almost famous: Rani Asra Gidwani: Indian Dance Instructor and Choreographer Balances Motherhood and Bollywood Moves

Eight days before she delivered her beautiful baby girl Raina, Rani Asra Gidwani was squatting on cushions on her mother's living-room sofa, addressing a room full of dancers. Gidwani teaches Indian dance all year round but she's busiest during the months leading up to Diwali, the Indian new year, which falls on October 25 this year.

"I said no to everything, but when people want you, they want you," she says. "I had an assistant; I showed them what to do and taught all the way till my last trimester."

With no formal training but with three decades of experience behind her, Gidwani combines Bollywood-style "filmy" dancing with MTV-inspired sequences and dollops of originality and style.

Officially, she's been instructing for nine years at her Kowloon School of Dance but as far back as she can remember she's been grooving to music. "I've been dancing since I was three years old choreographing my own dances since I was five," says the 33-year-old. "I've always been one of those people who leads the dance; I can't follow other people and copy them. That's not my style. What I have to offer is unique and original. I can't blindly copy what's on TV."

Apart from the vast number of youngsters, she's taught over the past nine years ["Ninety-five per cent of the Indian kids in Tsim Sha Tsui who dance have come to some class or another with me"]. Gidwani's worked with Chinese, Japanese, Russian, British and Americans, enthused by the exuberance of Bollywood musicals and joie de vivre.

"For the older ladies especially, or couples who just want to look good when they're dancing at events, it's a great workout. with Indian dance, bhangra especially, you shake everything. Bhangra-cise is huge in Britain and I'm sorting out a schedule in Hong Kong too.

"Indian music has crept in to so many remixes. From Eminem to Ricky Martin, the influence has spread into the club scene as well, so when people want to learn to move to it, they come to me. I'm sure I was the first person to mix hip-hop and Indian songs and teach dance."

A voluminous file reveals her students' information -- an age group from three to 60. "I worked with an international school last year, with teachers, students, all of whom were putting on a Bollywood show after Moulin Rouge, I think. They were eager to learn and that made it fun for me to teach. The best part was that there were no hassles because they were so enthusiastic."

Opportunity to work in Bollywood, the world's largest film industry, came often, but she didn't grab the offers. "I've had offers to work in showbiz many times but I wasn't ready to leave home - I was born and brought up in Hong Kong. To live in Mumbai and cater to stars and their egos and try my luck - I wasn't sure. Deep down, I didn't have the confidence then."

And now? 

"Now, I'm happily married and a mother of a 10-month-old. I still get to do what I love and seriously have no regrets."

Words: P.Ramakrishnan.

Portrait: SCMP

Published in South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post

建立日期： 2003年07月19日

繁體中文（香港適用）

在產下美麗的女嬰 Raina 的八天前，Rani Asra Gidwani 還正蹲坐在她母親客廳沙發的靠墊上，向滿屋子的舞者說話。Gidwani 全年都在教授印度舞，但在印度曆新年「排燈節」（今年落在 10 月 25 日）前的幾個月裡，她是忙得不可開交的。

「我拒絕了所有的邀請，但當人們需要你時，他們就是非你不可，」她說。「我有個助手，我會示範動作給他們看，並一路教學直到孕期的最後三個月（第三期）。」

雖然沒有受過正式訓練，但憑藉著三十年的豐富經驗，Gidwani 將寶萊塢風格的「電影感」舞蹈與 MTV 啟發的舞步融為一身，並注入了大量的原創性與個人風格。

名義上，她在九龍舞蹈學校（Kowloon School of Dance）任教已有九年，但早在她有記憶以來，她就一直跟著音樂翩翩起舞。「我從三歲起就開始跳舞，五歲就開始自己編舞了，」這名 33 歲的舞者說。「我一直都是帶頭領舞的人，我無法跟在別人後面模仿。那不是我的風格。我能提供的東西是獨特且原創的，我無法盲目地照抄電視上的東西。」

