Cool - I posted a link to the Oprah site on this in the News section;
Where do they get 5 BILLION from - and does she really make $15 Million per movie ??

Methinks quite a bit of exaggeration, no ?

Love the commentary on her interview with the 'Chinese Oprah"

I think the whole thing is an exaggeration. I don't think they're the most famous couple in the world. But then again, I don't think you can prove or disprove anyone as worthy of that title.

I think the whole thing is an exaggeration. I don't think they're the most famous couple in the world. But then again, I don't think you can prove or disprove anyone as worthy of that title.

We can't prove it, but my husband and I think Bipasha and John DESERVE to be worthy of that title. :-)

Ugh, reminds of Ash's first interview with Oprah with all the sari-tying.

Besides the Pink Panther sequel, and other limited run 'cross-over' films, she really isn't
bigger than any other Bollywood actress - Shilpa Shetty prolly has more exposure and
recognition from her Big Brother participation.

I've always thought that she just has really good PR. Prolly come across as a hater, but
I never liked that she hawked Fair and Lovely creams and always comes across as trying
too hard to be all 'goody twoshoes' as my gf would call her, but then again, which Bolly actors and
actresses don't try to be all cool and western. But anyways - too much hype. The #s they used
were probably provided to them by TMFCITW's own people.

Read both posts if you guys get a chance...the embarrassments just piled up. Oprah showed footage of the scene outside their wedding, supposedly. The audience got to see what looked like Indian police beating the crap out of people in the street. Oprah asked the only 2 questions she ever cares about -- living with your parents and kissing on Bolly screens -- then introduced an Argentinian polo player and spent the rest of the time fawning over his hotness. Ash and Abhi just sat in the shadows, second to...some guy who's in a lot of Ralph Lauren ads. Abhishek did NOT look happy -- one eyebrow kept rising higher and higher in sarcastic amusement, and his fingers gripped his chair pretty tightly.

Whether A^2 are TMFCITW or not, the irritating fact was that it wasn't enough to invite them on the show. The whole episode was like a global roundup of random other non-American famous people (some guy who won a singing show, the "Tom Cruise of Japan", the "Julia Roberts of ___", etc.) that varied so wildly in terms of what they did, where they were from, what they were "famous" for...it was like it was enough that they were (presumably) new to her audience, and they all got crammed in together into this one *special* episode.

Great for those international up-and-comers who could use an Oprah mention to boost US sales. But A^2 don't need it, and this felt sort of...belittling.

I don't understand why people get annoyed that she happened to have this beautiful tag attached to her. She may not be the most beautiful to everyone, but she's not exactly ugly either. The 50 people who make People Magazine's most beautiful people in the world (majority of them westerners) obviously aren't, but big deal. The sexiest man alive (usually a westerner) clearly isn't, but what's the big deal? Brangelina is not the most famous couple in the world, neither are the Bachchans, but what's the big deal? Whether some like it or not, she happens to have attracted a lot of attention from the West more so than other Indian actors - some more deserving and some more non-deserving. And some people from other countries actually do like her and think she's extremely beautiful. In the past Hema Malini used to be the one everyone abroad spoke about, from my experience.

She does come across better in her Indian interviews than western ones, but I think she's nervous and tries too hard to impress an unfamiliar audience. Is her laughing irritating at times, sure, but she's hardly disgraced the country. She's also done foreign interviews where she comes across rather well. I remember Lara Dutta using a fake accent, worse than Aishwarya's, during her first foreign interviews, and Diana Hayden who suddenly altered her accent drastically for a hosting job of a foreign awards show. But overall, she has been a pretty good ambassador for India/Bollywood. Better than someone who goes abroad and then acts embarrassed about India. Abhishek acquitted himself well.

I never liked that she hawked Fair and Lovely creams and always comes across as trying

I don't think she's ever hawked fair and lovely - I've heard her say she won't advertise that junk. Where did you see otherwise?

She is gorgeous but her mannerism irritates me.

I also think the comments on Oprah embarrassing them are a little unfair. Yes, Oprah sometimes comes across as condescending on these "global" shows, but if you read the comments to this show and other "global" shows you will find people who need to be told who these people are in terms they can understand otherwise their limited minds cannot comprehend that there is a world outside Beyonce or Brad and Angelina. For this show there are comments questioning why Oprah picked them and not Brad/Angelina, totally missing the point of the show which was to expose Americans to famous people in other countries. Yes some of the cultural questions are the same old, same old, but I don't think she meant them in a demeaning way. She mentioned encountering the living with parents in other cultures, especially Africa, a place she has invested in. It would have been better to focus on the actual films of Bollywood for a little bit, but I don't think that was the angle of the show. It was just about fame and being well-known in a different country(countries). And she did spend the most time on them, but she did have two other guests who were part of the show.

I don't blame Aishwarya for acting differently or Abishek for being a little sarcastic (but I don't think he did it in a mean way) on a talk show out of their comfort zone, because don't we all get a little on edge or nervous sometimes outside our comfort zone, especially when we have to explain "normal" aspects of our culture to others? Anyways, any irritating by Aishwarya was redeemed by her wearing Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Overall, I think it could have been a lot worse.

Just to point out.... most Americans aren't so Bollywood savvy as us Sepia Mutiny readers... hence SOME sort of explanation of "who these people are and why we should care" had to be a part of it.... otherwise the audience would be like... wait... who is this cute couple?

What us Americans should REALLY be embarrassed is how we don't teach our kids much about the rest of the world in school... henceforth necessitating silly over-simplified descriptions about some very famous actors from one of (or is it it THE largest?) largest film industries in the world.

