Aishwarya Rai is all set to start shooting for her comeback film Jazbaa after a two-year sabbatical.
But as they say, conditions apply.
According to sources, Aishwarya will only shoot when she is not needed to be at home for her daughter Aaradhya. Husband Abhishek will have to adjust his schedule to be as much at home as possible when his wife is at work.
Jazbaa director Sanjay Gupta states the shoot will be held in January and February. "Aishwarya won’t be shooting on weekends, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Like Aishwarya, I am a very hands-on parent. I want to spend time with my children even when I’m working."
Sanjay is very clear that casting Aishwarya, on a comeback, was not a planned gimmick for him. "I would have made Jazbaa with Aishwarya anyway, no matter when. It requires a larger-than-life female hero and who better than Aishwarya?”
The filmmaker is happy to see so many female-centric films being made recently.
"More power to the female actors, I say," he says. "But one has to be careful about the scripting of these films. Whether it was Sridevi in English Vinglish, Priyanka Chopra in Mary Kom or Kangna Ranaut in Queen, it was the script that finally worked. So it is with Jazbaa.”
Sanjay says he can feel the pressure of the responsibility.
"I’m beginning to realise how much of a responsibility it is to direct Aishwarya’s first film in three years. Shabana Azmi also stars in the film. It was my dream to direct her one day. Shabana’s role has plenty of thehrao. Her character is the voice of reason in the film," he says.
The director says there are plenty of confrontational scenes between Shabana and Aishwarya.
"They are there in the original film. I am not revealing the source of my script because it’s a suspense film. The minute I reveal the original film’s title, the suspense will go. But I have made one major change in the remake -- I have added a confrontation sequence between Shabana and Irrfan’s characters. How could I have these two great actors in my film and not bring them together in the same frame?” he asks.
Photograph: Francois Durand/Getty Images
