I’m a sensitive being, says Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

She’s back. And she’s ruling the screen again. A vision in an ivory anarkali with intricate gold detailing, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan dazzled and impressed during her stopover in the capital recently, even as praise for her powerhouse performance in Sarbjit is pouring in. She opened up about playing Dalbir Kaur, the challenges she faced during the movie and more.

“I am a sensitive being. When I first heard Dalbirji’s exigent journey to bring back her brother, I was awe-struck. Her journey, her pain, her challenges, her spirit, and her aura struck a chord with my soul. It struck so much and so hard that I felt emotionally responsible for taking her story to the world,” the actor said, opening up about Sarbjit’s sister who fought against all odds to get her brother back to his motherland and family, but in the end met with defeat. “I started preparing for the movie not just dil se but from the soul. The biggest gratifying moment for me was when Dalbirji and Sukpreetji along with the latter’s two children came to watch the movie and said that we had done justice to showcasing their Sarbjit correctly. I was almost in tears when they nodded in approval. It is an immensely tragic tale of wasted lives and relationships,” she added.

Aishwarya avoided meeting Dalbir Kaur while prepping for her part. “Her struggle was well documented in the media. I felt as an actor, I had sufficient material to portray the role. I wanted to meet her as a person but I didn’t feel the need to meet her personally as an actor, just to observe her. I thought that it would’ve been really selfish on my part.”

For those who have watched the movie and found it odd that the Punjabi accent of all the key characters varies though they belong to the same village in Tarn Taran district, Ash explained, “Yes, the accent comes and goes but not at my convenience. Director Omung Kumar and I had a lengthy discussion before we started shooting, about how I am going to go forward and play a Sikhni. It was Randeep who stepped in and brought up an interesting insight that answered our doubts. He said that Sarbjit had been captured and been practically with his own company for more than two decades so his accent would’ve definitely reflected a stronger and more rustic tone. Likewise, Sukpreet, (essayed by Richa) from the time Sarbjit had gone from her life, had been raising her daughters and was always at home. She had withdrawn from the outside world. She had been writing letters to her husband but she became an internalised universe in herself. So, her interactions were lesser and fewer, hence again a rustic mannerism was introduced for her. But Dalbir was a working woman before marriage, so she was outgoing and came in contact with several other accents and personalities, which influenced her way of speaking. And when her fight for her brother took her beyond her own pind, which led her to so many places, people and circumstances, her zubaan could be modified to our needs. Plus, it is a Hindi movie so we retained the Punjabiyat in her but took the liberty to modify her zubaan. It is fine-tuning. It is not like we missed out on it purposefully.”

She looks forward to essaying more such powerful characters. “As actors we wait for opportunities to essay a character in its entirety. It is important to become a character and I always do that It is important for me,” she concluded.