I recently watched a documentary about Ashley Judd visiting India as an HIV/AIDs ambassador, she met Shahrukh Khan and there had to be a similar explanation about his popularity... at the same time, everyone had to explain to all the Indians... this is Ashley Judd... she is an actress in Hollywood. She is famous (matlab, you should be so HAPPY to meet her). blah blah, etc. So really, is it that different?

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Yes, his designs are amazing. Love checking out the Indian fashion weeks to see find his design. And that sari on her was perfect. Though if I could afford it I'd love it on me too :)

Abhishek did not look happy. at all. Ash was trying to be polite, laughing and smiling. I think she's a sweet person with a good heart. I think Abhishek got irritated the moment Oprah asked them about living at home with his parents and his mood never changed after that.

$15 million a year? that seems high and the $6500 a movie for the Nigerian actress seems low. There's a lot of under the cover money in Nigeria. I"m sure that Nollywood actress is making a whole lot more than that!

I've always felt that Abhishek spends too much time around his parents. It's almost suffocating. Doesn't he want his space and freedom? He goes everywhere wit them and at 33, it does kind of seem weird. They both can certainly afford to live on their own so why don't they? Just find their own apartment in Mumbai.

Since I'm not Indian, I have to ask whether modern, younger, couples in India are getting away from this model of living with their parents even after marriage and even into adulthood. It must be suffocating for Aishwarya at times to be constantly surrounded by in-laws, no matter how nice they may be. That has to be tough, but I'd like to hear people's viewpoints on this.

"at the same time, everyone had to explain to all the Indians... this is Ashley Judd... she is an actress in Hollywood."

I chuckled when, in a story about Julia Roberts filming in India, one Indian man said he didn't know who she was and all these foreigners looked the same to him. I'm sure Indian actors face this in other countries and probably in parts of India too. Good to keep them grounded.

sk whether modern, younger, couples in India are getting away from this model of living with their parents even after marriage a

well india's huge so i don't know what the general nat'l trend is, but in relatively small-town Kerala, where my fam is from u see condo, single-family units going up everywhere, alongside new family homes, for those lucky enuff to afford the precious exorbitant land prices in Kerala. And almost all my cousins, and younger aunts and uncles have gotten their own place after marriage; vastly different from my mom's time. And for the older generation, I think they are quite saddened by the trend as I've heard an older aunt express that she'd imagined she'd grow old with her son and his family. But his wife, in her 30s, wanted her own place and she got it, which what I see over and over among 40s and below couples.

LinZi, I know more than a few Americans who don't know Ashley Judd. Never heard of her, couldn't pick her out of a lineup. That's what irritates me...some two bit US actress gets full court press abroad, but two desi stars (who are huge throughout most of the world) get sidelined for some polo player?

Again, it's not so much that an American audience needs context. If there had actually been some decent context I don't think I'd feel so vitriolic. I entirely agree with your point re teaching US kids more about the rest of the world...but this wasn't over-simplification to bring them up to speed. This was the kind of exoticizing, prurient mashup that renders any explanation even more confusing. Honestly, she doesn't think much of her audience if she had to jam in all those random international celebs instead of diving into a proper interview does she?

Hate much? The show was not bad at all. Why do you have to see everything in a negative light? Oprah got some of her facts wrong but you would have to blame her research staff not the guests. It was good to see famous people from other parts of the world - China, India, Japan, Argentian, Nigeria, etc.

Abhishek and Aishwarya did not embarass themselves or their country. They acquited themselves well within the limited scope of show.

Too bad you saw only what you wanted to see.

I agree the show went well and i thought abishek was realy funny. i had't seen that side of him.
I didnt think anything of the fact Oprah talked to the Polo star Nacho afterwards whilst the couple stayed quite. doesn't that happen in most talk shows like Letterman where the first guests that sty on just listen in on the later guests?
Oprah was sweet towards AB and Ash and it was a pleasure to see that surprise they played on the young dancers who were so tearful.
Ash/AB got a lot more time i felt than Nacho also.

anyhow it was refreshing that Oprah is trying to educate her audience with global stars. The chines oprah lady was very eloquent too.

two desi stars (who are huge throughout most of the world) get sidelined for some polo player?

Whoa--why is a polo player to be denigrated so? Let's try to hear from all. . . . I'm not so sure what is so great about "acting" versus "playing polo"--all people have an interesting story, no?

They fly all the way to Chicago and it's not even worth it. Oprah talked about nonsense and not much at all about their careers, lives, how they see the world, things they're involved in etc.

Ridiculous interview.

PS,

Not sure if you've seen these: Sabyasachi Mukherjee's Weaves of India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag9_MMmxHGI&feature=PlayList&p=98B7B47885A92A86&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFk0lCWe80

I have to say, the most irritating part of the entire interview for me was her utter inability to pronounce their names correctly. She's Oprah, she HAS to have someone who's job it is to teach her how to pronounce Abhishek. If she doesn't, I'm willing to volunteer.

The whole interview was so awkward, but I loved that Abhi got his digs in. That's two interviews now where the interviewer has fixated on one or the other of them living with their parents; on Letterman Ash skewered Dave with her "in India parents don't have to make an appointment to have dinner with their children" line, and today Abhi, when asked by Oprah "you live with your parents? How does that work for you?" answered "Do you live with your parents? No? How does that work for you?" Good for them. Anyways it's not like they live in a hovel, I imagine Jalsa is probably big enough for ten or so families to live in without ever actually bumping into each other.

Um, who's = whose. I am so smart. S-M-R-T.

I unfortunately was working and was probably the only brown person who didn't watch the show! However, I did catch highlights and thought the Abhi jabs were funny! If only Indian peeps could get asked questions other than...wow, so you live with your parents? :P

I wasn't impressed.

