Subhash Ghai has revealed an interesting story about casting Aishwarya Rai in his 1999 musical drama Taal. The filmmaker recently recalled that he deliberately wanted to move away from the glamorous image associated with the former Miss World and present her in a much more natural avatar. According to Ghai, he wanted to challenge Aishwarya’s existing public image and warned her that he would essentially destroy her image for the film. His intention, however, was not to damage her career but to make audiences see her as an actor rather than simply a beauty-pageant icon.
Subhash Ghai
Why Did Subhash Ghai Want to Change Aishwarya’s Image?
When Ghai cast Aishwarya as Mansi in Taal, she was already widely recognised for her beauty and had won the Miss World crown. The filmmaker felt that this glamorous perception could come in the way of the character he wanted her to portray. Ghai wanted Mansi to look like a simple, natural and almost divine young woman, rather than a heavily styled Bollywood heroine. He therefore decided to strip away much of the glamour associated with Aishwarya’s public image. The filmmaker reportedly told her that he needed to destroy the image audiences had formed of her.
Aishwarya Rai
One of the most interesting aspects of Ghai’s approach was Aishwarya’s makeup. The filmmaker has previously explained that he generally prefers his actresses to use minimal makeup because he believes natural faces allow emotions to come through more effectively. While shooting Taal, he specifically asked makeup artist Mickey Contractor not to use makeup on Aishwarya. Ghai even recalled telling Contractor that he could charge whatever he wanted, but he wanted Aishwarya’s natural appearance to remain intact.
Aishwarya Rai
Interestingly, Ghai later revealed that the first time Aishwarya actually wore makeup during the film was for the song Kahin Aag Lage Lag Jaaye. Released in 1999, Taal starred Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor in key roles. The film became particularly popular for its music, choreography, performances and visual presentation. Aishwarya’s performance as Mansi also helped establish her as more than just a glamorous star.
Subhash Ghai
The film earned her a Filmfare Best Actress nomination, while the movie itself went on to become one of the memorable musical dramas of its era. Subhash Ghai’s decision to present Aishwarya in a comparatively natural avatar ultimately became an important part of Taal’s visual identity and his unusual approach to her image remains one of the fascinating stories associated with the film.