Ash bonds with Freida, Natasha at Cannes

Cannes: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, who is here to attend the ongoing 67th Cannes International Film Festival, has made some new friends - she connected with Freida Pinto and Natasha Poly - on the first meeting.

While "Slumdog Millionaire" fame Freida is Hollywood-based Indian actress, Natasha is a Russian model.

The L`Oreal Paris ambassadors Aishwarya and Freida met at a special shoot for L`Oreal Paris at Cannes and both were excited.

"I have met Freida for the first time in person. All of us L`Oreal Paris spokespeople are so different, but each one of us is worth it," Aishwarya said in a statement. 

Talking about Natasha, the "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" star said: "I met Natasha for the first time and she is a new mother, so we connected that way." 

Aishwarya, who will walk the red carpet Tuesday and Wednesday, also has a daughter named Aradhya Bachchan with husband and actor Abhishek Bachchan.

Copyright: zeenews.india.com

Udaan applauded, Freida's film screened at Cannes

By Uma D. Ajmera/TNN

India's entry in Cannes, the first after seven years, has gone down well with the festival's audience. Present at its gala screening on May 19 night was its debut director Vikramaditya Motwane with Dipa De Motwane, his mother the executive producer of the film, along with its actors Ronit Roy, Ram Kapoor, and the brilliant young lead, Rajat Barmecha, the cynosure of all eyes, also making his debut in the lead role. The fear at press screenings in Cannes is that viewers walk out in droves if it disappoints them. But, for Udaan the packed hall stayed hushed all through its 137 minutes. As it ended, there came the long applause, a token of appreciation rarely accorded. In the foyer, people with moist eyes came up to say how touching they found the story was on many levels. 

Using a pacing that stays reflective and internalised, Udaan starts in a hill-town boarding school. Four playful adolescent students sneak out late evening to watch an adult movie, where their warden sees them. The four are expelled the following day. As they part and bid goodbye, the underlying fear is one of uncertainty. What will happen to these young, spirited rebels? Where will they head in life? 

The more sensitive among them, Rohan, who is an aspiring poet, is totally in the dark about what awaits him. He is sent to his father, whom he has not seen in the past eight years, who lives in the dull industrial town of Jamshedpur. On arriving, Rohan learns that he has a forlorn eight-year-old brother with whom he must share a room. His father is a bullish misfit carrying massive grudges against life, which he takes out on the two siblings. At first, the openly resentful Rohan accepts his drab life. But when his right to an education and resolve to be a writer are squashed, he revolts by indulging in sly midnight capers. 

The father-son conflict reaches a climax which helps Rohan break free and launch out on his own, showing humanity and courage that is laudable. The casting is brilliant and the actors pitch their roles with conviction. Particularly striking is Rajat Barmecha as the defiant yet dreamy 17- yearold. The child actor Aayan Boradia pulls at heartstrings as the downcast and bereft little son. Udaan in Cannes has made a head start. 

Another Indian actor made her first screen appearance in Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger , screened out of competition. This is Freida Pinto, no less, playing one of the love interests in the many hit-and-miss emotional adventures the film juggles in its ironic tale of upper-class urban life in London (Woody Allen's fourth to be shot in England). Freida holds her own and her role commendably, even if it is slight and meandering in the film. Anupam Kher makes a brief appearance as her father. 

Mrinal Sen was visibly moved as he attended the tribute Cannes Classics paid to his 1983 film, Khandahar at a well attended screening, with Festival Director Thierry Frémaux introducing him on stage. His son, who accompanied the master, wrote an emotional letter to the organisers saying how moved he was on seeing the film restored to its new pristine quality. The same section showed another restored print, Ritwik Ghatak's Titash Ekti Nadir Naam , but disappointingly, this screening went without any presentation or fanfare. 

Bollywood's glam dolls go de-glam

By ndtv.com

After having seen Deepika Padukone at her glamorous best in all her past films, get set to see theOm Shanti Ombeauty in an all new avatar in Ashutosh Gowariker'sKhelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey. Deepika will be seen in a completely de-glam avatar wearing traditional Bengali sarees.

Here's a look at a few other beauties who have donned a de-glam look in the past.

Who can forget former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan inDhoom 2but get set to see the actress without any trace of make-up in her forthcoming movieRaavan, which is due to release this June.