Saw the show this afternoon. Ash's mannerisms were incredibly annoying whereas Abhishek was surprisingly charming and witty. He might be smarter than he lets on.

I imagine Jalsa is probably big enough for ten or so families to live in without ever actually bumping into each other

Are houses in Mumbai that big? just curious, given Mumbai's high real estate prices.

I think when people ask about a married couple living with their parents in the same house, they are thinking about the sex issue and I'm sure that's what Oprah was thinking about, but couldn't ask. i.e. isn't it uncomfortable for both parties to be having sex under the same roof?

Do you think Abhishek had a choice of not living with his parents? His parents seem over bearing to me given that they are so often seen together at so many public functions.

And I thought Abhisheks answer was kind of rude and defensive. Most married couples around the world do not live with their parents (at least when they are newly married; it's one thing for your elderly parents to move in with you later in life, it's quite another to remain at home after marriage).

What happens when there's a fight or argument? in-laws rarely if ever take the wife's side. It' must be very tough for the woman (I imagine). Can she leave and go back to her parents house?

I suppose I'm wondering how adult children can establish their own identities and sense of independence if they never leave the nest.

They were really cute: I usually find Ash to be vacuous, vain and cold but here she appeared to actually have a bit of personality and seemed very happy with her husband. Abhishek was great, he put Oprah and her ridiculous US-centric comments in her place. He was funny. Kudos. He also seemed a bit shocked when he saw the pictures of police beating people back outside their wedding - it looked like he'd not seen them before.

IMO it was such a wasted interview. As Oprah said, it was the first time they'd been interviewed together. There were a lot of desis in the audience who probably didn't need the Abhi-Ash Primer 101, and there was so much she could've asked them but failed to. I did like the small insight into their lives that Abhi provided re his mother insisting they eat one meal a day together as a family.

All up, a vast improvement on Ash's atrocious 60 Minutes interview.

I saw both of them in Dubai...when they came here to purchase their house in 2008.Belive me she is the MOST beautiful women..stunning!!

I feel they are most famous couple in the world...atleast for me and also what i observe in India & paksitan,dubai,iran and middle eastern countries etc.

Re: Do young people live with their parents after marriage. Overwhelmingly no in metropolitan areas. Maybe in rural communities. In Mumbai most apartments are too small to house 2 families. As much as young people need privacy and opt to move out, the older parents too nowadays prefer their independence and live alone as long as physically possible. So Abhi and Ash living with the parents is rather an anomaly. As to Oprah's US-centric view of Bollywood -- reminded me of the time there was an awards show somewhere in Africa. All the Hollywood and Bollywood greats had landed. Amitabh Bacchan and Sylvester Stallone arrived around the same time and Stallone thought the crowd going wild was for him. But someone told him that all the cheering was for Amitabh Bacchan as his films had a huge following in Africa and not many people even knew him!!

So this US-centric view of the world is not anything new or pertaining to Oprah alone.

I am from US and I watched Oprah last night and to be very honest - I am aware of bollywood movies but have no clue these 2 were. How can they be the most popular couple...I am quite plugged in to the tinsel world happenings and up to date on the latest scoops but most powerful couple? Whaaaat?

I saw her in Bride and Prejudice and she was an OK presence in that. Saw her in some Hindi movie (forget which, I think it was some late 90s era movie). She did not leave any kind of impression on me. She was godawful in some Uwe Bollish english movie with Colin Firth. Really laughably bad. But then again, the movie itself was pretty unwatchable. So I would not blame her totally for it. I just don't get the hype for her. Is ABhishek famous because of his dad? Saw him in parts of some movies. Just wasn't impressed at all.
But he doesn't come across as vapid as her. Then again, none of these actors have been as vapid as the way our 70s celebs have been coming across lately(Ryan O Neil, the Mamas and the Papas entire clan).

Speaking of lack of awareness of another culture's stars , just try playing Rockband at an indian gathering. Other than a Duran Duran song or Eye of the Tiger or Linkin Park(if they are in their 20s), there are usually a lot of perplexed stares at the titles which came as a surprise to me because a lot of Indians I knew in the past seemed to be aware of a lot of western music. But then, as I meet more people, I guess not.

Assuming Rock Band has it, play some Boney M. That'll get the party started. I'm waiting for DJ Hero.

It's all a damn hype. Yes Abhi is a good actor (especially Guru), and Ash is pretty (Not in anyway a remarkable actor),
but guys the industry does not run on them and they are not the Best and obviously not to be taken as iconic figures of Indian Film Industry
May be they were the easiest to rope in for a TV show as they and their family are quite attention craving (at least for the past several years)
Just my thoughts no offense meant

I think people should understand that its the Indian film industry and that's our identity (pehchan) not Bollywood (though for the masses it is so)
This is one main reason why the industry folks are pissed when they hear bollywood, just like a subset of hollywood

The worst is when the world first calls it bollywood and then ask who is your julia roberts, who is your brad and angie jodi(pair), who is your clint, give me a break
We are not a bloody reflection or imitation but the unique and honest expression of a Billion people

Not sure if you've seen these: Sabyasachi Mukherjee's Weaves of India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag9_MMmxHGI&feature=PlayList&p=98B7B47885A92A86&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUFk0lCWe80

Awesome! Thanks! Sabyasachi is great from what I've seen.

Hi,

Normally in a movie I prefer to see Kareena, Bips or Konkona Sen Sharma, but Ash isn't as terrible a representative of Bollywood as many Desis seem to think. Because she has appeared in a couple of Hollywood movies she has some name name recognition over here outside Hollywood. She's stunningly beautiful. She doesn't appear to have believe anything which would really offend a US audience, so she's a good choice for the first "Bollywood celebrity" role on US talk shows.

