Aishwarya Rai interview with Rajeev Masand I Maleficent 2

You know, Aishwarya, if there is such a thing as great casting, perfect casting, this has to be it. Get the most beautiful woman in the world and then cast her as the mistress of evil. You know, that classic combination, beauty and danger, never fails. Oh, well, I wish I was doing a movie actually. But in the voiceover too, this was fun. It looks like you're having fun. Look at that promo and I love the red lips and I love the line. I love how you're seeing it with such sort of, you know, you're clearly enjoying it. I think Nikki and Florian did a fantastic job of the styling of the character because even though we were doing a promo, typically of ours, nothing is half small. Right, right. When we do it, we walk the talk literally. So if they were just saying, okay, we're going to do a promo, we were like, yeah, but if we do it, we're not, they've not given us the actual costume, but yet they wanted it to look like the character. So we decided to create our own and we had fun doing that. And the whole idea of a promo is to excite the viewer, to, I guess, get them, pick their curiosity and want them to discover, you know, what lies within this, the narrative of this movie. But you're having fun with it. You have to say that line. Will you say it? Is that the one? Oh, look at you. That's the one. It was fun. It was fun. Clearly the husband approves because Abhishek actually tweeted the trailer and he said, how cool is this? Yeah. Yeah. He, he liked what, what we did with that. Because everything came together so quickly to get the availability. It was all very, very last minute and then, and then for it to turn out the way it did, I must say, made us all smile and had us happy because, yeah, because when, don't like to do anything that doesn't make you feel content with the work put out. So, yeah. But you know, I remember quite early on in your career, Ash, you sort of realized that, okay, let's take this thing that everyone goes on and on about, which is your incredible beauty, and how do we sort of do something unpredictable with it? Because I'm referring to Khaki, where you were, of course, the hero of the film until, of course, one discovers that she goes on to betray the hero. I mean, do you remember that? I mean, that came at a time when that was quite rare in the movies, right? I got to work with such fabulous talents and not enough. I mean, Rajji was a fabulous storyteller in his writing, in his visual narrative. And he and me had been hoping to collaborate from the first year that I joined movies. There were a couple of other projects that were meant to take off that didn't. So eventually, when it turned out being Khaki, I still remember, and he was so clever with it. The director's idea also was to reveal to me halfway through the making of the film, which I thought was so clever. You didn't know that? He turned it on its head, you know. And of course, at that point, this was, I remember I had my accident and all of that. And I was like, oh, is he kind of turning it around because of this as well? And he was like, no, I had thought about it. And I still remember all the other... And it's a great moment, you played it very well in the film. Ajay, Akshay and Paa, at that point, Amitji, they were all, apparently, they all teased Rajji and they said, kabhi nahi karegi, kabhi nahi karegi. We want to be there when you tell her that this is really the part that she's essaying. And he said, trust me, she's going to be totally cool with it. This he told me later. And typically, I was like, oh yeah, cool. So he was like, you were so nonchalant. They were all like, we had built it up. They thought there'll be this really dramatic questioning. I was really cool with it because I have always loved working with different ideas or anything different or interesting or new at the time. Of course, now there have been so many such, but at the time it seemed different and the way it plays out and there isn't much hoo-ha about it. It's just, it's a great moment. And you pick up the fine detailing, which is always so much more fun than always making something much ado about it. But this one, Ash, this one, Maleficent, it's different because she's a Disney villain, you know, in a Disney fairy tale, she's the villain. Now, you know, I would imagine that this is a film that your daughter's going to watch. She's going to go, mom, why are you making that poor girl's life so miserable? No, but see, that's what's interesting because this is the sequel that I'm doing the voiceover for. So you've seen the first part. It's so interesting that I saw the first part in the week off. So I hadn't seen it for the two. I guess I don't, I'm not sure if you've seen it either because when you hear Maleficent, she's the anti-hero. But when you see the film, you understand why she is that way. No, but she's eventually the godmother. She's the epitome of love. So what we have read for years, Sleeping Beauty, Prince comes and all of that. This suddenly isn't that anymore. It's about, you see, what's true love? A mother, a mother's love is true. So you actually end up liking Maleficent. And we had seen it in the week off. So for my kid, she loved Maleficent. It's so, and it was, it was like, I feel it was almost like some kind of divine decision making because three days later I get this mail. And it flashed on my phone when I was putting Aaradhya to bed. I was setting the alarm. Mommy is just putting the morning alarm of some five o'clock or whatever for me to wake up. Every day I'm like, okay, yeah, this is the time. And I'm like, why am I seeing the message that comes on? I'm like, what am I reading Maleficent? So it felt like three days ago. And so I said it aloud. I said, one minute, what's Maleficent? So she said, Maleficent? So I'm like, they're asking me for Maleficent. She's like, wow, wow, wow, you're going to be doing it? And I'm like, no, the movie's done. I'm not playing the part, but this is a voiceover, but they're asking me for it. I'll address it in the morning or maybe it was already late. I mean, it was only night, but it kind of just felt really weird. We'd just seen it three days ago. And so her reaction was actually, her eyes lit up. You know, Angelina Jolie's daughter, Vivian, played the younger Aurora in the first Maleficent. You know what my question is going to be? Do you ever think of the time that maybe Aradhi and you would work together? Who knows about sharing the screen? We don't know. I really don't know what life has in store for me or for her. So live each moment for what it is. And let's see. Let's see. Ash, you were crowned the most beautiful woman in the world when you were so young. You know, what did that teach you? Also, you know, to be described in that way for more than 20 years. What is your, what are your words of wisdom to young girls when it comes to labels? Enjoy compliments. Don't believe them. It's as simple as that. Just enjoy them, but don't quite believe them. How do you not believe it when it's the one thing that you're constantly reminded of and told