It is not for the first time that Ash will be seen without make up, the pretty actress went plain Jane forProvoked,Mistress of Spices,RaincoatandChokher Bali.

Bollywood's sensuous Bipasha Basu will shed her oomph to play a Kashmiri girl inLamha. Bips was seen sans makeup in Bengali filmShob Choritro alponik.

Glam doll Katrina Kaif will be seen in a de-glam role for the first time in her career. She will be seen in cotton saris in her forthcoming filmRajneetiopposite Ranbir Kapoor.

Priyanka Chopra got much critical acclaim for her role in Vishal Bharadwaj'sKaminey. The actress will again be seen in a de-glam role inSaat Khoon Maaf.

Slumdog Millionairebabe Freida Pinto will be seen in a plain avatar in her forthcoming Woody Allen film.

Kareena Kapoor was seen in a de-glam avatar in her debut filmRefugeeand then for her critically acclaimed filmDev.

Urmila Matondkar:Pinjar, Ek Hasinsa Thi

Lara Dutta:Billu

Shilpa Shetty:Phir Milenge

Preity Zinta:Heroes, Heaven On Earth

Sushmita Sen:RGV Ki Aag, Chingari

Karisma Kapoor:Fiza

Raima Sen:The Japanese Wife

Rani Mukherjee: Black, Paheli

Sameera Reddy:Kaalpurush

Hrishita Bhatt:Haasil

Tabu:Viraasat, Astitva

Minissha Lamba:Well Done Abba, Yahan.

Raveena Tandon:Satta

Ayesha Takia:Dor

Manisha Koirala:Bombay, Dil Se, 1942- A Love Story.

Madhuri Dixit:Mrityudand

Tulip Joshi:Matrubhoomi

Sridevi:Sadma, Army

Rituparna Sen Gupta:Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh

Freida Pinto And Dev Patel Planning To Fly Wedding Cake To India

By MusicRooms

Freida Pinto and Dev Patel are planning to fly their wedding cake from Los Angeles to India.

The stars met on the set of Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, and started dating some time later. Although they kept their romance low-profile and didn’t appear in public together until late last year, it has been claimed they are smitten and ready to tie the knot. Although they haven’t confirmed they are even engaged, Freida and Dev are reportedly planning to get married in India this summer.

The couple recently visited Sweet Lady Jane bakery in Los Angeles and were overheard enquiring about having a cake flown from the US city to India for their forthcoming nuptials.

It is believed the bakery has a significant meaning for the 25-year-old Indian beauty and the 20-year-old British actor.

 “They had one of their first dates at the bakery, so it’s special to them,” a source told InTouch Weekly magazine. “It’s more than a cake!”

Freida was previously engaged to her former publicist Rohan Antao, but she called off the romance in early 2009, saying she wanted to focus on her career.

Freida Pinto to walk the red carpet at Cannes

Roshmila Bhattacharya, Hindustan Times

It's been a year since Slumdog Millionare put her on top of the world. Sitting pretty across the seven seas, Freida Pinto looks down to tell us how much life has changed

So, are you the next Bond girl?

I have already issued an official statement that I have not been approached for the next Bond film opposite Daniel Craig as yet. The rumours are of course flattering but for the moment my projects for 2010 - 2011 include Julian Schnabel's Miral, Woody Allen's You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Tarsem Singh's Dawn Of War.

Okay, just as a matter of curiosity, who is your favourite Bond and which is the Bond movie you like best? 

I thank the sun, moon and stars for giving the world Pierce Brosnan. I loved him in The Thomas Crown Affair but for some reason, I can’t think of a Bond film featuring him right now.

Did you watch the Oscars this year? 

Yes, I did watch the Oscars, as I do every year. I was rooting for Gabourey Sidibe who I thought was fabulous in her first film Precious. And Sandra Bullock who besides a phenomenal performance in The Blind Side looked so very beautiful. Sandra finally got her due!

What memories of the red carpet did it bring back?

I was reminded of the chaos, the battle with time to finish all the important interviews and the non-stop running around in high heels which made your feet ache after a while. 2009 will always be a great year for me.

Why weren’t you there at this year’s Academy Awards show, as a presenter or at least as part of the audience?