My guess is that we're in the early stages of some kind of fusion of Hollywood and Bollywood, and the Hollywood publicity apparatus, and shows like Oprah's are still trying to figure out Bollywood and how to present it. Mistakes are going to be made, and maybe this Oprah show is one of them. Maybe it isn't.

Ray,

Step back yo, its all about Dev & Frieda now.

Yes Abhi is a good actor (especially Guru)

I really liked his work in Yuva, Sarkar, and Sarkar Raj

Oprah can put the couple in context for an American audience AND respect them and their culture at the same time. She just chose not to, and shame on her for that.

But come in, this isn't NPR. This is Oprah. Her audience loves crap like that.

The question we also need to figure out is whether we want a fusion.

Speaking of lack of awareness of another culture's stars , just try playing Rockband at an indian gathering. Other than a Duran Duran song or Eye of the Tiger or Linkin Park(if they are in their 20s), there are usually a lot of perplexed stares at the titles which came as a surprise to me because a lot of Indians I knew in the past seemed to be aware of a lot of western music. But then, as I meet more people, I guess not.

Do you think Abhishek had a choice of not living with his parents? His parents seem over bearing to me given that they are so often seen together at so many public functions.

And I thought Abhisheks answer was kind of rude and defensive.

Most married couples around the world do not live with their parents (at least when they are newly married; it's one thing for your elderly parents to move in with you later in life, it's quite another to remain at home after marriage).

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Abhi went to Boston University for college and it does make a difference in mannerisms. I think having lived in the American environment shows through in him as he was not overly hyper and really understanding the questions and jokes Oprah was making. Ash on the other hand although she has done some crossover films-I still feel she gives off an extremely nervous vibe which comes off as cocky at times and ditzy also. The joke where Oprah said "Don't you ever look in the mirror and say DAMN,,," and Ash was like "YES" shows how she just didn't get the joke because language can be interpreted in so many different ways when you're not from the same culture. Her whole body language was different than his and I think it seemed out of place like she was over reacting. I'm willing to bet a lot of Bollywood stars that have studied here in the US would react more like Abhi (eg. Priyanka Chopra, Amisha Patel). Not a good or a bad thing just an observation.

The joke where Oprah said "Don't you ever look in the mirror and say DAMN,,," and Ash was like "YES" shows how she just didn't get the joke because language can be interpreted in so many different ways when you're not from the same culture. Her whole body language was different than his and I think it seemed out of place like she was over reacting. I'm willing to bet a lot of Bollywood stars that have studied here in the US would react more like Abhi (eg. Priyanka Chopra, Amisha Patel). Not a good or a bad thing just an observation.

You are so right. Abhi was really clever and confident and Ash comes across as airheady, which is why I find her irritating. And there is the cultural gulf b/c it was funny when she initially agreed with the "Don't you ever look in the mirror and ...DAMN" joke Oprah said. I'm glad Ash was able to clarify that; Her mannerisms annoy me, but as far as I understand she specifically doesn't hawk the fair and lovely crap, b/c of the ugly message it sends and so I admire her for that - ; I think Sushmita Sen is like that too. I don't know what happened with the later Indian Miss Worlds and Universes, the Priyanka Chopras and Lara Duttas, etc. models like Diana Penty...it's great when some Indian beauties take a stand, despite the lucrative money, and the general acceptance of the Fair and Lovely crap in most of the world, including Africa, Asia and Mid-East and many within the black, east asian, and brown populations that live in the West b/c they know it sends a bad message and harmful one (since that stuff is bad for the skin).

Here she is saying she doesn't do fair and lovely on TYRA - it's when she was trying to sell the Pink Panther. Tyra brings up a picture of the Indian antm contestant, Anchal, who is a dark-skinned, and Tyra was saying that Anchal expressed her insecurity in being dark and the bleaching cremes came up, and Aish says she won't let her name with "fairness creams" products. So yeah, her mannerisms come across as silly but she does seem cool in some ways.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeRe_zU5fVg

I just want to speak up for my fellow Americans--who cares if Americans don't know who Abhi and Aish are? I can understand the criticism that Americans don't take much interest in current events outside the United States, but that is really differnt than not taking an interest in Bollywood cinema and Bollywood film actors. How much do you know about Japanese/Czech/German/South African film stars? Why should you, unless you have a particular interest in the cinema of those countries?

Michelle Obama's mom lives with them and people ask them "how is that working out", so it is not that big a deal.

(since that stuff is bad for the skin).

So yeah, her mannerisms come across as silly but she does seem cool in some ways.\

And don't get me started on how irritating Tyra is...the only reason I could sit thru this part of the Tyra show, was b/c Aish was on it and I was curious to see an Indian celeb on the show.

I thought it was basically a moisturizer/sun-block. Both of which are actually good for the skin. . .

Sun protection is necessary for good skin and sun blocks are great as far as what the derms say to me. But this bleaching stuff has chemicals in it that try to literally bleach the skin - different than sunblock. I remember on SM that someone posted pics of Africans who used this stuff and the skin on their face looked as if it had been burned. There's probably different versions of whatever chemicals there are that does the bleaching and stronger versions can do much harm but the less intense versions must be terrible for your skin too, as it's trying to change your pigmentation. Sunblock is just protections from the sun; it's not trying to change your skin color, just giving you shade, so to speak.

Apparently she has indeed endorsed some skin lightening products in the past:

http://glamourfab.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/sonam-caught-in-loreal-controversy/

including White Glow soap:

http://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainmenttags/aishwarya-rai/blast-past-aishwarya-rais-lux-white-glow-commercial

just sayin......

just sayin......