除了過去九年間她教過的無數年輕人［「尖沙咀 95% 會跳舞的印度裔小孩，都曾跟我上過這樣或那樣的舞蹈課」］，Gidwani 還曾與中國人、日本人、俄羅斯人、英國人及美國人合作過，這些人都被寶萊塢歌舞片的活力與熱情所感染。

「特別是對於年長的女士，或是只想在活動場合舞姿好看的小夫婦來說，這是一項很棒的健身運動。跳印度舞，尤其是旁遮普舞（Bhangra），你會晃動全身的肌肉。旁遮普有氧舞（Bhangra-cise）在英國非常流行，我也正在安排香港的課程時間表。」

「印度音樂已經滲透到許多混音歌曲中。從 Eminem 到 Ricky Martin，這種影響力已經延伸到了夜店圈，所以當大家想學著隨這種音樂扭動時，他們就會來找我。我很確定自己是第一個將 Hip-hop 和印度歌曲結合並進行教學的人。」

一個厚厚的資料夾揭示了她學生的資訊——年齡層從 3 歲到 60 歲不等。「我去年曾與一家國際學校合作，教過老師和學生，他們當時好像是在《紅磨坊》上映後準備製作一場寶萊塢表演。他們非常渴望學習，這讓我的教學過程充滿樂趣。最棒的是完全沒有任何麻煩，因為大家都太有熱情了。」

進入全球最大的電影產業——寶萊塢工作的機會屢次降臨，但她都沒有把握。「我曾多次獲得進入演藝圈工作的機會，但我還沒準備好離開家——我在香港出生長大。去孟買生活、伺候明星和他們的脾氣，然後在那裡碰撞運氣——我當時沒有把握。在內心深處，我那時缺乏那種自信。」

那現在呢？

「現在，我婚姻美滿，是一個 10 個月大孩子的母親。我依然能做自己熱愛的事，而且說實話，我一點也不後悔。」

撰文：P.Ramakrishnan。攝影：SCMP

刊登於《南華早報》

《南華早報》

發布日期：2003 年 7 月 19 日

简体中文（中国内地适用）

在生下美丽的女婴 Raina 的八天前，Rani Asra Gidwani 还蹲坐在她母亲客厅沙发的靠垫上，面向满屋子的舞者说话。Gidwani 全年都在教授印度舞，但在印度历新年“排灯节”（今年落在 10 月 25 日）前的几个月里，她是忙得不可开交的。

“我拒绝了所有的邀请，但当人们需要你时，他们就是非你不可，”她说。“我有个助手，我会示范动作给他们看，并一路教学直到孕期的最后三个月（第三期）。”

虽然没有接受过正式训练，但凭借着三十年的丰富经验，Gidwani 将宝莱坞风格的“电影感”舞蹈与 MTV 启发的舞步融为一体，并注入了大量的原创性与个人风格。

名义上，她在九龙舞蹈学校（Kowloon School of Dance）任教已有九年，但早在她有记忆以来，她就一直跟着音乐翩翩起舞。“我从三岁起就开始跳舞，五岁就开始自己编舞了，”这名 33 岁的舞者说。“我一直都是带头领舞的人，我无法跟在别人后面模仿。那不是我的风格。我能提供的东西是独特且原创的，我无法盲目地照抄电视上的东西。”

除了过去九年间她教过的无数年轻人［“尖沙咀 95% 会跳舞的印度裔小孩，都曾跟我上过这样或那样的舞蹈课”］，Gidwani 还曾与中国人、日本人、俄罗斯人、英国人及美国人合作过，这些人都被宝莱坞歌舞片的活力与热情所感染。

“特别是对于年长的女士，或是只想在活动场合舞姿好看的小夫妇来说，这是一项很棒的健身运动。跳印度舞，尤其是旁遮普舞（Bhangra），你会晃动全身的肌肉。旁遮普有氧舞（Bhangra-cise）在英国非常流行，我也正在安排香港的课程时间表。”

“印度音乐已经渗透到许多混音歌曲中。从 Eminem 到 Ricky Martin，这种影响力已经延伸到了夜店圈，所以当大家想学着随这种音乐扭动时，他们就会来找我。我很确定自己是第一个将 Hip-hop 和印度歌曲结合并进行教学的人。”