That’s a question for the producers and organisers. (Laughs) They probably had an overdose of us last year. I can’t question their decision.

When you look back on the year that was, what have been the highs and the lows since Slumdog Millionaire’s release? Has Freida Pinto changed much? 

Of course I have changed… And have also remained the same! (Laughs) Confused? Well, let me explain… My level of awareness has changed and so has the sense of self-reliance. My ambition to succeed has amplified and my responsibility to both my family and myself has increased. But at heart I’m still the same Freida who her near and dear ones know best. And I like it that way!

How close do you feel to Latika, your first screen avatar, and does ‘Jai Ho…’ still set your feet tapping? 

(Laughs) Forget just mine, ‘Jai Ho…’ still has the world’s feet tapping. That is AR Rahman’s brilliance. Latika as a person is quite different from me. The one thing we have in common is our belief in destiny. We both believe that at the end of the day, we will get what we truly deserve and more often than not, it is what we desire. I loved the layers her character had, so subtle and understated.

When you see the film today, would you have played the role any differently?

There are scenes I would definitely play differently now that I have worked a little more. But then again, I don’t want to change the past because that is why I am where I’m today. Moreover, I think the naiveté of not being trained or being even a little experienced is what eventually paid off just fine.

One of the Slumdog Millionaire kids,Rubina Ali, has already come out with her autobiography, Slumgirl Dreaming, that is a bestseller. Any plans of writing a tell-all book too? 

Never thought of it. It is a bit too premature to do something like that.

Do you think the lives of these kids have really changed post the movie or is it a case of My Fair Lady where they feel alienated from their surroundings and yet are unable to fit into the world they aspire to? 

I would have said that this is a question the kids should be asked when they are a little older. But the media has troubled them enough, so I would say, “Leave them alone and let them be kids.” Slumdog Millionaire was the experience of a lifetime for all of us. We tried really hard to keep it innocent for the kids till matters got out of hand. It was a bit confusing at times even for me so it must have been mighty confusing for them. 

All they need is a strong social support system that they seem to have thanks to some of the good-willed people who worked on the film. More than anything else, I’m happy that the kids have been enrolled into schools. With education, they will definitely be far more equipped to understand a part of this crazy world if not the whole.

Danny Boyle has been in town quite a few times, have you connected? 

I met Danny recently at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles where he was being honoured. We didn’t get a chance to meet in Mumbai as we were in different towns at the time.

If he were to offer you his next film, will it be a “yes” or a “no”?

I've never thought of it but if he did, I'd be honoured to work with Danny again.

Do you visit St John’s High School where your mother is a teacher? What’s the one thing you tell any girl who aspires to be Freida Pinto?

I did visit once. I have never felt a day older than 18 so I didn’t think I was meeting kids eight-10 years younger than me. The interaction was great and if anyone aspired to be Freida Pinto, I asked her not to do so and instead be just herself. You can’t lose your individuality and identity. 

It is difficult these days with adolescents trying to imitate whom they see on celluloid. It’s good to be inspired but not at the cost of becoming an imitation of someone who already exists.

You’ve been spending a lot of time in Mumbai but have resolutely steered clear of Bollywood that is just waiting to snap you up. Why? 

I have been in and out of Mumbai. I was here for Christmas, then, returned for two weeks before I left for Canada. I’m open to films in India. But I know that my looks, interests and appeal may not be extremely mainstream so I’m not sure if I’d be able to do justice to a big commercial project. My idea of cinema is more alternative and global. And that kind of cinema is definitely on the rise in India as well.

Do you still feel at home in Mumbai after being the toast of Hollywood? Ever see yourself relocating to Beverly Hills some day?

I like the fact that I have no fixed address right now. I’m a bit of a wanderer. I will go where work takes me. And when there’s no work, I will be lounging around in our crazy and beautiful Maximum City, Mumbai!

You’re working with some of the best looking guys, from Dev Patel to Antonio Banderas. For whom does your heart beat a little faster and how does it feel to be every woman’s envy?

My heart beats for all of them when I play their love interest on screen. (Laughs) And for the record, I don’t have any scenes with the charismatic Antonio Banderas. At least not yet!

At 25, you are on top of the world. Where do you see yourself at 30?

Hopefully still on top of the world and still very grounded.