Ah well another celeb disappoints...forget what I said about Aish's coolness factor. I'm still holding out for the beautiful Sushmita.

But A^2 don't need it, and this felt sort of...belittling.

My heart breaks for A^2 and especially for Abhishek, who has worked hard for his place in the world by making sure to being borne by the right womb. Few enough of us succeed in this endeavor that those who do deserve our eternal and heartfelt respect. It must also be terribly depressing for them that they cannot internalize the angst that the 15 minutes of deep shame on the most syndicated program on US television must have generated, to deliver their trademark deeply felt emotional acting performance for an upcoming movie. Look at the self effacing Mr. Khan, for example, who, was able to take the lemons of a 66 (SIXTY SIX!) minute wait at immigration and make lemonade from them, all while filming a hard hitting expose on racial profiling (oh, and Aspergers. And marital troubles. And a visit with the US president),

what is this about Aishwarya "never being kissed on screen" according to Oprah (and apparently not corrected by Aish)? hasn't anyone seen the Dhoom 2 kiss with Hritik Roshan? I'll try to post a youtube link....

They also never ever ever sat in front of a camera for a tv show together before either.
Or talked to a real live African American lady, or talked to a Chinese tv host via satellite
and so on and so forth.

I really do think that Oprah's 'research' department needs to hire some more people.

More people prolly would recognize Dev and Frieda than these two.

hasn't anyone seen the Dhoom 2 kiss with Hritik Roshan? I'll try to post a youtube

please do. if it's anything like desi kisses it involves the guy champing his jaw around his co-stars lower lip and pulling interminably. these women pro'ly have it better.

Found it! Lets get the facts straight, its not so bad that Oprah made the mistake, its the lying to make a "good indian wife" facade that gets me ticked.

Ok here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuRMHKdPkbs&feature=PlayList&p=F9C42D19AC5F2580&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

Hope it gets you to the video.

They fly all the way to Chicago and it's not even worth it. Oprah talked about nonsense and not much at all about their careers, lives, how they see the world, things they're involved in etc.

Ridiculous interview.

Not worth it? What? For whom?

The appearance is a great resume-builder for the couple. The experience goes right into the equation of how much they are worth, what their asking price will be for their next movie. At this rate, Ash's pay per movie will really approach the $15 million figure thrown around here. After her last round of North American media exposure, she graduated to earning Rs. 4 crores per movie (handed over to her by none other than Rajinikanth himself), which reportedly made her the highest paid actress in India in 2008 or 2007.

It is all circular and exponentially rewarding. And maybe somebody will come out and tell us that Oprah's ratings in India jumped up too?

True. A whole lotta hype. Of 6.7 billion people in the world , 5 billion are apparently their fans - hilarious .
That being said it was a show on World's most popular people and these two are popular in India.No denying that ! Whether they can act or not is another story for another time.

It is all circular and exponentially rewarding.

Irrational exuberance + "famous for being famous" + time = cataclysmic anonymity.

(Not disagreeing with your point, just expressing my skepticism for celebrityhood)

I just want to speak up for my fellow Americans--who cares if Americans don't know who Abhi and Aish are? I can understand the criticism that Americans don't take much interest in current events outside the United States, but that is really different than not taking an interest in Bollywood cinema and Bollywood film actors. How much do you know about Japanese/Czech/German/South African film stars? Why should you, unless you have a particular interest in the cinema of those countries?

Thank you PKS! I sense an equal amount of arrogance of the part of some posters here who think that everyone should know about their actors. Did any of you know about Genevieve Nnaji? I think it's great that "everyone" but America is aware of Bollywood actors. It's a good counterbalance to the uppityness of the racist/colorstruck Bollywood.

This is one main reason why the industry folks are pissed when they hear bollywood [referred to as] a subset of hollywood

They shouldn't be. Bollywood was modeled after Hollywood and still is. The film industry was started in America after all Vinod. Bollywood makes sure it's technology is up to date, makes action movies like the West and continues its staunch indirect worship of Western Beauty Standards as evidenced by the idolizing of the light-skinned, light-eyed Hrithik and Ash. Bollywood takes a warped sense of pride in finding Indians who look like white people and then has the nerve to get mad when people notice the imitation and know the source.

My guess is that we're in the early stages of some kind of fusion of Hollywood and Bollywood

Oh no. Just imagine the union of the two snooty figure-heads of white superiority. Mother meets its reflection. It would be a quiet full endorsement of Bollywood's colorist exclusivity. Yes it's glamorous. Yes it's entertainment but there's danger if America accepts Bollywood and ignores it's blatant omission of dark-hued (bona-fide) Indians but at the same time claimes to be in a post-racial era where racism is considered to be waning.

Now regarding Oprah, from what I hear (I didn't see the show) it seems the questions were patronizing and there should have been more substance. Americans shouldn't be that ignorant of India or it's culture. But even if many are, why dwell on the cultural introductions when you can just ask them real questions pertaining to their careers like real professionals? Surely we can all understand that!

Bollywood was modeled after Hollywood and still is. The film industry was started in America after all Vinod.

makes action movies like the West and continues its staunch indirect worship of Western Beauty Standards as evidenced by the idolizing of the light-skinned, light-eyed Hrithik and As

I don't bollywood is anything like hollywood and I don't think Ms Ash, Amitabh, SRK, etc are in anyway trying to emulate American western standards. South Asians have plenty of light-skinned people and for better or worse that is considered more beautiful than dark skin. You look at the high fashion industry in India, and the stars of the modeling world are dark skinned. There's some variation and there should stop being a commercial pressure that says your dark skin won't get you in the door crap(in fair and lovely commercials), but desi bollywood actors, are modeled after what desis perceive as pretty. for example Julia Roberts would NOT be considered attractive in India. Bollywood would be incredibly different if it's one and only influence was to mimic the West.