一个厚厚的文件夹揭示了她学生的信息——年龄层从 3 岁到 60 岁不等。“我去年曾与一家国际学校合作，教过老师和学生，他们当时好像是在《红磨坊》上映后准备制作一场宝莱坞表演。他们非常渴望学习，这让我的教学过程充满乐趣。最棒的是完全没有任何麻烦，因为大家都太有热情了。”

进入全球最大的电影产业——宝莱坞工作的机会屡次降临，但她都没有把握。“我曾多次获得进入演艺圈工作的机会，但我还没准备好离开家——我在香港出生长大。去孟买生活、伺候明星和他们的脾气，然后在那里碰撞运气——我当时没有把握。在内心深处，我那时缺乏那种自信。”

那现在呢？

“现在，我婚姻美满，是一个 10 个月大孩子的母亲。我依然能做自己热爱的事，而且说实话，我一点也不后悔。”

撰文：P.Ramakrishnan。摄影：SCMP

刊登于《南华早报》

《南华早报》

发布日期：2003 年 7 月 19 日

Two Nights in Peking: Dior hosts not one but two extravagant gala nights: Anita Mui, Pansy Ho and a galaxy of Asian stars attend in the wake of SARS!

"The day we set the date for the opening of our flagship store, SARS broke out and made headlines," said Philippe Fortunato, managing director, Christian Dior Far East Ltd, after the last of 12 models had sashayed away. "We kept the faith and believed everything would be okay by this date - and here we are, at long last," he said referring to the Asian-inspired autumn/winter 2003 collection show, held at the penthouse of 1 Peking Road, to which we had just been treated.


It might not have been a very auspicious beginning but the culmination of all the effort - the grand opening of Dior's largest flagship store in Asia was, quite literally, a traffic-stopping affair. Dressed in black, red and sparkling diamonds, Hong Kong's A-list came out in their Limos and Rollers: Charles Yeung Chun-kam, Glorious Sun Holding's chairman; Frederic Dufour, Riche Monde HK director; Tina Liu Tin-lan, vice-president of Project Blossom; socialites Nina Lam, Harriet Tung, Wendy Wan and Jaqueline Leung.

Always gorgeous wedding planner Michelle Li defied the dress code ("But it is still Dior darlin'!"). Marketeer Mara Ho-Tung, boutique owner Mira Yeh, and James Louey, of the Kowloon Motor Bus family, and his wife, Jane, were lost in the blinding daze of camera flashes.

Outside, the crowd screamed and strained to see Canto-pop diva Anita Mui Yim-fong, escorted by a casually dressed Nicholas Tse Ting-fung. Film-maker Tsui Hark, Dr Eden Woon yi-teng, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce chief executive, and singer william So Wing-hong followed on the red carpet.

After a tour of the 4,500-sq-ft boutique, guests were invited to the rooftop and soon after the first few rounds of champagne, a charity auction was held to raise money for Project Blossom, an organisation that benefits children of SARS victims.

A Hardcore Dior handbag was snapped up by new-in-town socialite Cecilia Ying for an easy $15,000 while Pansy Ho Chiu-king laid down $45,000 for limited-edition Dom Perignon champagne. Before the auction of the "Gwendolyn" ring (a white coral, diamond and pink sapphire-studded little number set in yellow gold), emcee for the night, Dior's PR king Peter Cheung, coaxed an almost-reluctant Mui on stage.


Notoriously shy off stage, she came alive under the spotlight, her coquettish poses with the ring catcalled and applauded. The ring finally raised HK$235,000 at the silent auction.

William So Wing-hong pitched in later with two songs for the 100 exclusive guests. "Canto-pop stars usually lip-sync their way on stage but this guy can sing," said a very surprised Lumen Man Leung-yan, who was dripping in diamonds and mingling with girlfriends while her husband was away.


Lesser mortals would have been happy with one event but the following night saw "Hardcore Dior," a hot and sweaty affair held at the same venue, at which the music was louder than the guests - all clearly in the mood to "part-ay"!

