even selected certain portions that she would like to watch again.

“Ash has always regarded Sen as one of the finest actors that Bengal has ever produced. She also wanted to meet her once but she knows that this wish is near impossible as word has it that the senior actor rarely steps out of her appartment. Ash is very interested in her though,” the source adds.

Ghosh and Ash apparentlysat over a series of meetings to discuss the storyline of the film and how it should be adapted in a modern context.

“The script has already been handed over to Ash and she is about to allot dates for the shooting. Rituparno had discussed this with Aishwarya when they were shooting for Chokher Bali itself but he finally got the nod from her when she was in Kolkata last year to accept an award for Raavan,” the source adds. The film will in all probability be a Hindi-Bengali bilingual.

Both Ash and Ghosh confirmed the news of the film being made.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has indeed been one of the busiest stars in tinsel town this year. She’s amongst those stars who have really managed to grab the top most slots in tinsel town despite having more flops amongst her releases than hits or even super hits.

Right from the movie Raavan, Ash has been given the thumbs down by the critics and the audiences. The block buster Robot did create an amazing frenzy all over but it was soon over. Then came Action Replayy which did not fare quite well.

Her latest release Guzaarish was also not well received by the audiences though she did receive some appreciation for the matured role of Sophia that she portrayed in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali flick.

Aishswarya ‘s forth coming projects may take some time to take off as right now she is going to go off to Dubai to attend Masala Awards night in The Palm, Atlantis. She is also to go off to some undisclosed destination for the New Year with hubby Abhishek and they are to celebrate the New Year there.

However, Ash has a very interesting project coming up with the ace Bengali director Rituparno Ghosh titled Debi Choudhurani. The movie is going to be the third with the director after Raincoat and Choker Bali.

Well wish Ash all the best in the coming year and if you’re eager to see her then just wait for the 17th of December when she’ll be in Dubai for the Masala Awards Night!

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is the perfect combination of beauty and brains. So, it didn’t surprise many when the ace filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh roped the Bollywood beauty queen in his films Chokher Bali and Raincoat which are the screen versions of the literary works of the doyens Rabindranath Tagore and O Henry respectively. Now, Rituparno is all set to sign her for his new film which is based on the book ‘Devi Chaudhurani’ by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

Aishwarya has been reportedly approached by Rituparno Ghosh during her visit to Kolkata along with her husband Abhishek Bachchan. While details of the project is yet to be confirmed, this one is surely a big deal for Aishwarya Rai who has had a mixed year so far.

This time it’s a bilingual adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Devi Chaudhurani

After two literary adaptations, Chokher Bali (from Rabindranath Tagore’s Binodini) and Raincoat (from a story by O Henry), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is getting ready to team up with Rituparno Ghosh once again.

This time it’s an adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Devi Chaudhurani. The film, which will be both in Bengali and Hindi, will feature Aishwarya as a very powerful woman way ahead of her times.

Ghosh has been in talks with Aishwarya since their first two collaborations together. The two would meet every time Ghosh visited Mumbai. But this time, when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan visited Kolkata with her husband Abhishek, and both were honoured with the best actor and actress awards for Raavan, the third film with Ghosh fructified.

At this juncture, Aishwarya is all set to seek roles that require her to play women of resonant substance.

The role in Devi Chaudhurani is expected to be Aishwarya’s most challenging to date.

Reluctant to divulge details of the new film with Ghosh, Aishwarya says, “Ritu has been coming with so many wonderful offers after Chokher Bali and Raincoat. We were destined to come together.”

Working in Kolkata has always been pleasurable for Aishwarya.

Says the actress, “The city always welcomes me with open arms. I’d love to work here again.”