And then your facts on the beginnings of cinema and such are off.

Oh no. Just imagine the union of the two snooty figure-heads of white superiority. Mother meets its reflection. It would be a quiet full endorsement of Bollywood's colorist exclusivity. Yes it's glamorous. Yes it's entertainment but there's danger if America accepts Bollywood and ignores it's blatant omission of dark-hued (bona-fide) Indians but at the same time claimes to be in a post-racial era where racism is considered to be waning.

dark-hued (bona-fide) Indians

wtf is this? I'm dark-skinned so I'm the bona-fide Indian but a light-skinned cousin or mother of mine is not bona-fide? In most desi families there's light and dark skinned - get over it. Jeez.

I remember one Indian dude said to me in India that Aiswarya was world famous and everyone in USA knew who she was.

Yeah right.

Dream on.

Here's the youtube vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4THfhJfHlTE

Abhi looks absolutely horrible with that goofy haircut and Aish's sari is NOT bahu-licious, but rather saas-horrific.

I'll gladly volunteer my image consulting skills - completely free.

Speaking of lack of awareness of another culture's stars , just try playing Rockband at an indian gathering. Other than a Duran Duran song or Eye of the Tiger or Linkin Park(if they are in their 20s), there are usually a lot of perplexed stares at the titles which came as a surprise to me because a lot of Indians I knew in the past seemed to be aware of a lot of western music. But then, as I meet more people, I guess not.

************************************************************************* Western music today is much more diverse and expansive than it used to be. It's hard to keep track of everything even for a marginally interested American. People in India will generally know the current top-40 stuff, but a lot of the older songs aren't cultural touchstones there the way they are here. I frankly don't see why anyone should expect them to be.

Well, I wasn't implying they needed to know the songs. Just giving some perspective on how one in the US can be unaware of the so called most famous couple in the world.

I don't bollywood is anything like hollywood and I don't think Ms Ash, Amitabh, SRK, etc are in anyway trying to emulate American western standards. South Asians have plenty of light-skinned people and for better or worse that is considered more beautiful than dark skin. You look at the high fashion industry in India, and the stars of the modeling world are dark skinned.

How is it racism to have an aesthetic preference within a race? I mean, pretty much the entire entertainment industry has a "No fat chicks" policy and plus sized women are probably closer to the regular American than the ones you see on the screen.

Then you guys are blind. India got it's preference for fair skin from the West. The most popular (with exceptions) Indian actors are those with features more common to Europeans than Indians. And PS you're wrong; there aren't any truly dark-skinned models in the fashion industry. All are basically a tan color the same as "fair" Bollywood actors.

Er, no and no.

wtf is this? I'm dark-skinned so I'm the bona-fide Indian but a light-skinned cousin or mother of mine is not bona fide? In most desi families there's light and dark skinned - get over it. Jeez.

I knew someone would take this out of context. Omitting dark-Indians from lead roles or any at all is just as unrealistic as only showing light-skinned blacks. And there's full-blooded light-skinned Africans fyi. Dark-skin really is one of the defining physical characteristics of the Indian nation just like it is for blacks and that is what I meant by bona fide. Don't take it so literally.

There appears to me to be a lot of posters on SM who are in denial --or just like to play dumb-- about Bollywood's Eurocentric ideals and how it's a form of racism which is strange. I've read more frank acknowledgement of the Euro source of India's colorism on "less scholarly" Desi blogs than on the oh so intellectual SM.

Note to SM Intern,

I won't derail this topic any further or bother to argue.

about Bollywood's Eurocentric ideals

If Bollywood is what Shakti Kapoor sports when he meets nubile young ones, it is definitely quite Indocentric.

Indians of all shades and all eye color are all bona fide Indians. The answer to shadism is not reverse shadism. Don't hate, appreciate all shades.

You know I'm just tired of this discussion and I'll just say I have a completely different opinion than you. But the little I know about the iNdian film industry, shows your facts and "gists" as you like to call are factually wrong.

I'm not blind but I do think you are blindly following the racial paradigm of the West. I don't look at Aish or any other light skinned desi and see a different race. I see an aesthetic preference for lighter skin. I see the features that Indian beauties have as the features of Indians, and if there's some overlap with Europeans so be it. There may be naturally light-skinned Africans, (it's a large continnent) and I have heard of the Khosian tribe (sp?), but as far as I know none of the light-skinned desis whether in my family or friends have gotten their color from some recent "mixing" with a very diverse population.

I find your "bona-fide" desi comment ignorant and midly offensive. Somehow after making this comment I am not supposed to take it literally. I took it literally and it doesn't make sense. A light-skinned Indian friend is not a different race than me. Mindy Kaling and Aish are not different races - they are the variation of INdians and yes, Indians prefer their light skins.

I have a problem with the fact bollywood displays mostly light-skinned desis; there's a lot of colorism in the bollywood industry. And hopefully it'll change as the fashion industry is more open to different colored desis. In the west there is desire for the actresses to have a size boob and waist that very rarely do I see among my American friends or in the general population or even the fake blond hair that rarely comes naturally; I don't think the size 0 actress in Hollywood is a different race then her average size 12 sisters. I don't view skin color among desis as something that is racism (it can be depending on the context) but it is colorism and at the same time people have a right for an aesthetic preference. I have my own aesthetic preferences. I don't think the Indian cosmetic industry should be putting down Indians who are dark-skinned, nor do I think the Western cosmetic industry should put down women who are the American average weight or boob size for that matter. I want those things to change and I hope the aesthetics of bollywood will include dark-skinned beauties.