Korean actress Kim Hyun-ju, Malaysian R&B queen Ning Bazuira and Shanghai model Lu Yan added international flavour. Hari Harilela's granddaughter Nisha Parmanand arrived with model Anna Schoenberg while singer Miriam yeung Chin-wah, clothes-horse Kam Kwok-leung and actress Cecilia Yip Tung walked straight into the VIP area.


But not everyone was so lucky and some didn't make it past the bouncers. the dramatics that ensued were hysterical as some of the barred guests made a scene unworthy of more coverage.

Return to Vintage Form

Of all the events held recently, nothing was quite as scrumptious as Veuve Clicquot's launch of vintages, an evening celebrating the release of three new 1996 vintage reserves. Nine of Hong Kong's most adventurous celebrity chefs were invited to create meals to complement the drinks.


We saw Gary Cheuk of Solstice, Rajiv Singh Gulshan of Veda, Duyen Hackett of Song, Kinsen Kim of Yung kee, Eddy Leung of Poison Ivy, Tony leung Shu-wah of The China Club, Li Shu Tim of One Harbour Road, Paolo Monti of Gaia and Miyasako Yukihiro of san san Trois go wild with their woks... so to speak.

Seven of them held a live demonstration, preparing a dish for the 70-odd guests at the Hong Kong Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre. Harry Hiranand was there with out his gorgeous wife, Shirley, who was out of town, and we saw Riche Monde's Frederic Dufour in conversation with Cindy Won of Yung Kee. Peter Wong from City magazine and Darren Chen from Tiffany & Co mulled around the Solstice table while Tiana Harilela and Bruno Yvon from Riche Monde were seen munching around Song.





South China Morning Post on Friday, June 13, 2003

Ain't nothing better than a Hound Dog: Hong Kong hosts its biggest Dachshund Party

P.Ramakrishnan meets a group of dachshund devotees whose pet project revolves around their four-legged friends

Hiking up to the house of Esta Overmars, the host of the first and "biggest dachshund party of Hong Kong " in Mui Wo on Lantau at the weekend, the battle cry for every new entrant is, "look out!"

Guests dodge dachshie-doo near the entrance as if manoeuvring on a battleground. Meanwhile, a family of three dachshunds have taken over one of the more comfortable chairs on the lawn and a gang of six races up and down the embankment, while others are busy getting their tails and ears scratched by their owners, oblivious to the fawning fans gathered. A gorgeous golden retriever and a fluffy white terrier have gate-crashed the party but this is a bash that bars no age, gender, race or breed.

Forty dog owners have assembled for a forum on dachshunds, but little goes to plan as their 30 charges take delight in each other's company and the various competitions that have been arranged.

A distant cousin of the basset hound, dachshunds, also called badger dogs, hail from Germany, where they were originally bred as hunting dogs. Their short crooked legs are deformations, conditioned over the years to help them dig and burrow into fox and rabbit holes. They can be short-or-long-haired and come in an assortment of colours as they are mix-bred to suit climates and conditions, as well as fashion.

Ignoring the pooches doing biped impressions on her lawn, Overmars relates the sad tale of her first dachshund, Webster, whose death last year is the reason for the gathering. "He was taught how to swim and he was very happy, but he took in too much seawater one day and got bloated," she says. "He couldn't be helped in time so he died. So I built the Harry and Potter Web site [named after her two eight-month-old dachshunds] dedicated to information on taking care of this particular breed. We've all come together today to help each other with problems, to learn from each other's
experience."

While life-saving firsr-aid for canines is discussed, the short-distance race begins. Shamshuipo resident William Fung introduces me to his injured pet Michael. "He's got a back injury and he was operated on but he needs his doggy-wheel-chair for long -distance walks and runs."

Lady luck hasn't been kind to Michael, who gets into a scrape with an unfriendly neighbour trying to jostle for position before the relay. As the dog whines and hides between Fung's legs, his owner recalls: "Coincidence chose us. Late one night, I was going out to get my dinner and I saw him tied by rope to a lamp post. I asked around and heard that somebody had dumped him. I couldn't leave him and now he's with me. I've had him for almost six years."

