Aishwarya Rai Talks About Her Childhood Memories & Early Days In Bollywood

Were you aware of what you were doing or was it in the days that happened? Because very soon, the moment you got into modelling, I think within a few years, you won the Miss World crown. Actually, it was all very, very quick. Each thing, I did a lot of work, strangely, within a very short period. So, it seemed like it was after a few years that I went for the title, but it was within a year and a half. But at the same time, within each phase, I did a lot of work. So, in that sense, I thank God for the way things worked, where I could carve my niche and I could move on. And yet, I wasn't stagnating at any phase, enough to be bored. I sort of enjoyed every phase and moved on. Now, we've talked about your filmy side always. We've heard a lot about your filmy side. So, let's take a small turn, a twist towards your non-filmy life. So, could you take us on a journey of your pre-modelling days? Pretty long one. Pre-modelling. Well, I've very often said that, how far back do you want me to go? Okay, how was Aishwarya Rai as a child? Not very different from who she is today because I like to keep the child alive in me. I think that's very, very important for every person because, I don't know, I sort of enjoy being this child woman. Of course, I guess you guys tend to meet the woman in me more often, but I do keep the child alive. And I guess you get to see glimpses of her in the various roles I portray. And it just keeps a very positive, fun spirit alive. So, you're one actress who's not wasted anywhere in terms of talent, in terms of your face. For example, there are a lot of actresses who have accomplished star status, but they've been doing strong in dance numbers. They don't have substance in their roles. That is an approach and I am thankful for the directors of this industry for recognising that from the onset. I must say this. And I reiterate from the onset because the movies that made people sit up and take notice, like, say, Hum Dil Dechu Ke Sanam and Taal, they were my releases about my third and fourth Hindi movies. But these offers had come way before. I mean, you saw it as my third and fourth release, but obviously they had come almost at the beginning. And for the directors to have had faith in me, or for that matter, most importantly Mani Ratnam himself, for having had faith in me at the very beginning and having offered me a role in Iruvar, itself did create for my confidence, my belief and my interest to learn as a student of acting. Because I had to learn quick. I was already in the industry and great level of expectations. And the better the directors, the better the roles that were offered to me, it meant that much harder work, that much more focus. And I have my directors to thank and the industry at large. I mean, it's not just the directors. There are so many writers, there are so many my colleagues, there are technicians, there are cinematographers who have been so encouraging and had so much belief right from the beginning that I think that is what helped to strengthen my approach from the beginning. I mean, you're such a good dancer. You're great personified in terms of, say, No, no, no. Really, I mean, you're very good. And so have you had some kind of formal training in dancing? Yes, I did learn Bharatanatyam in my schooling years. I mean, and I'm not saying I was, I was ready for Maharangetram. I did not do it. I did not complete that. And I was not, I think the main thing about dancing is that I enjoy it. I did learn it for five years. There's no doubt about it. But it's not that I was, you know, doing Abhyas every day or any such thing. It was a very, at the school level, the kind of, you know, classes that you go to and you learn, it was just that. But truly, today, more than even technique, I think on screen, what you do tend to see when people talk about my dancing, I think what you really see is me enjoying doing it, rather than the technique or the precision. I enjoy dancing, I enjoy music. And I think that's what comes across. Thank you so much for being with us. What is the message that you would like to give our viewers? I don't know about messages. I'm not always here to sit and wax eloquent. But I would like to thank them for, while I kept saying I thank my directors, I mean, I must state here that whatever, even the media, the media's constant questioning of my capabilities kept probably my sincerity alive. So I thank them for that. And I definitely thank my audience. Because at every phase when, my life has always had this wave pattern, and I'm glad for that. And at every phase, they have been extremely supportive. And probably that's why the moment there is a spark, it becomes, the entire fire starts raging. It's just like, even if Hamdir was a beautiful performance, I mean, people have made it out to be so memorable for me. So I thank them for making this, for constantly encouraging me and showering me with their love. It means a lot. Great. Thank you so much. We really, really, really enjoyed. And you're awesome. Thank you.