Aishwariya plays a perfect beti, meets ill father

The Padma Shri pair Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan rushed back from different parts of the world  to resume shooting for Vipul Shah’s Action Replay in Karjat on  the outskirts of Mumbai at Nitin Desai’s studio. But while Akshay proceeded straight from the airport on landing from Singapore Aishwarya on landing from Cannes  took a day off  on Monday to spend with her parents before leaving for Karjat.

“It  was a long spell.Shooting in Karjat for prolonged  periods is not new to Aishwarya. For Jodhaa-Akbar she was stationed in  Karjat for so long that it became her second home. But now circumstances  have changed.  After  her father’s illness, Aishwarya  doesn’t  like  to be  away  from Mumbai for  prolonged  periods. Even when she  was shooting in  the  jungles  of  Kerala for Mani Ratnam Aishwarya made sure she  visited Mumbai to be  with her father. Though she  never  lets  it show  in her work  being away from home is  very difficult for her now and would  like to shoot as much as possible in Mumbai. Ironically almost all her films are being shot outside the city. ”

Her father’s health scare has bonded Aishwarya with  others who are similarly traumatized by terminal illness in the industry.

Says  a source, “Aishwarya kept track of Feroz Khan’s health through Fardeen  and when he passed away she was  deeply affected. At the prayer meeting Fardeen and Aishwarya exchanged notes like  two wounded war veterans.”

Father’s health  is now  Aishwarya’s primary cocern.

On landing from Cannes on Monday  Aishwarya  decided to  break her journey to spend a day with her parents.

“It  was something I had to do. I did  it more for myself than for them,” she said before  taking  off to Karjat.

- SAMPURN (Subhash K Jha)