The Ash Factor

In Raavan,she looked ethereal,even ghost-like. She fell from a branch of a tree into a raging river in a manner more elegant than a qualified dancer’s moves. Her taandav with Abhishek Bachchan in the film was a visual feast. Yes,he is handsome and a tender performer,but who can get their gaze off the wife?

In the same vein,Aishwarya’s fashion-speak is of her own lexicon. There is nobody in this country who’d vote her the best dressed. I don’t know any woman who admires her style. And I can’t recall any film costume of hers that has sparked a retail phenomenon among her fans.

But it still cannot be denied that she is a jaw-droppingly beautiful woman,a former supermodel,lithe,poised and also a very successful actor in some truly commercial films. She may have been through a string of fashion un-savvy designers — like Neeta Lulla (who made a spectacular wardrobe for her in Jodhaa Akbar and made up for her gaffes in Cannes seven years ago)— but she’s also been with critically loved stylists like Sabyasachi. Her almost decade-long stint with Longines and L’Oreal has ensured her wardrobe reads names like Giorgio Armani,Herve Leger,Roberto Cavalli and Elie Saab. But she still hasn’t made it to the list of fashion icons. Maybe that is the actor’s biggest strength.

Fashion labels,designers,styles,whatever — have been unable to capture this woman. The dress fails to own her. When she wore a duck-egg Saab with the beehive hairdo at Cannes earlier this year,or Leger’s black LBD at the same festival,she didn’t garner many flattering web-posts. Aishwarya has had an enviable year. Her range of film releases this year have included Mani Ratnam’s viscerally feastful Raavan,Vipul Shah’s spoofy Action Replay,the ridiculous Robot with the legendary superstar Rajnikanth and Bhansali’s acclaimed Guzaarish. In each film,she’s been reported to look even lovelier. And despite having two top-line stylists,Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi,it’s her innate aura that’s been commented on.

It’s hard not to comment on the fact that she’s the only female actor still playing a leading lady in commercial films post her marriage. (She’s also not playing mom,like her contemporary Kajol who still does a film a year). Forgive the yellowness here,but marriage suits Aishwarya.

So does her weight-gain. She’s sweetly plump as Bhansali’s Sofia. Sabya’s styling her as a quasi Frida Kahlo-esque nurse has her in sexual plum tones,black lace and a décolletage amplifying her milky bosom.

Fashion is the greatest weapon one can have. But Aishwarya makes her kill with her quintessence alone.

(namratanow@gmail.com)