When the Bachchans sneeze, it makes national headlines. And if it’s Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, then it makes international headlines.
Perhaps that’s why the announcement of her comeback has been received with so much excitement and frenzy.
The stunning actress, who has been on an extended maternity break, has finally signed a film. Aishwarya will mark her comeback opposite real life husband Abhishek Bachchan in adman Prahlad Kakkad's maiden directorial venture, Happy Anniversary.
The film will be produced by Gaurang Doshi, who has a long association with the Bachchans; he has produced the Amitabh Bachchan starrers Aankhen and Deewar – Let’s Bring Our Heroes Home.
“I am happy that Aishwarya and Abhishek have agreed to do this film. I’m especially happy because it marks Aishwarya’s comeback on the big screen,” confirms Gaurang. The producer adds that there were two reasons that convinced Aishwarya to sign on the dotted line – the script and Pralhad Kakkar.
“Prahlad shares a very good relation with Aishwarya (he directed her in her very first television commercial with Aamir Khan for Pepsi). I have worked with Amitabh sir earlier. This helped us to pull off such a huge casting coup. Abhi-Ash have been labeled as an ideal couple and I wanted to cast them together for this film,” he says.
Gaurang adds, “Aishwarya really loved the script. I am sure she must be reading a lot of scripts; I am fortunate that she agreed to do my film.”
Prahlad Kakkar, who is making his movie debut, says, “I am really happy with the development. The film is about the ups and downs in a marriage that happen in our day-to-day life.”
Elaborating on the film’s plot, Gaurang says, “Jay Verma and I have scripted the film. Happy Anniversary is all about the anatomy of marriage. Even the tagline of the film -- Nobody dies a virgin, life s***ws us all – reflects this.”
Gaurang insists the film will not be a run-of-the mill rom-com. “It will cater to all sections of society. It’s a very universal subject. We invested a lot of money in researching the film. We have some big plans in place.”
It is rumoured that Amitabh Bachchan too will join his son and bahu in Happy Anniversary, but Gaurang refused to say anything more about the film’s cast.
Happy Anniversary is slated to go on the floors by early next year and will release in 2014 itself.
In the picture: Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Photograph: Jimmy Jeong/Reuters
