Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are married

April 20, 2007 5:01 PM

Shaadi mubarak! The most beautiful woman in the world was married today. Aishwarya Rai and Abshishek Bachchan, two of India's most popular actors, tied the knot in Mumbai, amid tight security. While a comparatively modest affair, it was not without drama. Oh, you weren't invited? Well, you can still watch the bride and groom dance -- with the father-in-law, too.
posted by Methylviolet (100 comments total)

She has man hands.
posted by tgyg at 5:06 PM on April 20, 2007

I wouldn't care if she had man genitals. What a face.
posted by fire&wings at 5:09 PM on April 20, 2007 [7 favorites has favorites]

Abhishek! Abhishek!
posted by Methylviolet at 5:11 PM on April 20, 2007

She's not your mother, it's a man, baby!
posted by found missing at 5:14 PM on April 20, 2007

I know a certain Mefite who is rending his garments as we speak, the little bunny-shredder.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:21 PM on April 20, 2007

(bunny-shredder)
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:22 PM on April 20, 2007

Her nose is slightly too angular for my taste. Because angles taste bitter.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:24 PM on April 20, 2007

Big nose, big hands. I didn't get to vote on this!
posted by acetonic at 5:31 PM on April 20, 2007

She's okay, but I've seen women -- Indian and otherwise -- that were more attractive to me. She's a little too perfect. Or something.

(Hope it's a good, solid marriage, though. My seventeen-year odd oddysey ends in two weeks. Where's that bottle of Bushmills?)
posted by pax digita at 5:45 PM on April 20, 2007

Overly self-conscious pretty girls are in no way beautiful in my book.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:47 PM on April 20, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

How about that Tom Cruise and Penelope Whats-her-face?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:47 PM on April 20, 2007

Indian Feminists Despair As Film Star Marries a Tree
posted by homunculus at 5:48 PM on April 20, 2007

I would give my right leg, nose and left eye to look like Aishwarya Rai.

You people are so picky!
posted by liquorice at 5:58 PM on April 20, 2007

Too perfect? Man hands? How do you ever find a woman up to your standards?

Okay, okay. Slightly bitter. Being compared to Rai for years just because we share similar skin tones does not a happy girl make.
posted by liquorice at 6:02 PM on April 20, 2007

t's not "standards" with me; attractiveness is either hit or miss, and this Mrs. misses.
posted by pax digita at 6:04 PM on April 20, 2007

So, was Shah Rukh Khan invited or not?
posted by who squared at 6:05 PM on April 20, 2007

I'm only throwing my two cents in because everyone's digging on her for some reason.

She's hot.

And the photos of her and Laetitia Casta together kind of melt the mind.
posted by Alex404 at 6:14 PM on April 20, 2007

Yes, I put the manglik link in there because it is widely believed that when Aishwarya Rai went to Varanasi with the whole Bachchan family a couple weeks ago, it was to marry a tree. Nobody has confirmed that, though. There is a manglik box to tick on Indian personals sites -- people take that very seriously. I remember Rai's manglik status being against her when people thought she would marry Salman Khan.

However, there is an odd assortment of conditions that make tree-marriage unnecessary, or less important, some of which apply to her.

1. If there is a condition associated with marriage, e.g. the way Rama and Sita, Arjun and Draupadi got married.
2. If the girl is kidnapped and subsequently married.
3. If the girl’s father gives away his daughter willingly and lovingly.
4. If the girl herself proposes to a guy then it is not necessarily required to match the charts for Manglik Dosha.
5. In case of remarriage.
6. If the girl has crossed the age of 30 years, then a lot of attention should not be given to manglik dosha.
7. For a man above 50 years of age and for a woman 45 and above.

So I'm asking, what's up with #3? Is that -- unusual?
posted by Methylviolet at 6:21 PM on April 20, 2007

Man hands? Say wha?! Her hands, like the rest of her, from what I see in Bollywood movies, are exquisite.

They're both real beauties. He's lovely *sigh*, though I've had a yen for Kabir Bedi for a couple of decades. He's still a handsome old fart. (I kissed him once on the cheek at a New Year's party...1984 I think it was. ahh, nice memory).

homunculus, thanks so much for posting that info about the manglik thing. Superstition is a sad thing. Reading Indian matrimonials I was always mystified by the dreaded mangla. Now, finally, I comprehend at least what the hell it refers to. Thanks.

Although many consider marriage to be dead and I think they're likely right, wishing these newlyweds a happy marriage and mutually loving family.
posted by nickyskye at 6:22 PM on April 20, 2007

She is a wee bit *too* perfect, but I say that out of bitterness as I'd still give any organ of choice - lacking any nuts to offer - to look like 'er.
posted by katillathehun at 6:24 PM on April 20, 2007

liquorice, I can think of fates much, much worse than being compared to Aishwarya Rai.
posted by cgc373 at 6:31 PM on April 20, 2007

She is indeed lovely.
posted by davidmsc at 6:31 PM on April 20, 2007

I've heard of Aishwarya Rai before. But my first thought when I saw her was, "She kinda looks like Layla Kayleigh..."

