“I couldn’t have found a better role to essay on celluloid,” says Aishwarya Rai about her enactment of Rusva’s ‘Umrao Jaan’ releasing this Friday. It so happens Ash turned 33 today and the excitement is palpable as this birthday will be spent waiting excitedly for her big release in a couple of day’s time.

So, whom would she like to thank for such an important role? “I would like to thank Mr JP Dutta for giving me the honor and the privilege for learning so much under him as a student. I truly thank him for giving me an opportunity to essay such an incredible character. I have tried in all sincerity under his guidance, under his pushing, under his breaking down for becoming Amiran. Her journey to all the way to realizing Umrao Jaan on celluloid,” says Aishwarya.

Ash is hogging headlines for her rumored marriage with Abhishek Bachchan and is smartly ducking all the tricky questions. But she would admit that after a failed attempt at trying her luck with English films like ‘Bride and Prejudice’ and ‘Mistress of Spices’ Bollywood is enjoying all her attention right now. As of now she wishes to discuss nothing but ‘Umrao Jaan’. Well, we don’t mind either although we would have loved to listen from her about ‘Dhoom 2’ and ‘Guru’ but maybe some other time.

How was it working with illustrious artistes like Shabana Azmi in ‘Umrao…’? “It’s been such a privilege to be in incredible company like Maa’m Shabana ji, Sunil, Puru, Abhishek, Ayesha all the actors in the film. OP Sahab made me break down when he told me incidents in the story,” Ash says reverentially. “I would like to say a big thank you to Alka for being my voice because while the visuals are going it’s only her voice that’s the mainstay,” Rai packs in emotions in her parting shot.

IndiaGlitz wishes Happy Birthday to Aishwarya Rai. Hope she finds happiness in personal as well as professional life in the years to come….