Ash, AB <i>Provoked</i> in Dubai

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day

Friday, June 16, 2006

Ash flew to Dubai for the Provoked premiere. It's a true life story of battered housewife Kiranjit Ahluwalia.

Director Jagmohan Mundhra tells us, "Ash has expressive eyes and every time she shot a moving, emotional scene, my cameraman and I wanted to rush to her and hug her."

While Ash on her part says, "The best compliment for me when Kiranjit saw the film at Cannes and told us, 'she had no complaints against the film.' Hope the audience agrees.

Dosti ka haath

In Dubai for the IIFA awards , Aishwarya Rai left behind her hand in friendship in the desert city.

At a special event organised by Dubai Studio City (a hi-tech film and television studio-complex), Ash left behind her handprint in clay.

Attired in a gold net saree, studded with Swarovski crystals, she said, "I'm extending my open hand of friendship to the people of Dubai." What she didn't add, was, 'After I rudely snatched it back from Viveik.'

Skipper Karan

A travel-weary Karan Johar landed at the Grand Hyatt, Dubai from London, after the music launch of KANK. We asked him if he was there for the Provoked premiere at night? And he said, "I don't know. I haven't decided as yet."

Well, he's there for one thing and one thing only - to have the KANK music released in Dubai by Amitabh Bachchan.

We don't quite get the meaning of this launch as the music in already available in stores, after SRK did the honours in UK, two days ago.

We managed to glimpse Amitabh Bachchan striding into the Grand Cineplex, at 7.30 pm sharp to watch the premiere of Provoked. And guess who's in there with him? Aishwarya Rai and her mother. And no, Karan Johar gave it a skip.

Anna's taana

A sleepy Sunil Shetty trudged in, behind JP Dutta and Aishwarya.

He had everyone in splits when he revealed, "In a set where there were only women, JP saab was thrilled to see me. He was more comfortable to see me than I was."

A large part of Sunil's discomfort came from the fact that this was his first period film, "Also, it was quite tough as I had to mouth lines in Urdu. I took lessons in Urdu from Shabanaji."

When Ash burst into giggles at the thought of Anna speaking Urdu, he said, "Ash you can't afford to laugh, as your Urdu, too, is as great as mine." Ash had no comeback for that!