As owners try to coax their prized possessions into reaching the finishing line, a few stop at halfway and return. Emma, Mary and Bruce Paterson's long-haired non-starter, cowers back but their other dog, Molly, goes for gold. "She is the alpha. She is fiercely possessive about her soft toys and putting one as the target at the end helped," Bruce says about Molly, while carrying Emma out.

Molly, who later wins the Miss Hong Kong framed certificate and a toy, is a crowd favourite. Posing for the camera, she hides a stuffed monkey under her chin to the adulatory flashes of the photographers.

"She is a 'therapy dog' so very docile," Mary Paterson says. "I've taken her into a school with children with cerebral palsy and they would make sudden jerks and movements but she'd just lie there peacefully."

Priscilla Wong, on the other hand, has a trio of snappy and suspicious dogs: Roby, Abu and Tanny, who refuse to stay still for a photo. "Oh, they have minds of their own," Wong despairs.

Overmars later comments: "Owners affect how the dogs will eventually be. They can be happy, they can be perfectly nice dogs like my Harry and Potter, especially if you've had them since they were puppies."

Wong runs Lazy Bones, a small shop on Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, which sells dog toys, accessories, clothes, collars and leashes. She is also an event organiser. "We have parties for dogs every two months," Wong explains, adding that the next event takes place on March 2. "We all get together and go out for walks in different places. Usually about 30 people, 20 dogs turn up."

The second competition tests owners, who are blindfolded and asked to feel the pelt of six dogs, one of which is their own. Boris Chan sneaks into the circle carrying his golden retriever Vincy, but the impatient eight-month puppy does a runner.


By the end of the day, exhausted guests sweat it out and carry their dogs, perfectly relaxed in their arms, down the slope. A couple pleading with their pet to come out from under the chair are among the last to leave. Overmars grins: "Dachshunds own the owner, not the other way around."

February 13, 2003

Heir and graces: Abhishek Bachchan in Hong Kong: 2003

India's new screen prince hopes to step out of the shadow of his famous parents. P. Ramakrishnan meets the subcontinent's rising star, Abhishek Bachchan.

Following in their legendary footsteps is Abhishek who, by his own admission, is yet to attain the box-office clout his father possesses, but finally appears to be on his way with the success of his new film, Kuch Na Kaho (Don't Say Anything). The pressure to succeed is apparent when he talks about some of his less glorious forays.

"I cannot sleep the whole week just before my film's about to release," he admits. "Each film is like a baby that you work on, a labour of love that you spend a year of your life on, and if the audience rejects it, it definitely hurts. The audience is never wrong, I don't question that. A good film runs, a bad one doesn't. To me it's that simple. When a film flops, I sit and analyse what happened. I've got seven films due for release this year and next - there's no sleep in the near future for me."

Fresh from the recent success of Kuch Na Kaho, Abhishek appears at ease at Hong Kong's Holiday Inn this week, an hour after landing at Chek Lap Kok. Like his father, he's tall, has a rich baritone and an ease in front and behind the camera that underscores his movie-star genes, inherited and honed. He is very much the star: dark and handsome but without the postcard prettiness of a model. His vintage charm and decorum fits him as perfectly as his designer suit.

Abhishek was in town to collect an award on behalf of his father and to appear as chief guest at the Miss India Hong Kong pageant on Tuesday evening. When his father unexpectedly turned up at the pageant at the Intercontinental Hotel, there was near pandemonium. "Dad's here," he said, nodding almost imperceptibly while breaking into a toothy grin. He then strolled across to greet his father and the guests parted like an ocean, only to engulf and swallow them up. Stepping from the shadow of the man he calls his "biggest critic" clearly isn't going to be easy.

"Being in the same profession, they cannot be fooled by a lazy actor and point out my flaws as honestly as they can," Abhishek says of his parents. "Rohan [Sippy, director of the film] and I have been childhood friends and we worked very hard on this film. Our fathers have created legendary cinema together but we tried not to think about that when we were making the film. We would have collapsed under the pressure otherwise."

