A li'l bit of Ash-bashing

Last week, I checked out the much-awaited Bollywood blockbuster, Dhoom 2. Though this was yet another movie with a joke of a screenplay, the non-stop thrills and action made for some good pop-corn munching brainless entertainment. Hrithik once again was the pick of the lot and seems all set to be the next big star after SRK. Abhishek and Uday almost sleepwalked through reprising their roles in Dhoom. And that brings me to the leading lady, Aishwarya Rai. Oh boy, she just cannot act, can she?

Way back in the 90s, when Ms Rai first entered the film industry after being crowned Miss World, most of her roles revolved around her looks rather than displaying an iota of acting skills. And it probably worked in quite a few cases too. The audience, the critics and pretty much everyone was just too stunned by her looks to criticize her acting or the lack of it. I remember folks going to an Ash movie just to ogle and gape at her. (Well, many continue to do that even now.)

Going forward, she seemingly refined her acting skills and acted in slightly arty movies like Chokher Bali to prove her mettle. Even some of the critics went ga-ga over her brilliant portrayals. And looking at the positive reviews, I wondered that finally, she has matured into a decent actress. Well, that impression lasted until I watched Raincoat. Guess what, she hadn't improved one bit. And what could have been a great movie ends up being just a good flick.

Come to think of it, I don't know of a single film where Ash seems adept in her art. Of course, she looks like a dream all the time. And the oft-repeated tag of the most beautiful woman in the world seems pretty apt at times. But when it comes to some real acting, unfortunately, she is still in the Stone Age.

What is surprising is that she has received critical acclaim for some of her movies even in the US of A? Consider that stupid movie, Bride And Prejudice. The only thing that Ash managed in the movie was to irritate one and all. And some claimed that it was her best performance ever !! Not for nothing do they say that beauty intoxicates the mind. :)

This year, Aishwarya rubs shoulders with the likes of Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth in The Last Legion, thus becoming the first Bollywood mainstream actress to crossover into Hollywood (Not quite sure of that, but definitely, she is the biggest Bollywood star to have done so.) Even Will Smith has expressed his desire to do a film with her. Then, there was the big buzz last year, that she might be the next Bond girl. And of course, she was on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS' 60 Minutes, and even the Late Night Show with David Letterman.

So, does all of this mean that she is India's best actress? Heck, no...she is not even a decent actress yet. And looking at the way things have been, she will never be. Don't believe me?? Go, watch Dhoom 2.