Aishwarya Rai and (above) Preity Zinta with Czech model Eva Herzigova sharing a laugh at the lunch honouring Bollywood stars at the Chopard Lounge

Cannes chat from the Croisette

This year’s “Man of the Match” award at Cannes has got to go to the ubiquitous Aishwarya Rai, not only because of her superb performance in Provoked, but because she threw out an intriguing hint that she might write a book about her life (including who subjected her to abuse). But assuming she does not have time to do the job herself, who will do it for her? Perhaps, eventually, she will hire a big-name author from abroad. Three summers ago at Cannes, Viveik Anand Oberoi couldn’t take his hands off Aishwarya. This time as she flew out, he flew in. The timing was purely coincidence, of course.

“I get on very well with Ash,” declared Preity Zinta, explaining why she couldn’t attend Provoked, nor the party before. “It’s just that I want to see a French film.” All was in readiness for Preity to inaugurate the Indian Pavilion but she did not show up. No reason was given. But then Preity doesn’t come cheap as Chopard, who have long had their eyes on her, have discovered. She came to the party on Ashok Amritraj’s yacht with Karan Johar, who told anyone who would listen the acronym of his new film, KANK (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna). As for Ashok, he talks in millions of dollars but still has not been persuaded to make a film in India, but when he does it will have an Indian girl falling in love with an (White) American guy.

Elizabeth Hurley at the Chopard young actors awards ceremony during the 59th International film festival in Cannes

One elusive actress who was ferried around in an official French limousine was the voluptuous Monica Bellucci from Italy but then she was a jury member. “If she agrees to play Sonia Gandhi in my film, I will score a hat-trick,” boasted Provoked director Jagmohan Mundhra. “I have had Aishwarya Rai and Nandita Das, who have both been in the Cannes jury.” Aishwarya was a jury member in 2003, Nandita last year. On that basis, he should also offer roles to Arundhati Roy and Mira Nair, who were jury members in 2000 and 1990, respectively. Monica has not said ‘yes’ or ‘no’. “She wanted the script rewritten,” said Mundhra. “That’s been done but she hasn’t got back to me.”

Cannes is all about yacht parties but director Sudhir Mishra, has been extra careful how he goes on board. Two years ago, he plunged into the water while stepping on to hostess Surina Narula’s yacht ? and nearly drowned. “Have you saved my script?” he spluttered memorably, on being rescued. Mind you, it was the script of what proved to be his much admired Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi.

Now that Bollywood is big and getting bigger, Indian directors and producers are much sought after for dinner and very late night drinks by wannabe Western actresses and female officials from national film organisations. “There is nothing like personal contact,” explained a normally sober woman official, who giggled like a schoolgirl as she made off with an Indian producer in the direction of the Carlton Hotel terrace. There were many familiar faces at the Chopard’s difficult to get into Saturday night party, including Liz Hurley (who thankfully did not have a film at Cannes). She was approached by a man who told her that he wasn’t the one who fancied her but his girlfriend. To this, a relieved Liz replied: “Oh, that happens to me all the time. I’m a becoming a real lesbian magnet.”

SPOTLIGHT

Viveik Anand Oberoi

Viveik rocks Cannes

While the Bollywood entourage to Cannes consisting of actors and actresses has been shying away from wearing anything ethnic and Indian and preferring Armanis and Cavallis, Viveik Anand Oberoi as usual has proved to be an exception to the rule. He proudly sported a greater degree of Indian exotica and looked dapper in designer Arjun Khanna’s Maharajah Collection.

Says Viveik, “I hated the idea of wearing a Western suit to Cannes. And since I wanted to promote the Indian adaptation of Othello ? Omkara ? it would be most appropriate to wear Indian. Also, there couldn’t have been anything else while representing Bollywood in the international arena.”

Viveik created quite a storm at Cannes with his cool demeanour and style quotient at the promotion of his film, Omkara. He was in his element as he addressed the media on the adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello on a launch in the afternoon session.

He wore a cool baby pink shirt and a linen beige jacket with detailing and bluish grey corduroy jeans and off-white crocodile skin leather shoes to complement it. Viveik carried the look with loads of attitude.

At the cocktail party in the night held at the Nikki Beach Resort that boasted plenty of Hollywood presence, Viveik wore an off-white Jodhpuri, teamed with a black sherwani with a designed collar. It was the showpiece for the Maharajah collection of Arjun Khanna at the recently held India fashion week. Says designer Arjun, “Viveik has got the height, style and the right attitude to carry it off. He will definitely be emerging as a style icon in the near future.”

Even Viveik seems to be quite excited following all the praise he got there. “I had a blast in Cannes. I am really excited by the way this film (Omkara) has shaped up. Moreso because Ajay [Devgan] and I are together after Company and Yuva. Guess it’s gonna be third time lucky!!” (Sampurn)