It's about all he's willing to say about rising to the reputation of a living legend. For now, he's content to bask in his first real success. The romantic musical comedy, that was screened over the weekend at the Arts Centre, stars Abhishek as a bachelor who's not interested in arranged marriage but ultimately falls for his picture-perfect co-star, the former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

Although it's easy to swallow how he falls in love with his ravishing leading lady, the sudden break into song-and-dance is something that makes non-followers of the genre flinch. "Hindi cinema is escapist to the core. When the audience comes in, for the next two-and-a-half, three hours, you can forget all your troubles, check in all the problems at the door. Boy meets girl, their eyes meet, they break into a song in Switzerland. Where else can this fantasy play out?" he chuckles.

"There have been strident changes in Indian cinema recently and in the 1950s and 60s some very progressive films were made, but nothing beats this elevated reality. Cinema is a visual medium and looking good is all part of it. So you have the poor boy in the street but he wears Tommy Hilfiger on screen. It's all part of the game. At the same time, there are changes being made where cinema is looking more realistic."

As a graduate from Aiglon College, Switzerland, and then Boston University, his western education and Hollywood-ised entertainment sensibility must be presumed to step over Bollywood's suspended reality. "That's the Indian film industry," he says, "and please don't call it Bollywood."

His father shares the same sentiment. Last year, Bachchan senior told the Post: "Bollywood is an easy catch-phrase coined by the tabloids but we have our own identity and are not aping western cinema. The medium may be the same, but the style is completely different."

Abhishek continues in the same vein. "We don't make films for western audiences," he says. "Indian film has a fan following of its own. An Indian abroad isn't any less of an Indian than he is in India. Our culture is such that it's deep-rooted within us. Indian films are an integral part of us and it's our form of story-telling. Recently Bhoot [Ghost], a relatively short film [two hours] with no songs, did exceptionally well in India. The audience is growing and it's a very intelligent audience. A high percentage of our films have not done well at the box office over the past five years and the movie-makers have noticed. There are progressive changes made. Indian films have never looked better and the industry continues to grow."

Of the 10 films he's starred in over the past three years, Abhishek has hit as many genres as possible. His movies have been set in cities, in villages; his first film, Refugee, was set between the India-Pakistan border whereas his first release this year, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon (I'm Mad About Prem) was shot entirely in New Zealand.

Is he looking for a niche or signing whatever comes along? "Two things that make me sign to a film are its story and its director. Within five minutes of a narration, you can tell what the director is all about. The director can convince me or be convinced that I'm not meant to be in a project," he says.

The most oft-seen phrase in his past reviews has been how "sincere" Abhishek is in his films, even in those that flopped. "Actors sometimes forget the critics are also part of the paying audience. I read constructive criticism and take note of things," he says. "I respect the written word and try to better myself. I know there's no personal vendetta, no axe to grind against me or my family by the reviewer. He/she paid for the ticket like anyone else so why wouldn't I take note? They are walking billboards who point out what's good and what's bad." He knocks on the coffee table in his hotel room. "Touch wood, the success of recent films is hopefully the beginning of a trend."

Abhishek Bachchan Picture by Antony Dickson

Originally published in South China Morning Post,
Friday, September 12, 2003

Rama (ramakrishnanp at hotmail dot com!) 

Horray for Bollywood: Aishwarya Rai: Will this Indian actress and Bollywood superstar conquer Hollywood?

Screen

Studies
P.Ramakrishnan 

When Lagaan (Land Tax) picked up a nomination at the Academy Awards last year, in the Best Foreign Film category, a lot of ink was spilt in the Indian and American media about Bollywood finally making its presence felt in the international arena. Enter the age of "crossover'' styles and cinema, they said, as the musical genre found a mini-revival. Though the film failed to win any trophies at the Golden Globes or the Oscars, it generated enough buzz to be picked up by Sony Pictures Classics for international release.

Re-released in the US and Europe after making it to the "Best of the year'' movie lists among a number of critics, the film still did abysmally at the box office. As Americans can barely feign an interest in cricket, let alone an all-singing, all-dancing film about the sport itself, the film fizzled out within two weeks of release and was quickly packed off to video-store shelves.

