‘Chokher Bali’, the poignant relationship drama set in the early 1900s, is a masterful adaptation by the late, revered filmmaker
Rituparno Ghosh, based on
Rabindranath Tagore’s novel. It’s a chamber drama, revolving around Binodini, a youthful, enchanting widow who audaciously rebels against societal conventions. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, with her elegant demure and fiercely resolute demeanor, brought Binodini to life, wearing a simple white sari and unbounded hair, presenting a contrast to her customary glamorous Bollywood depictions.
This film soaked Aishwarya in emotional depths, perpetuating Binodini’s memory even post-filming. As the story goes the actress was even left in tears after completing an emotional scene one day and it was Rituparno Ghosh who came to her rescue. Notably, Rai, after collaborating with Rituparno on ‘Chokher Bali’, worked with him once again in ‘Raincoat’, a project that almost eluded her. As speculations spun about Kareena Kapoor's initial involvement, Aishwarya elucidated during an interview that although she was initially approached, date conflicts due to her commitment to ‘Bride & Prejudice’ led the director to consult Kapoor. Eventually, the role circled back to Rai owing to similar scheduling dilemmas faced by Kapoor.
During the ‘Chokher Bali’ shooting, a splendid rapport blossomed between Rai and Rituparno. The latter, a cauldron of bubbling ideas, broke traditional casting norms and challenged Bengali audiences' anticipations by casting Rai. This became Aishwarya's debut in Bengali cinema, embodying a character well-entrenched in the minds of Bengali readers. For Aishwarya, ‘Chokher Bali’ was not merely a film; it was a satisfying creative journey comparable to her experiences with another celebrated director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
The narrative of how ‘Raincoat’ found its way to Rai is particularly intriguing. Post ‘Chokher Bali’, her exhilaration to collaborate with Rituparno again was palpable. Concurrently, Aishwarya and Ajay Devgan, having previously worked together on ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, were in pursuit of another meaningful project, paving the way for ‘Raincoat’ to serendipitously happen.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's portrayal of Binodini in ‘Chokher Bali’ indeed stands out as one of her most profound roles.
Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here
Start a Conversation
Post comment