every moment? There's so many things like that, but that's where you show your grain and that's what will reflect who you are and how in touch with reality you are. So it keeps you real and it reflects on who you are. Fairy tales tend to have happy endings. Your daughter now is, of course, you know, old enough to, I mean, she's older now. We live in a world where 16-year-old Greta Thunberg speaks out about the dangers of climate change. How do you explain not so happy endings, that it's not a perfect world that we live in? I keep it very real with her and I think there's so much going on. I think this generation, I think we all speak about that, all of us. I think we're living in a time of so much communication and it's so nice that we keep it going as well. I think that is key to it all, you know. It reflects itself in media itself and the various platforms that are there to share. I'm not talking about social media, I'm talking just information we are privy to. Some people say you're fed too much, some feel you're exposed too much, but the point is you're privy to so much of it. And just like anything and everything in life, there are the pros and the cons, there are the strengths and the weaknesses of it all. But that's where, again, what comes in is who you are or who you have in your life to, I won't say, well, to guide you or to help you along the journey. So it's all about influences, who impacts, who guides, who impresses upon. And that's what I think all goes into fashioning who you, I, our kids, our elders, everybody is really. And that's where we always say life is the greatest teacher and experience says it all. So that itself, I think, gives you your power of discretion and your ability to be able to gauge between happy endings, not so happy endings, but the point or, you know, what's positive or what's not. Interpretation of happy and sad is individual. And you have to, I am, I've always said be positive is not just about group. And I've always been a huge champion of that very, very real belief of mine. And that's something that I and I keep a very, very open community. I keep a very open communication going with Aradia on all fronts and everything. And hopefully she will someday say that, you know, that kind of worked for her. Yeah, I'm just doing what I know. And I hope that works for her. I pray it does. Now, you know, I have to ask the question about it's been what, a year now since the last release. This one is like a voice. So it doesn't really count as, you know, she made another movie. Thanks for saying that. Yeah, yeah. It doesn't. You're not going to get away with that. You're not going to say, oh, I did this for this film. No, obviously. I know you're going to start the Maniratnam film. That's no secret. Do you miss working as much as your fans miss seeing you on screen? Oh, that's just so nice. Oh, thank you. But it's true. You know that. Rajiv, every time you meet me, you also write. You also write. Come on. There is a lot of interesting work happening out there. There is some which is kind of OK. I mean, that's obviously what makes you kind of want to go for it or not go for it. And you have to be honest about that. Also, sometimes what happens is, I think when you go through experiences where you've heard something, it's a movie in your head and then you go and do it. And then it's kind of the movie that you thought it is, but it's not kind of that at all. So you're constantly kind of trying to think, OK, one minute. Now, different appeals to me. Sure. But this whole realm of different also has its own space, right? So you can kind of... Even within that, you need to find what you really want. No, and within that, you've got to be, like I said, you've got to be convinced. Correct. Now, more and more that it turns out being what you're thinking it is or what you're imagining or viewing it to be. So probably that's where the search. So when I keep saying I'm hearing ideas, yeah, and some ideas sound great. And then you kind of have even more meets and even more discussions. And sometimes you feel this is taking flight. Sometimes you kind of feel, OK, kind of... How open or not are you to the idea of working in... You know, today, what's exploding? I mean, Abhishek's going to be, you know, in Breathe 2. Is that something that you're open to? I have, of course. I have been and I have to be honest and to be fair to all those who have a push. Because you all know. Yeah. No, there have been some... Again, the word we keep saying, interesting ideas. That you kind of flirt with for a bit. And then, you know, with time... Because the other thing is either you plunge right into it. And if I could help it, I've never wanted to do that. Probably much to the impatience and the chagrin of many. Right. So I apologize to all those that I tend to do that with. But I think you kind of, you know, you kind of live with it. And you see if that's going somewhere. You feel... Sure. Because this has to. Something you want it to... You want to live with it for a while or just have it just be a memory. So either or. When you come to web series, it's something that's going to unfold. A commitment. Yeah, yeah. Over a period of time. Again, it reveals itself and has to engage. It's a different kind of narrative. It's a different edit pattern. It's a different... And I think when you work with so many professionals, the kind of professionals I have. Right. Somewhere, even though you want to remain just the earnest actor. And you keep very, you know, sincerely say, I know that's just my job. You can't help but viewing it from all the other aspects as well. Correct. And when I feel, okay, or I hope, I mean, eventually when I take the plunge for all I'm just going to say, you're going to take it so long to basically see that you're still going to have to wait some more. I just want to be completely... I want to know either I have to... But the good part is when it first started, is this the one you chose? The good part is now you don't have to worry about it being, is this the one? You can do a couple of them and it's fine. But when it started out, it was exclusivity. So recently when I'm talking to a couple of directors, they say when we are not exclusive, forget you being exclusive. Fine. You do a couple of them and it's fine. So now it's kind of blossomed into that. It kind of eases me into now choosing. Because when I was always looking for just the one, that's kind of tough. Because it puts a lot of pressure on my... I only I think I'm putting a lot of pressure. It's always you only who's putting all the pressure. I want to like it, yeah. First to start, I want to say like, yeah, this is the one particular one that... If you choose just one character, how do you do just one? Correct. But the good part is now you can do a couple of them. So that's eased that up. So now is a good time. So now we're going to wait. This year we will settle for just the voice. No more excuses after this. Oh yeah, sure. Okay, thank you. Always a pleasure, Ash. Wish we saw you more often. Thank you so much. Always lovely to see you. Thank you.