Not only has 40-year old Aishwarya Rai, also known as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, established herself as a leading actress in Bollywood and Indian film, the 1994 winner of Miss India World also does her own stunts.
Rai last appeared in Sanjay Gupta’s film Guzaarish in 2010, in which she played a nurse caring for a quadriplegic with whom she falls in love. She was nominated for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards.
Now, after four years of maternity leave from her acting career, Rai will be appearing in Gupta’s new film, Jazzba. This was confirmed by Gupta himself on Twitter late last week.
Yes guys it's true. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play the dynamic female lead in my action/thriller JAZBAA.
— Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) May 16, 2014
Though the film is not a woman-centered drama, Rai will be “hero of the film,” according to Gupta.
“There is no gender-specificity in what she does in the narrative. I’ve cast her in a role like any of the heroes in my films. She could be John Abraham in ‘Shootout At Wadala’ or Sanjay Dutt in ‘Zinda’. It’s that kind of a role where her gender plays no role in the proceedings.”
Gupta also promises that, although Rai has an “ultra-glamorous personality,” he will not use that in the film. “She will glow from within,” he said.
Rai has been married to to fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan since April 20, 2007. They first met while filming Dhoom 2. Their relationship is often described as being more famous than Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, or Brangelina. Their daughter, born in 2011, was nicknamed “Beti B” by fans of the couple until four months later when Bai and Bachchan officially named her Aaradhya.
Immediately following the completion of Jazzba, Gupta will also be directing Rai’s husband in the film Khottey Sikkay.
Though she did some action stunts in Dhoom 2, Rai plans to do more involved stunts in Jazzba without the use of a body double. She has already begun training.
Jazzba will be showcased at the Cannes film festival in 2015.
Image via Wikimedia Commons