Aishwarya Rai Used Blankets To Create Abhishek Bachchan’s Look In Guru: 'I Realised Mani Had Thrown...'
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, who was his girlfriend at the time, were caught off guard when director Mani Ratnam suddenly decided to film a song.
Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan have shared the screen in multiple films, but their collaborations in Mani Ratnam’s movies stand out. The acclaimed director has a unique ability to bring out the best in both actors, showcasing their remarkable chemistry in ‘Guru’ and ‘Raavan’.
Aishwarya Rai made a fat suit for Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan recently shared a lighthearted behind-the-scenes story from ‘Guru’. He and Aishwarya, who was his girlfriend at the time, were caught off guard when director Mani Ratnam suddenly decided to film a song. With no prior preparation, Aishwarya improvised by stitching a fat suit for Abhishek on set. Speaking at G5A Cinema House’s Mani Ratnam retrospective, Abhishek recalled: “We were staying in a guest house and it was a day off. Mani came and said, ‘Brinda (choreographer Brinda Gopal) is there, go rehearse, we’re doing a song.’ I said, ‘We’re not supposed to be doing a song; we’re shooting Gurukant Desai’s younger portions.’ When I went down, Brinda master was standing there, totally flummoxed. That’s when I realised Mani had thrown one of his googlies."
Abhishek revealed that the song "Ek Lo Ek Muft," composed by A.R. Rahman and sung by Bappi Lahiri, had arrived only that morning. However, it was just a rough version for shooting, without the complete musical arrangement.
“He had previously given me two months to gain weight. That night, I still remember, Ameira (costume designer Ameira Punvani) and Aishwarya made a fat suit for me by stitching kambals (blankets) together. Then they took some shady grey stuff and put it on my hair. He (Mani) was like, ‘shave your head’. I said, ‘But, we are still shooting the younger portions.’ Amid all this, I was performing to a click track," he said.
About Guru
Guru (2007), directed by Mani Ratnam, tells the journey of Gurukant Desai, a small-town dreamer who rises to become a powerful industrialist. Starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, the film was widely acclaimed for its performances, A.R. Rahman’s music, and its compelling narrative.
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