Aishwarya Rai’s eagerly anticipated film ‘Mistress of Spices’ directed by Gurinder Chadha’s husband Paul Mayeda Berges which has already released in UK (to release in India this week) is getting sluggish response from the audience and critics, despite their massive advertising budget.

Going by the UK box office figures ‘Mistress of Spices’ opened with disappointing response of GBP 85,563 on 50+ prints. In contrast last week’s Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Humko Deewana Kar Gaye’ opened to a smashing GBP 175,000 on just 43 prints.

Reviewers feel that the film fails to generate any heat. Also the chemistry between the main leads, Aish and Dylan lacks intensity and fire. Fans of Gurinder Chadha are disappointed to come across such a boring treatment given to the story where Aish is forever talking to her spices. (more…)

In ‘Mistress of Spices’ Aishwarya Rai portrays an Indian woman in San Francisco running a spice shop. Hollywood actor Dylan McDermott is paired with her. Gurinder Chadha’s husband, Paul Mayeda Berges who is donning the director cap for the first time, speaks about Aishwarya, the film which was shot in San Francisco and Kerala and the novel written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni which was adapted into the film.

What factors prompted you to sign Aishwarya Rai for the role of Tilo in Mistress of Spices?

While working with Ash on Bride and Prejudice, we started to think that she would be perfect as Tilo and it would show a whole new dimension of the actor. She read the script and immediately understood the character. She wanted to play the role of a natural, soulful woman who helps her customers, holds onto her traditions, and at the same time, slowly opens up to new possibilities in her new life in America. (more…)