So, honest question here: is the look of both these women, who to me look pretty similar, the "blonde bimbo in America" standard of (media acceptable) beauty in India?
posted by Cyrano at 6:47 PM on April 20, 2007

This post stink of eugenics!
What are THEY trying to do? THEIR children will drive OUR children out of the gene pool forever!

I say they are both forced to marry average looking members of the appropriate sex.
posted by Dataphage at 6:50 PM on April 20, 2007

She is lovely.
But you haven't seen My Becky, the Mother of My Baby Boy.
Just saying.
posted by Dizzy at 6:52 PM on April 20, 2007

Layla Kayleigh is quite lovely, too bad about the breast implants (as far as I could tell).
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 6:55 PM on April 20, 2007

The standard of beauty in India is considered to be whatever DOESN'T look Indian.

Fair skin?
Pink lips?
Eyes that aren't brown?
Hair that isn't black?

All of these will usually get you classed as stunning over there. We all want what we can't have.
posted by liquorice at 7:02 PM on April 20, 2007

No, I wouldn't say so. (Layla Kayleigh looks like Ayesha Takia to me) Actresses are generally shorter and more bodacious. Here is the famous tragic beauty/Marilyn Monroe figure.
posted by Methylviolet at 7:07 PM on April 20, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

(Responding to Cyrano, got distracted by youtube!)
posted by Methylviolet at 7:08 PM on April 20, 2007

She's fine, if you like all that plastic surgery. When she was younger...
posted by Liosliath at 7:33 PM on April 20, 2007

My standards for beauty are quite broad and, yes, she fits within the multi-dimensional continuum. However...

She is not fair to outward view
As other maidens be.
Her loveliness I never knew,
Until she smil'd on me,
Until she smil'd on me.
Oh! then I saw her eye was bright,
A well of love, a spring of light,
Oh! then I saw her eye was bright,
A well of love, a spring of light.

But now her looks are coy and cold,
To mine they ne'er reply,
And yet I cease not to behold
The love-light in her eye,
The love-light in her eye:
Her very frowns are fairer far,
Than smiles of other maidens are.
Her very frowns are fairer far,
Than smiles of other maidens are.

- Hartley Coleridge
posted by porpoise at 7:34 PM on April 20, 2007

Who are you trying to kid?
posted by Master Baiter at 7:47 PM on April 20, 2007

She's fine, if you like all that plastic surgery. When she was younger... Won't go. :( It just defaults to the home page.
posted by Savannah at 7:51 PM on April 20, 2007

Mazeltoff! cent anne.
posted by longsleeves at 8:13 PM on April 20, 2007

Savannah - I just tried it from here, it worked for me...but never mind. Better to think of her as she is now.
posted by Liosliath at 8:15 PM on April 20, 2007

Plastic surgery? For a 33-year-old? Liosliath is on drugs. Maybe the same drugs they were on when they made this song (ten years ago).
posted by Methylviolet at 8:20 PM on April 20, 2007

I've never understood the hoopla about Aishwarya Rai... She's beautiful but not anymore so than Angelina Jolie or Linda Evangelista and other beauties.
posted by shoesietart at 8:27 PM on April 20, 2007

Screw you guys! I would do her. I would do her so hard, every which way. And then I would do her again. 'Twould be glorious!
posted by schroedinger at 8:48 PM on April 20, 2007

3. If the girl’s father gives away his daughter willingly and lovingly.

methylviolet: I would interpret that as that the father has done the necessary background check of family etc and is happy overall that the daughter would go to a good home. Or has known them for years or whatever. Horoscope matching in the Indian context of arranged marriages would become more important when a marriage broker or newspaper ad is used to match the couple.
posted by infini at 11:00 PM on April 20, 2007

cgc373: This is true. Getting compared to Abhishek would be worse and slightly more awkward.
posted by liquorice at 11:53 PM on April 20, 2007

HOT OR NOT?

Popular Choice: Aish
My Retort: Raveena
Optional Retort #2: Urmila

Popular Choice: Angelina
My Retort: Charlize Theron

Popular Choice: Kirsten
My Retort: Keira

My Verdict: My Taste Trumps General Populace's!
posted by Firas at 11:56 PM on April 20, 2007

I would like to see these two get married and make beautiful babies.