Guzaarish actor Aishwarya Rai recently paid a visit to Kolkata to promote her upcoming film. Her co-star Hrithik Roshan couldn’t accompany her owing to ill-health but nevertheless Aishwarya’s presence triggered a phenomenal buzz amidst the local paparazzi.
When one of the media men questioned her when she would be working with Rituparno Ghosh again, Aishwarya humbly said that is for the director to decide and she is always ready for him.
Aishwarya also remarked that she had met him recently at an award function and there he had asked her when would they be working again. And Aishwarya could only smile and answer back that it was the director’s call.
Aish had previously worked with the ace Bengali director in the popular Bengali film ‘Chokher Bali’ in which she portrayed the powerful character of Binodini. Binodini was a widow who developed a lust for another married man named Mahendra (essayed by Proson Jeet).
That film was hailed by all critics and we saw a pristine Bengali touch in Aishwarya’s petite frame. Aishwarya again rubbed shoulders with Rituparno in ‘Raincoat’ which was immensely loved by a section of the society.
While that film gave immense self satisfaction to Aishwarya, the audience (especially from Bengal) await the day when Aish would step into the Bengali garbs once again.

Acclaimed Bengali director Rituparno Ghosh is famous for his offbeat films namely Unishe April, Hirer Angti, Dahan, Bariwali, Asukh, Utsab, Titli, etc. The national award winning filmmaker has made two films with the Bollywood beauty queen Aishwarya Rai, namely Chokher Bali and Raincoat.

Rituparno Ghosh reportedly had a rendezvous with Aishwarya Rai at a national award ceremony during which the former asked the latter whether she would be interested to work with her again. Aishwarya Rai, who played the role of Binodini in the film Chokher Bali, readily agreed at the prospect of working with Ghosh, but her hectic engagements delayed the project. But now that she is done with all her major films, Aish is enthusiastic to play the lead in the ace director’s film again.

Contrary to popular reports Bollywood’s favourite star couple Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan aren’t looking forward to start a family next year. Even though Aishwarya and Abhishek remain tightlipped on their personal life, buzz has it that Ash is in no mood to bid adieu to filmdom as the stunning beauty is quite occupied with her acting assignments.

Incidentally, Aishwarya is one such rare Bollywood actresses whose successful Box Office chase continues even after marriage! Indeed, Aishwarya is one of the most successful actress whose upcoming projects include ‘Raavan’, ‘Action Replay’, ‘Robot’, ‘Guzaarish’ and ‘Crooked’ to name a few. Apart from it, Aishwarya also has a couple of projects waiting for her approval.

Marriage seems to have proved lucky for Aishwarya as Bollywood filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohan Sippy, Rituparno Ghosh and Vishal Bhardwaj are eager to work with the green-eyed beauty.

In case the Bachchan bahu goes on a signing spree, Aishwarya will be busy for couple of years and her plans for motherhood will have to be put on hold.

A lot of people in the industry have been wondering why Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been working so hard lately even as she balances her time between her two sets of parents at Jalsa (the Bachchans) and La Mer (the Rais).

Fact is that Aishwarya is in a hurry to finish up all her pending assignments so that she can keep a part of the year 2010 free for family affairs, and that includes motherhood.

A source close to the couple said, “The two of them are fed up of relatives, strangers and relative strangers asking them when the stork is visiting. Secretly, they feel pressurised. It’s as if their parenthood is a public issue. Even when they are at airports waiting to board flights, over-exuberant ladies rush to them with an inquisitive look on their eager faces. Even before these fans open their mouth, Abhishek knows exactly what the question is, and he gets visibly annoyed. Aishwarya handles such over-inquisitive attention far more graciously.”

Luckily there has been absolutely no peer pressure on Abhishek or Aishwarya about parenthood from either side. Neither the Bachchans nor the Rais are the type who badgers their children asking when they will start a family.

But Aishwarya already has a plan, and parenthood probably comes next year when she completes her pending assignments, and that includes a parade of topnotch films including Vipul Shah’s Action Replay, Shankar’s Robot, Mani Ratnam’s Raavana and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish for which Aishwarya starts shooting in Goa in August, followed by Abhinay Deo’s Crooked.

In addition there are filmmakers like Rohan Sippy, Vishal Bharadwaj, Rituparno Ghosh and Ashutosh Gowariker waiting patiently in the queue to sign her.

A source said, “This no doubt is the busiest phase of Aishwarya’s career. Such a flurry of assignments has never been seen before in any married actress’ life and she’d be foolish to let such opportunities slip by. Luckily, Abhishek is thoroughly supportive of her career. She wants to complete as many of these assignments as she can to before she becomes a mother. Because once she gets into that role she wouldn’t want any other distractions. That, Aishwarya is sure of.”