Originally posted by: RaniPreityAish
It's funny how quick some are to dismiss Aish's achievements. What other actress can claim these numbers linked below? She beat Salman Khan at the box office which is no small matter (and karmic justice). She is the muse of one of India's most proficient filmmakers, Mani Ratnam. Unlike Bhansali, he does not dump actresses once they are older. In this ensemble cast of the biggest and best of South Indian stars, Aish held her own and proved that she is a pan-Indian star not seen since the likes of Sridevi. South Indians have not forgotten Aish since her first blockbuster Jeans. I have a South Indian friend who knows virtually no actor or film from BW, but she knew Aish and it was all because of Jeans, her favorite film.
Aish played a role that few actresses have ever been able to play in BW, both the female lead and the main villain of this epic series. She has won an award for this performance and I am not surprised to see that in my poll about Favorite Actress Performance in a Negative Role, that Aish is winning over the likes of fellow fan favs like Kajol, Urmila, and PC. It's also not a coincidence that in all the promotion for the Hindi dubs of PS, Aish is the only one showcased. Look at PS-1 on Amazon Prime, the Hindi dub, and it's only Aish's face. The regular version showcases the entire ensemble cast including Aish front and center. Similarly the Hindi dub for PS-2 on Amazon Prime showcases Aish and the male lead in their climactic scene. Clearly, Amazon Prime knows who sells and is the real face of the series outside of South India. All these images are pictured below for non-believers.
(also notice that in the Forbes headline, one of the most prestigious American news sources, the film is labeled as an Aishwarya Rai starrer film. No other name was considered to have as much recognition to be considered important enough to feature in the headline. PS is considered an Aishwarya Rai starrer film. She is truly the face of these movies. Her name still commands this much respect in the west).
https://www.forbes.com/sites/swetakaushal/2023/05/03/india-box-office-ponniyin-selvan-ii-grosses-24-million-worldwide-salman-khans-film-falls-flat/?sh=6a1030d20b19
https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/ponniyin-selvan-2-box-office-collection-day-14-mani-ratnams-film-is-a-winner-2378039-2023-05-12
One last thing I want to say is that even if Aish's career ended with PS and she never made another movie again for whatever reason of her own, she would have ended on a high note and still have one of the most venerated and respected careers in BW. These cheap actresses from today like KJo's adopted daughter can work until she's 99 and she'll never have that level of love, recognition, and respect from audiences and her peers. Aish's body of work stands inviolate despite base attempts to mock at her legacy. She has nothing to prove to anyone, least of all trolls besotted with Alia's flaring nostrils.
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