You are wrong about the fashion industry in India. Last time I was in India I saw the very dark-skinned Garima Parnami on the cover of Femina. Vogue had Lakshmi Menon in a bathing suit with the skin color I get when I'm out in the sun. Tinu Verghese is another very successful dark-skinned desi model; Ujjwala Raut is wheatish lol; but put her in the sun and she gets quite dark. Monikangana is another very successful desi model and she is dark skinned.

I grow tired of comments like yours that seem to MIMIC the race dialogue of the West w/o the realities of the subcontinent - that's my opinion.

Much to do about nothing. How is this important in the scheme of life.

I must say you guys are predictable if nothing else. At least one a year you have to do a 'Bash Aish Fest' or 'Bash Bollywood Fest'. It just would not be SM without that annual event and the same stale comments and debates. LMAO

Carry on.

Dark-skin really is one of the defining physical characteristics of the Indian nation

But the little I know about the iNdian film industry, shows your facts and "gists" as you like to call are factually wrong.

Perhaps India’s most interesting encounter with Western modernity was its affair with cinema. Unlike democracy or nationalism or English or cricket, cinema came with no cultural baggage because Indians got hold of the technology at around the same time as Frenchmen and Americans did: the last few years of the 19th century. There were no histories, no genres, no precedents to defer to. As a result, the movies that Indians made through the entire silent period, and even after, were wildly different in their nature and conventions from the films made in the West. By and large, the ability of film to literally represent the world encouraged a naturalist cinema in the West. In India, in stark contrast, film’s ability to make the magical seem real encouraged the making of mythological epics, a genre that completely dominated Indian cinema for its first two decades, roughly the period of the silent film. This is not surprising. For a largely illiterate, hugely diverse audience, the silent mythological had the advantage of telling stories that most people knew. It offered film-makers a pan-Indian audience. And then with sound came India’s unique take on cinema: the ‘musical’ as the default genre of the feature film, not, as in the West, as the occasional novelty.

Oh get over it. Most Americans don't know Aishwarya or Abhishek. They don't watch movies in Hindi. Mainstream America isn't exposed to it. So Oprah is just warming her audience, made of up supposedly mainstream America to these stars. What's the problem? Get over it!

I grow tired of comments like yours that seem to MIMIC the race dialogue of the West w/o the realities of the subcontinent - that's my opinion.

And I'm tired of opinions like yours that refuse to see how the realities of the subcontinent are related to the race dialogue of the Western world. That's my opinion.

And the little I know about Japanese and European film industry, films made specifically for local audiences, cultural give & take yada yada yada...

Mr. X , I was agreeing with you in my comment. bollywood for all it's crap, and the indian film industry is uniquely Indian and isn't tailored to the West - very weird assessment considering how different bollywood movies are to West. Sure there's influences but to collapse the desi film industry into some West-pleasing paradigm is to me ridiculous.

PS, #78 was entirely for the benefit of Mme. monalisa. Sorry for the confusion.

"Then you guys are blind. India got it's preference for fair skin from the West. "

This is plain nuts. Why blame the West for this "problem?" The preference for fair skin is deeply rooted in Indian culture. It didn't just develop in the last 100-200 years.

We indians are bound to our family unlike westeners. we never frown at couples living with their parents. we look upon it as oor bounden duty to stay with them till the end of their lives nd our children live with us till we part. it is this indian tradtion which keeps a family together. no, it doesnt infringe on our space. what space does one need if one does not have the love, affection or advise of our parents and elders? we are brought up to be independent minded but wherefamily is concerned the joint family works as a support system. it is the cycle of life, where u take care of your elders, your kids take care of you and even if the couples are working, the children get good values and support from grand parents, uncles and aunts. yes, there are problems too. it cannot be always hunky dory, but if you took a poll, 85% indians, irrespective of their social and monetary status, would prefer to live with their parents. i am unmarried and 45, am proud to be taking care of my aged mother who is 75 years young. i have no wish for "space", as westeners put it. we are a family oriented people that is most of us are. the ones who need their space, flew the coop long ago and settled down in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

in india we have a saying, "bandar ke gale me motiyon ka haar", meaning how come such an ugly baboon got to wear such a beautiful pearl necklace. it was not a match made in heaven as manywould say. it was a calculated business arrangement. she is more famous than he will ever be.he only has a family name to his credit. no talent, no looks, no luck. he has a string of flops and only because he is a famous lineage, that he gets so much media mileage. she might be beautiful, but icy on the surface. just because we have a white skin fetish. we indians are never proud of our honey coloured complexion, for which americans pay good money to get the correct tan. being shocked about them staying with their parents is passe. why could not oprah ask them some relevant quesitons about their life? she wasted a wholelot of time with irrelevant stuff. but anyways, how can we expect oprah to know anything about india? she apparently did not do any homework. but thats the american way of life. fill it shut it forget it.

Anil,
So the gist of your comment was:
1. Abhishek is an ugly, untalented pull-case who doesn't deserve his wife.
2.His wife is cold, heartless gold digging businesswoman.
3.Indians have a white skin fetish and are unappreciative of their own.
4.Oprah's show was crap.
5.The Ameican way of life is basically about being callous.
Are you always this cheerful,or is it a side effect of partaking too many sour grapes?

Then you guys are blind. India got it's preference for fair skin from the West. The most popular (with exceptions) Indian actors are those with features more common to Europeans than Indians. And PS you're wrong; there aren't any truly dark-skinned models in the fashion industry. All are basically a tan color the same as "fair" Bollywood actors.

