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Aishwarya Rai : From a courtesan to a Byzantine warrior
17th Sept 2006 20.30 IST
By Aparajita Ghosh

From a courtesan behind the veil to a warrior with a sword, Aishwarya Rai will be seen in very contrasting roles in her coming movies.

But first it is going to be Ash’s portrayal of a battered wife in Provoked that will mark her return to the big screen after her last forgettable film Mistress Of Spices . The actress is headed to London to promote the Jagmohan Mundhra-directed film, which will be distributed in UK, US and India by Eros International.

From a tortured housewife, Ash will slip into the garb of a courtesan in J P Dutta’s film Umrao Jaan , based on the book by Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa. The film will have Ash rendering poetry in chaste Urdu. She will be wearing elegant costumes designed by Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla and Anna Singh. The film tells the story of a young woman’s struggle in a Muslim household, her penchant for poetry, her unrequited love, and her disenchantment from life. ‘Umrao Jaan’ is set to release in mid-October.

After this, we will see Ash take the great leap and step into the shoes of a Byzantine warrior in the Hollywood movie The Last Legion , which is set against the backdrop of the fall of Rome in 476 AD.

The film will have Ash riding horses, stalking her enemies and fighting with swords.

In the initial parts of her role in the film, Ash will be seen as a black-clad Byzantine warrior, who joins a group of faithfuls to rescue the captive Roman emperor.

Actor Colin Firth plays a legionary named Aurelius, who discovers that the person behind the black clothing is a young, beautiful woman called Mira (Ash).

Oscar winning actor Ben Kingsley, who plays the emperor’s mentor in the film, has already lavished praises on Aishwarya for her acting skills and her beauty.

‘The Last Legion’ is slated to release on January 19, 2007.

From a battered wife to a courtesan and then to a Byzantine warrior – well, that is a variety any actor can boast of. We hope it will also bring Ash some box-office success. It has been due a long time.

Related
Aishwarya Rai
Provoked
Mistress Of Spices
Umrao Jaan
The Last Legion