Mystery of the Enigma

Aishwarya Rai and Cannes and flopping one’s way up

In 2009, something unpleasant happened to the actress Sonam Kapoor. She had recently been taken on as a brand ambassador for L’Oreal and was told that she would walk the red carpet at Cannes. On 13 May 2009, she was quoted in The Times of India: “Dad will be my date on the two nights that I’ll be there. I will walk with him, it will be so beautiful.” By 17 May, it became clear that neither she nor dad would be walking on any carpet. L’Oreal had decided Sonam would not go. The beautiful hand behind this was said to be of Aishwarya Rai, one of L’Oreal’s cross-cultural faces.

Cannes is important to Rai. It is one of the many blocks that make up the carefully cultivated enigma—the illusion of exclusivity combined with inaccessibility.  Last week, taking up almost the entire front page of the Hindustan Times supplement HT Café was an article on Rai visiting Cannes this May too. The actress remarked with mild self-approval about this being the tenth anniversary since her first appearance there. In the run-up to the festival, there will be many more stories on Rai and Cannes.

There was also a time when people had any interest in all this. Cannes, alas, does not have that zing to it anymore. This is mainly thanks to Mallika Sherawat, who gatecrashed the party in a twisted dress after a bit role in a movie called The Myth. Since then, a slew of actresses, including Freida Pinto and Barbara Mori, have joined the crowd. All this is disastrous for Rai. Without the enigma, there would not be much of a career.

For years, Rai has been at the top of the Bollywood hype heap. It was an incredible feat for someone who virtually guaranteed you a flop. After HDDCS in 1999, in 2002 she had a hit in Devdas. From then on, all her movies up to 2006 were duds: Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Dil Ka Rishta, Choker Bali (Bengali), Kuch Naa Kaho, Khakee, Raincoat, Kyun! Ho Gaya Na…, Bride & Prejudice,  Shabd, The Mistress of Spices, Provoked, Umrao Jaan.

There was a blip of success with Dhoom:2, Guru and Jodhaa Akbar, but for the past couple of years, she has once again become the Mistress of Flops. Give her any director and any banner —Guzaarish, Action Replayy, Raavan, Pink Panther 2—and a reverse blockbuster is guaranteed. Only Rajinikant escaped in Robot, but then he can outrun a bullet

About The Author

Madhavankutty Pillai

Madhavankutty Pillai has no specialisations whatsoever. He is among the last of the generalists. And also Open chief of bureau, Mumbai  

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