What’s keeping Ash busy?
Noreen Aslam

BOMBAY—There’s Shankar’s Robot and Pan’s Buddha waiting for the actress, but she seems to have her sights set elsewhere the news is hot that Aishwarya Rai is hurrying all her projects to be completed this year so that she can peacefully plan a baby next year. That is the reason she has been hesitating about Robot. One day it was a ‘yes’, the next a ‘maybe’. Poor Shanker was getting tense. Her price for it went from Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore. Finally when she was told that this project will take two years in the making she hesitated.
She had a discussion with her family and decided that she would not like to stretch it that long. It was a great project to give up and a super price but she is not getting any younger and needs to set aside time for her family. So, it is reported that director Shanker is now on the look out for another beautiful face and has zeroed in on Deepika Padukone. Shanker was really looking forward to Ash being in the film as she was paired opposite Abhishek.
They have not been seen together since Guru. Shanker is still keeping his fingers crossed. He is hoping against hope that Ash will do the film. Says her manager Harii Singh, “We cannot quote anything. There are so many things to be discussed as yet, certain dates, etc. Before the media writes anything they should be responsible enough to at least check out on what they write. Aishwarya is not in India, she is in Miami and I cannot quote regarding Robot on her behalf. The media should understand it is multi- crore rupees project and we should not quote anything. When we are under discussions and until nothing has materialised it should not be out in the media. It is a very confidential thing. We will meet the people first, listen to them, and then we will be reading the script. This is all a very confidential matter.”
The latest news reports say that Ash is also hesitating on doing Buddha. She feels the film will take too long in the making and she is not looking forward to travelling all over the world for the shootings.
Pan Nalin is eagerly awaiting Ash to reply to their offer of playing Yashodhara (Gautam Buddha’s wife) in the period film Buddha that would have an international cast and crew. They want to begin shooting late this year and need a commitment from her. “We expect to start shooting from October,” said Pan. “I can only wait for a little more time. After that I will have no options left but to go ahead with someone else. I’m already contemplating whom to approach in case there is no breakthrough. Maybe I’ll go for an international face. Missing out on Aishwarya will be a big set back for the film. I’m constantly in touch with her business manager Harii Singh. But as of now I haven’t received any word from her side. It is disappointing that we have not been able to work it out till now. I really hope to have her in the film. But, if we don’t get a response from her, we have to automatically leave her out.” Again we asked Harii Singh, who said, “ Regarding Buddha I would say, no comments. As I told you things are being discussed and they are under talks. These are all confidential things that the media keeps writing about. I would say it is too early to say anything for both the films. Sixteen people are waiting for definite answers. This is not the right time to speak.”
At present, Ash is very busy with Mani Shanker’s film and rehearsing for the Unforgettable Tour with Abhishek and Amitabh. But suddenly, out of the blue, she seems to be keen on doing Rohan Sippy’s film Happy Birthday that she had earlier refused. Rohan had rushed to the US to convince her to do the film. This would be her first time pairing with John Abraham, which was quite a coup. But she had refused good friend Rohan for Sriram Raghavan’s film. Now she has had a change of mind. As she may not be doing Robot, she has shown an interest in Happy Birthday. Rohan is quite excited but unfortunately John has commitments elsewhere.