Loaded with six of the biggest names in Bollywood, Kaante (Thorns) premiered in New York last December, with much pre-release hype and repeated affirmations on how only international technicians worked in the movie to give it the "Hollywood finish''. Well, finish it did - really quickly in the States, as a New York Times critic concluded that: "Bollywood is essentially a non-narrative art form, in which coherent storytelling plays a distinctly secondary role to the purple pleasures of the moment.''

Devdas, Bollywood's most expensive film ever made, was India's entry to the Oscars this year, brocaded with much hooplah and Asian box-office success - but it couldn't even garner a nomination from the powers that be at the Academy.

So if Indian movies can't capture the hearts of the world's cinema-goers, then why not one of its stars? Enter former Miss World and current Bollywood craze Aishwarya Rai (see pic above). She has just been cast in Gurinder (Bend It Like Beckham) Chadha's next flick, Bride And Prejudice. After the unprecedented success of Chadha's comedy (the modestly budgeted film collected over $31 million and counting in the US), the director zeroed in on the most photogenic actress in Asia for her ambitious musical and re-telling of Jane Austen's tale.

Fellow director Karan Johar saw Rai's appeal well before Chadha did. Johar was part of the Indian film fraternity two years ago at Cannes, and he noticed the audience's immediate fascination with the light-eyed beauty, "There were all these stars dressed in their Valentinos and Armanis, but when Ash stepped down from the horse-driven carriage at the premier in her mustard-colour sari, everyone else faded away. If there's any Indian star who can make the cross over, it's her.''

And this year, Rai who was even asked back to preside on the Cannes jury. Art-house critics in Mumbai guffawed out loud, "What does Aishwarya really know about acting? She was invited to Cannes because she was the Asian model for L'Oreal, and the cosmetic brand was a sponsor for the festival. The same reason why Sharon Stone gets invited to the festivals - because she's press and photo-friendly,'' said one.

Hong Kong audience can see what all the fuss is about this weekend when Rai's film Kuch Na Kaho (Say Nothing) enjoys a brief showing in town.

She joins a line of Indian actresses who have been lured to the bright lights of Hollywood, only to see their careers falter in foreign shores. In the 1980s Shabana Azmi, the most felicitated actress in India, landed a part in Madam Sousatzka (1988) with Shirley Maclaine. After that, she went on to character roles in Immaculate Conception and City Of Joy, followed by an appalling cameo in Son Of The Pink Panther, which she bluntly stated she did for the money.

Then there was Persis Khambatta (Miss India 1965) who skipped Bollywood altogether and made an appearance in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), followed by B-grade brigade appearances in Nighthawks, Megaforce and Deadly Intent. In 1986 she was seen briefly in MacGyver and by 1996 - two years before she succumbed to a heart attack in Mumbai - she was doing two-bit-roles on TV as "the Indian ambassador'' in Lois & Clark and other shows on cable networks.

Maybe, though, Rai should take a leaf out of Rekha's book. At an international film festival in Italy last year, the siren of 1970s Indian celluloid, was asked with her perfect English and pulchritude, why she didn't give Hollywood a go. She simply said, "Why go to the West and be treated like a maid, when I can be the Queen in India?''







Picture Caption: Beauty & the East: Hollywood has its eyes on former Miss World Aishwarya Rai. Image Courtesy of L'Oreal.

Kuch Na Kaho, with Aishwarya Rai and Abishek Bachchan (In Hindi, with English subtitles). Saturday, September 6, 8.30pm. Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
Sunday, September 7, 3.30pm and 7pm. HK Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Rd; Wanchai
Ticket hotline 31 288 288 (For 2 shows at HK Arts Centre), www.hkticketing.com. Tickets: $80, $120, $150


Originally published in South China Morning Post,
Thursday, Sept 4, 2003

P.Ramakrishnan is the unofficial Bollywood correspondent for Hong Kong's leading daily. Write to the writer at rama.p@scmp.com