Dec 15, 2004 02:29 PM
7697 Views
(Updated Mar 07, 2012 12:25 AM)
This appraisal is not an endeavor to condemn our Ex Ms World (1994) Aishwariya Rai, but more accurately to find a fitting niche for her talents. After assessing her strengths and weaknesses, there may
possibly be something more suitable that she can do with herself. By weighing her assets, one could find her a more appropriate career! Please read on with many pinches of salt…
Her strengths are:
Her appearance, Indian and somewhat exotic.
VERY photogenic.(you will have a lot to say when/if you see her face to face, real life)
Business acumen with wh ich she markets herself very well. Intelligent and shrewd. Hardworking.
Maturity and clarity of thinking, an excellent ambassadress (female ambassador). Could convince anyone with a few well spoken timely words, combined with a flutter of the eyelashes (as seen in Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam to a hapless Salman).
Good diction, vocabulary and command of the English lingo. And most importantly, she has something clever to say most of the time.
Amazing presence. There’s almost something regal about her, when seen on TV/ magazines naturally (not acting).
A very good model, ramp or cover.
Professionalism and aura.
In India, if you are female and attractive (or think you are), or have access to plastic surgeons/ Godfather’s in the film industry, and have on some pretext become popular with the media , you shall most robotically want to progress to the movie industry. It’s the same case with most of the Miss India’s, who always prefer movies to world peace and poverty!
Take the history of Aishwariya Rai, born in 1973 in Mangalore, Karnataka she began her first ad campaign in the 9th grade and was a successful model on the ramp, television and magazine covers even before she participated in the Miss India pageant. Unexpectedly she stood 2nd to Sushmita Sen, but won the Ms World pageant. From then on, it was the same story- stardom through cinema.
It speaks for itself when you observe that most of our actors/actresses were previously modeling or have actor parents or siblings. Ofcourse acting genes do flow in the blood as far as the family is concerned, but does that aspect, or the modeling stint before, guarantee you of acting aptitude?
Aishwariya is perfect as the gracious ambassadress of L’Oreal, high end watch manufacturers Longines, and another jewelry brand, but on screen, she’s quite difficult to watch when attempting to emote. Personally I feel her face should be depicted for an Indian doll like that of Kim Basinger’s Barbie face, or appear in magazine layouts and most definitely appear as a spokesperson for somebody.
Recently there was a photograph of her taken with Gong Li and Laetita Casta at the Cannes film festival (https://specials.rediff.com/movies/2004/may/14sld3.htm) and possibly it’s being prejudiced, but I think she stands far better looking and appealing than either of her accomplices in the photograph. She was a judge on the panel of adjudicators at that film festival, which goes a long way in revealing the extent of her influence, inspite of the fact that only a few of her movies (counted by the fingers on one hand, with a few to spare)have been hits. There must be a different dimension in her numerous abilities, which segregate her from the many other seriously talented people in India and gives her such distinction.
Brands such as L’Oreal, (Pepsi and now) Coca-Cola, Longines etc advertise her face globally and she has been voted as one of the most beautiful woman in the world. But have any of these people seen her act?
For one, her repertoire of expressions is exceedingly limited, which is confusing for the Indian audiences. When you expect a miserable tearful look, you see tears yes, but a blank face and the same applies for most of her other emotions as well. Take for example Hum dil de chuke sanam, when she’s eating chilies. She must be suffering as you see in the ‘frightened’ look on her face, only problem is, it’s the same look she has when Salman Khan leaves her and goes back to Italy, the same when she finally realizes that Ajay Devgan is in pain too because of her, and the same when she spurns Salman when he returns for her, and she chooses Ajay.
It’s the identical expression she carries into Devdas, Choker Bali and in a different persona in Bride & Prejudice. Choker Bali was a period Bengali film surpassing most in terms of character representation and remarkable photographic ambiances created with light and the lack of it. Yet the role is wasted on Aishwariya because the audience never feels the anguish her character must feel. She appears with almost no makeup, dressed as simply as possible and looks ethereal in scenes, but that’s it.
Obviously her star appeal has surpassed her acting talents by such a distance that it doesn’t matter what she does when it comes to acting, as long as she’s involved in the project. Her main contribution to every venture that she’s a part of is to look beautiful. Furthermore, she might just prove to be a success in Hollywood, where a lot of Indian melodramatic screen activities such as hysterical proclamations of undying eternal love are unwarranted. The proverbial stiff upper lip (and rest of the face) could work to her advantage, in some cases.
Therefore the ideal job description for her would be to conduct herself as a talk show hostess or an emissary, and her requirements would comprise of looking beautiful, appearing for international/ national events, possibly public speaking- or perhaps landing a good acting career abroad.
Please do leave comments on any other suitable profession for Aishwariya Rai.
