Highlights
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has dismissed scepticism about her pairing with superstar Rajnikanth, two decades her senior, saying that he like father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan is an actor who has defied age.
- "Rajni sir, like pa (Amitabh) is a professional and humility personified. There was no age factor. They are both legendary actors due to their body of work. Hence, their cinema becomes exciting to the viewers. Rajni sir's humility is a lesson to learn," Aishwarya told PTI.
- The 60-year-old Tamil cinema legend had thanked the former Miss World for working with him at the music launch of the film last month and Aishwarya said that the film was a difficult but fun ride.
Pics: EndhiranPreview: RobotAishwarya Rai Bachchan has dismissed scepticism about her pairing with superstar Rajinikanth, twodecades her senior, saying that he like father-in-law AmitabhBachchan is an actor who has defied age.
"Rajni sir, like Pa (Amitabh) is a professional andhumility personified. There was no age factor. They are bothlegendary actors due to their body of work. Hence, theircinema becomes exciting to the viewers. Rajni sir's humilityis a lesson to learn," Aishwarya told PTI.
The 60-year-old Tamil cinema legend had thanked theformer Miss World for working with him at the music launch ofthe film last month and Aishwarya said that the film was adifficult but fun ride.
The 36-year-old actress said, "Director Shankar andmyself were attempting to do a project for quite a while now.The opportunity came with
Robot. This is not an easy film tomake and is technically way ahead."
The actress plays a young student Sanaa in the film anddescribed her character as a livewire.
"So far, I have done character driven roles and not beenpart of conventional commercial genre for a long time. Sanaais not a difficult character. It is what leading ladies in anentertainer do. In my case, such roles have been rare," saidthe actress.
"But, Shankar has given her grain, roots. She is astudent who is doing further studies in medicine. There isdegree of logic why she is in the film. Shankar has takenentertainment to the next level," she added.
Aishwarya said since she started out in movies, shehas never done roles of a conventional newcomer.
"I experienced different genres of films with ManiRatnam, Shankar, Rahul Rawail, Mansoor Khan, Sanjay LeelaBhansali in the initial years," she recalled.
When asked about her experience working in Tamilmovies, Ash said she had done
Iruvar and
Jeans in Tamilbefore
Ravanan and now
Endhiran.
"There is a misconception that people do movies downsouth because they don't get work here. But, I am an openminded actor. I sign movies for the characters that areoffered to me," she said.
According to her, Shankar is a visionary whose moviesare highly entertaining for the common man.
"He re-defines magnificence and is willing to pushcreative boundaries. I respect filmmakers and the kind ofmovies they make and Shankar has proved himself as a directorand Rajni sir is a legend," she said.
Aishwarya said she looks at the film being offered toher in totality and not just her character. "My part isimportant of course. But it is the director and the entireteam that make the experience of filmmaking very exciting. Ifeel that there is pleasure in working as a team," she added.
Having worked in four Tamil movies, the former MissWorld said she was far more comfortable in Tamil language now.
"I would not risk breaking into a conversation because Idon't do it on a daily basis. But, I am now more confident inTamil than I was during 'Iruvar' and
Jeans," she said.
"As an actor I am a director's student and will portraywhat he wants me to be seen as on screen. I am usually notthinking about the language," she added.
Aishwarya who was studying to be an architect when shewas bitten by the acting bug, also dismissed the notion thatmarriage marks the end of an actress' career.
"There have been actresses who continue to work postmarriage and you can pull out several names in differentdecades. However, in the recent times it was becoming apre-conceived idea that probably leading ladies would notcontinue to work. I never paid attention to this even asa single girl," she said.
The actress said that she is thankful to her industrycolleagues for her successful innings.
"I am fortunate to have met like-minded professionals. Imay want to work after marriage, but there should be directorswho want to work with me. My faith has been kept by the peopleI worked with. Nobody changed their mind. Directors came to mewith scripts," she said.
Aishwarya, who will celebrate her 37th birthday onNovember 1 said actors are as old or young as the directorsees them.
"Our job as actors is to pull off that character withconviction," she said.
"Since,
Iruvar and
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, I havenever shirked away from playing characters. I am fortunatethat my directors gave me opportunity to essay different kindsof roles," she added.