YOU LIE! First of all you are not Indian! Indians had a caste system going when Europeans were living in caves! Indians preferred skin is light olive skin not rosy european skin full of freckles. Those features are not attractive in India. Get your facts straight!

Hey, tone it down!! (Unless the "you lie!" was a reference to the Obama interrupter? In which case, carry on.)

This thread is getting a bit circular and rant-y. Please consider your comment in light of the "don't feed the trolls" warning above the comment box before posting.

i cant stand ash. i think she is so fake and over her self.
i al so dont think that they are the most fanous couple in the world. if you ask anyone else then indian they would not know them. i believe they are getting to much credit for nothing. abhishek is still nice but ash she is just weird... sorry to those people who like her.

I've followed this threat with great interest, which started from being mildly amusing to extending to incorrigibility of people's thoughts. What baffles me, however, is why does everyone get so uptight about two individuals living on the other side of the planet (or probably on the same side as yours), who don't care or even know that the people posting on this thread even exist?! This thread has gotten from submitting blase` comments to heated arguments, all for what? two people who would carry on making money, appearing on many more TV shows, and appealing to the ones who worship them as demi-Gods? Surely, their status or their demeanour or their looks shouldn't affect any one, should it? So is this indulging in perverse pleasure to cater to one's sub-conscious frivolities worth all the time and emotion spent on this thread?! What one should think of before posting is, are your comments going to change the very nature of the whole fiasco, rather than fouling one's mood by attacking/responding to people's comments, and blowing things out of proprtion about racism, colour and God-knows-what. Peace be on you, all!

I grow tired of comments like yours that seem to MIMIC the race dialogue of the West w/o the realities of the subcontinent - that's my opinion.

Thanks. I am so tired of every thread degenerating into a skin color debate.

cicatrx

the Obama interrupter?

Who?

Omitting dark-Indians from lead roles or any at all is just as unrealistic as only showing light-skinned blacks. And there's full-blooded light-skinned Africans fyi. Dark-skin really is one of the defining physical characteristics of the Indian nation just like it is for blacks and that is what I meant by bona fide. Don't take it so literally.

There appears to me to be a lot of posters on SM who are in denial --or just like to play dumb-- about Bollywood's Eurocentric ideals and how it's a form of racism which is strange.

Very true monalisa.

No one on this thread is intimate with either Ashwariya or Abhishek, but since they are famous people every one thinks they know exactly who they are as people. Reality is you don't know them as individuals or as a couple beyond an extremely superficial level of movie, TV, and photo. You can evaluate their acting and speaking, and how good they look. Cold or warm, real or fake is revealing more about you than it is an accurate assessment of them.

I just don't think that abhishek is happy with ashwariya. I think that she is beautiful....but then their is hardly any film celebraty who is not beautiful. Ok, apart from that, I feel that Ash is too superficial and the way she talks and behaves is as if she is making a big deal out of everything. Also, I do feel that abhishek is always potraid like being married to the most beautiful women. Well to tell you the truth, it should be the other way round. Abhi is a very handsome young man....he is tall, smart, belongs to a very reputed and highly known family, his educational backgound is very strong and most of all he is like 2 years younger....So people should start saying that Ash is toooo lucky to be married to such wonderful person.
I have seen many movies of both abhi and ash and I can say that ash is the same in all her movies....i think she just doesn't know that she has to act in a movie.....whereas abhi had few bad performances in the beginning but he has significantly improved himself.
Lastly, their is no such thing as the most beautiful women or men....these filmstarts have a media presence....but this world is filled with billions and billios of people who r not covered by media....and we should all understand this fact that we haven't found the best until everyone is given the same media acclamation and voted upon.

Mayne!! Abhishek Bachan is one ugly dude!

another big yawn... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE NOTE TO SM writers stop with the ULTRA SELF RIGHTEOUS posts that have been all too common. Just because Oprah said that Julia Roberts called her beautiful doesn't imply that Oprah is re-inforcing imperialistic, reductionist thinking.

God, the more I read these obviously over-zealous readers of SM, the more disappointed I get. Do you realize by posts like this that use little things like what oprah said and mis-construe it to the second coming of Jallianwala Bagh, actually dilutes when there are real examples of reductionist language.

PLEASE SM WRITERS STEP IT UP

Aishwarya is alright but I don't think she's that attractive. I think Nandita Das is a better actress and she is much more beautiful than Aishwarya.

ash's english isnt that great either.i guess she prepares herself so much before her 'foreiGn' interviews.unlike abhi,who has an easy and free flowing command over the language without having to create an accent.ash initially tried to create an american accent in her earlier interviews and then progressed to a british accent.she has 2or3 english words and phrases that she uses always in all her interviews.Ya.I agree with almost everyone. She's fake.she acts and tries so much in her interviews. . There is no calmness and no easy flow in her intertheys.her indian interviews are just the same.you dont understand what she's saying half the time because i guess even she doesnt understand them.she doesnt know how to give an interview.period.

I was present in the audience when they taped this show. I was glad that Abhishek was present. Oprah also looks for intelligent answers and at times, Ash is just dumb. She looks pretty and could have explained herself better on questions of beauty issues etc.. but she ranted some garbage. If not for Abhishek, I could tell the American audience would not have left with much of a impression about India.

Seems like everything was going fine during the interview until Nacho showed up! The husband's eyes got big, he began fidgeting around nervously, the wife leaned into her husband's side more. What's the deal with that? He should have switched seats with his wife if he didn't want her next to the sexy polo player. Am I the only one who noticed this? Also, instead of complaining about Oprah's questions and misinformation, be glad. There are many people who had never of them until they were on her show (like me). She just gave them a bigger audience and informed many folks that there is "life outside of the USA."