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…)

Actress Aishwarya Rai is going very hard on herself these days. Her tight schedule and bad weather conditions in Rio de Janeiro where she was shooting for Dhoom 2 literally left her speechless. She has now been diagnosed with laryngitis.

Aishwarya said, “I can barely speak. Though my voice is getting better, it will take some time for it to get back to normal.” The infection has even made the actress postpone the shoot for J.P. Dutta’s Umrao Jaan in Lucknow.

For now, the actress is yet recovering from the overwhelming response she received at Melbourne. Ash undertook a 34-hour journey from Brazil, where she was shooting for Dhoom 2 to represent India at a performance with other actors at the Commonwealth Games finale. (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…)

Mistress Of Spices fate shouldered on Aish

Aishwarya Rai is no doubt is the queen of beauty but this time she is Gurinder Chaddha’s Mistress Of Spices. After gaining international fame for her part in ‘Bride and Prejudice’ Aish is once again the central character in this romantic movie spiced with a bit of magic.The movie is adaptation of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s famous novel by the same title, directed by the debutant Paul Mayeda Berges and produced by Deepak Nayar and Gurinder Chadha. Here, Gurinder Chadha has used spices to excite the senses and heal the spirit.

Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Dylan McDermott, Nitin Ganatra, Anupam Kher, Sonny Gill Dulay, Padma Lakshmi

Story: Tilo (Aishwarya Rai) is the mistress of a scented shop of spices and herbs situated in California where she works her magical powers. She draws on ancient wisdom to make remedies from fenugreek, lotus root, chillies, cinnamon roots, plants and powders from all over the world to cure heartache, banish bad luck and rescue from evil in one’s personal life. (more…)