Bhansali bends rules for Aishwarya

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known to be a stickler for strict schedules during filming, but he is voluntarily giving Aishwarya Rai a few days break from the shooting of "Guzaarish" so that she can attend the premiere of "Paa" that has her husband and father-in-law in lead roles.

"It's no big deal. Adjusting my schedule is the least I can do for someone who has been a dear friend for many years. But this was not done for Aishwarya. It was for 'Paa' and Amitji. It's a very special moment for the family," Bhansali told IANS.

Releasing Friday, "Paa" is produced by AB Corp. The film is about a father-son-son-father relationship - while Abhishek Bachchan plays a politician, Amitabh will be seen as his 13-year-old son suffering from progeria, a disease that accelerates the ageing process.

While Aishwarya will play a perfect host at the "Paa" premeire Dec 3 here, Bhansali will shoot solo scenes with the film's leading man Hrithik Roshan.

"Aishwarya is not just Sanjay's leading lady. After doing three films together, they are family. Sanjay saw how stressed Aishawarya was trying to balance her tight schedules for 'Guzaarish' with the time required to pitch in with real-life pa for 'Paa'.

"In fact, Mr. Bachchan has been running around alone inviting the film fraternity for the premiere on December 3 since Abhishek has been shooting non-stop in Goa for Ashutosh Gowariker and Jayaji is in Delhi attending parliament," said a friend of Bhansali and Aishwarya.

"When she expressed her helplessness about not being available for Amitji to make arrangements for the premiere, Sanjay made up his mind to give her those crucial days on and before the premiere off, although it meant considerable schedule adjustment on his part," added the friend.

Aishwarya has been juggling her "Guzaarish" schedule with her duties as a hostess for family events to the best of her abilities. On Saturday evening she was present as an integral part of the Bachchan family with husband Abhishek, sister-in-law Shweta and the Big's B bother Ajitabh Bachchan's kids for a poetry reading on Harivansh Rai Bachchan's birth anniversary.

"She had little time to prepare her poems. But she recited Harivansh Rai Bachchan's lines like a true Bachchan," said a close friend of Aishwarya.

Aishwarya Rai is today's 'dreamgirl', says Hema Malini

For Bollywood's original 'dreamgirl' Hema Malini, beauty queen-turned-actress Aishwarya Rai is the only one who deserves the 'dreamgirl' tag among all the new age actresses.

'Whoever is on top is the dreamgirl. I feel it is Aishwarya Rai,' Hema told reporters on being asked who, according to her, deserves to be called the 'dreamgirl' nowadays.

Taking about the hardships an actress has to face, she said: 'An actress' life is the same - nothing has changed. It is what it was even 20 years back. They have to work very hard, make themselves look beautiful and need a lot of dedication to remain at the top,' said Hema, who was in this suburb of the national capital Monday to felicitate winners of supermarket Big Bazaar's 'Meet The Dreamgirl' contest.

Snubbing the whole idea of having a size zero figure, Hema said: 'There's no need (for a size zero figure). I was not a size zero. You must have a flat stomach - not a pot belly - and a nice and beautiful face - at least a tolerable face - and you can be an actress.'

Dressed in a pale yellow, elegant sari, the 60-year-old actress was at her forthright best when asked about her future projects.

'I've signed one or two (films) which are held up because of the financial problems in the whole world. Otherwise I would have finished those two and they would have released by now.'

'One is with Nana Patekar which Deepa Sahi is directing, and the other is with another producer. It is not right to expose everything about a film,' she said.

Another film that Hema is working on is 'Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi' - in which she will play a role based on the life of prominent political figure Vijayaraje Scindia.

Hema, who has delivered hits like 'Seeta Aur Geeta', 'Satte Pe Satta', and 'Sholay' in the past, is also toying with the idea of getting into production and returning to direction after almost 17 years.

'I'm planning to start production. I don't want to say much about it because every time I talk about these things, they never happen. It's my desire to make lovely films because I am an artist and a very creative person,' she said.

'But filmmaking is not a joke...so many things are involved,' she added.

The actress, who had her first stint with direction in 1992 with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Dil Aashna Hai', says she would want to be a liberal producer and not want to impose her ideas on the youth.

source- www.dhangout.com