Breaking: Aishwarya Rai refused Hollywood film with Brad Pitt because she had made promises that ” I will never work with … See More

According to Cosmopolitan, Aishwarya was offered a pivotal role in Brad Pitt’s famous movie Troy, but she had rejected…
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Aishwarya Rai was already a major star in India when she started receiving numerous international film offers. Hollywood took notice after her film Devdas was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, prompting her to explore career opportunities in the West. During this period, she was offered a prominent role in Brad Pitt’s Troy. Although Aishwarya’s part in the film wasn’t particularly lengthy, the producers required her to commit 6-9 months to the project.

In an earlier interview with SCREEN, Aishwarya recalled this experience, explaining that the filmmakers expected her to block off a large portion of her schedule despite the smaller role. “They wanted me to lock off 6-9 months because it was a huge film,” she said. At the time, she hadn’t realized that Hollywood often allocated extensive time commitments to ensure project stability and insurance for their films and actors.

Aishwarya went on to share that her role didn’t justify such a large time commitment, especially since she had other obligations back in India. “Obviously, we have a way of looking at things like this is your part, lock off that kind of time. Of course, you understand the impact of largesse of that piece of cinema but to lock off that kind of time when you have that kind of albeit very small films here which I was committed to, I couldn’t get myself to just kick that to the curb,” she explained, adding, “It’s exciting because there are huge offers. It’s difficult because you know you are walking away from possibly…”

Reflecting on this period, Aishwarya noted that many of her senior colleagues spoke of a “glass ceiling” in international cinema, yet she felt she was on the cusp of breaking through it. Despite turning down Troy, Aishwarya went on to act in several international projects during the early 2000s.

Years later, in 2012, Brad Pitt commented on the missed opportunity, stating that they “missed out” on casting Aishwarya in Troy. He told IANS, “Given a chance, I would like to work with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, because she’s a versatile actor. She is one of the most popular actresses of Bollywood, who has achieved huge acclaim in the west for her style, beauty, and acting. I think we missed an opportunity to be cast together for Troy.” Ultimately, the role went to Rose Byrne.

Her global appeal extended to Hollywood, with roles in films like Bride and Prejudice and The Pink Panther 2. She became a regular at the Cannes Film Festival, often lauded for her elegance and beauty.