Their Ash in our Bollywood

The charms of a cross-border thaw: Blue eyes, a seductive smile and an easy flow of English laced with chaste Urdu. Reema, known as the Aish...

The charms of a cross-border thaw: Blue eyes, a seductive smile and an easy flow of English laced with chaste Urdu. Reema, known as the Aishwarya Rai of Pakistan, is seated in a Juhu hotel suite, accompanied by secretary Ghulam Dastageer who8217;s handling telephone calls non-stop. 8216;8216;For long, I have had a desire to see India, especially Bombay,8217;8217; she says. 8216;8216;Thanks to Allah, and thanks to our leaders, I am finally here.8217;8217;

Well, the 26-year-old Lollywood star isn8217;t here on a sightseeing trip. Reema, with 175 films to her credit, is visiting the entertainment capital on business 8212; to finalise the music rights of her directorial debut Koi Tujh Sa Kahan.

It8217;s a candyfloss flick Karan Johar has his counterparts across the LoC, to be shot in England. And Indian singers have lent their voices. However, Reema wouldn8217;t reveal the names.

This isn8217;t Reema8217;s first brush with Bollywood though. A trained classical dancer, Reema has performed at a Bollywood awards function with Karisma Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. 8216;8216;Anupam Kher8217;s wife blessed me saying I was the devi of dance. In Pakistan, dance is not so evolved, but I learnt it,8217;8217; she says. 8216;8216;If dance is not in Pakistan8217;s culture, so what? It8217;s part of our common heritage, something the sub-continent should be proud of.8217;8217;

Reema had kicked up a ruckus back home in 2000 when she participated in a Zee TV Annu Kapoor-anchored Antakshari show held in America. A chance remark on the show, 8216;8216;Dil Dil Hindustan, Jaan Jaan Pakistan8217;8217; had the hardliners up in arms there. 8216;8216;They said, why did I utter nice words for India. Ab lekin mahaul badla hai Now situation has changed,8217;8217; she laughs.

When you tell her that she is compared to Aishwarya Rai, Reema smiles: 8216;8216;Oh, that8217;s a great honour. I loved her in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Taal.8217;8217;