Oh, and I doubt Shah Rukh would have made an appearance, right? Hasn't she refused to even star in movies with him since their apparent falling-out?
posted by liquorice at 12:06 AM on April 21, 2007

The title is reserved, in my world, for CBS war correspondent Lara Logan. There's just something about running throught the streets of Baghdad dodging bullets while still managing to look like this (in a bulletproof vest!) that does if for me. it's easy to be beautiful if you're pretty and a model/actress whose entire job is to look good. i'm more impressed when it's worn nonchalantly while doing something meaningful. Nothing wrong with Rai.

Truly, there is no "most beautiful woman." There endless variety of forms beauty is its greatest mystery.
posted by spitbull at 5:25 AM on April 21, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Well said, Sir.

Whenas in silks my Julia goes
Then, then, (methinks) how sweetly flows
That liquefaction of her clothes.

Next, when I cast mine eyes and see
That brave vibration each way free;
Oh, how that glittering taketh me!
— Robert Herrick

posted by Firas at 5:59 AM on April 21, 2007

Aishwarya looks like the kind of girl that other women would find attractive.

So I'm not surprised in the least that most of the "nays" have been coming from MeFiMales, while most of the "you crazies!" have been coming form MeFeMales.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 6:01 AM on April 21, 2007

porpoise, one of the neatest poems in that vein is Shakespeare's My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun sonnet.
posted by Firas at 6:03 AM on April 21, 2007

Mazel Tov!

(Indian (Hindu?) weddings are so over-the-top--i love them!)
posted by amberglow at 7:58 AM on April 21, 2007

I'm a guy, and claims about the "Most Beautiful Woman in the World" always get me laughing, in the way I chuckle at ignorant meatheads who pine for a date with Carmen Electra.

Such claims are as creditable as someone saying that the top-selling novel ever (isn't it a John Grisham title?) is THE GREATEST BOOK IN THE WORLD.

I don't know if I'm weird in this way, but I have always thought that, for example, the slightly mousy girl with glasses who works just down the hall, and doesn't seem to know she's cute, is infinitely more intriguing and attactive than the plastic, mediagenic "beauties" like Carmen Electra.

(Well, that's the way I felt before getting married, and now I only have eyes for my beautiful wife... of course.)
posted by jayder at 8:00 AM on April 21, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

You guys haven't seen Aishwarya Rai in real life. I have. From a crowd. At a certain public event, some six years back in a certain part of India. I still remember that day vividly.

Let's just say that one way to grow out of your teenage crushes is to see kilos of face-paint on her from close-quarters. Hearing her exhibit a neanderthal-isque intellect in her speeches only hastens the process.

In short, completely bleh about the media frenzy.
posted by the cydonian at 8:34 AM on April 21, 2007

I don't know about the most beautiful woman in the world, and I can't speak to what she looks like in real life, but in terms of the photos I'm seeing, she certainly looks lovely to me.
posted by quin at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2007

Her jaw's a little too square, her chin's a bit too small, and most importantly I prefer women who look good without makeup -- my "SO" never wears it. (Methyl dear, you'd get this one all to yourself.)

As to my usual taste, what jayder said.
posted by davy at 10:01 AM on April 21, 2007

Are people here extra stupid or something? Rai is the hotness. Meow.
posted by chunking express at 11:16 AM on April 21, 2007

Oh, and Madhuri Dixit is also the hotness. I haven't heard Choli Ke Peeche in ages.
posted by chunking express at 11:20 AM on April 21, 2007

Meh. I've been rejected by better.

I hope the best for the bride and groom, even though we all know it will end in tears and headlines and papparazzi and people telling us that she was once one of the most beautiful women in the world ever but look how she let herself go what a shame isn't it Jane yes it is Tom and now we go to Bob with sports!

What little I saw of that Bob Simon interview - and how cringeworthy was that huh he's gotta be older than her grandfather and he's drooling all over the screen anyway - I'd say this woman as pretty as she is would be about as interesting to talk to as a potted plant.
posted by ZachsMind at 11:51 AM on April 21, 2007

Yeah, yeah -- you guys keep on rockin' with the inner beauty.

As far as our girl being unintelligent, who cares? Stephen Hawking isn't handsome. Michael Jordan can't cook. She is welcome to be as dumb as a box of rocks, for me. She's making her contribution; she's got to leave something for the rest of humanity to do.

As Madhuri Dixit (who I am proud to say is an American now! In your face Indian gene pool! USA! USA!) is asked in the clip above:
What should the bride be like? What should the groom be like?

She replies: A bride like me, a groom like you could taste the joys of love.

She means, of course, listening to NPR.
posted by Methylviolet at 2:52 PM on April 21, 2007

And thanks, Infini -- that makes sense.
posted by Methylviolet at 2:58 PM on April 21, 2007

I hate to sound like I wandered in off the streets of Fark but meh, she does nothing for me. Beauty is subjective anyway.
posted by Ber at 4:21 PM on April 21, 2007

"Plastic surgery? For a 33-year-old? Liosliath is on drugs. Maybe the same drugs they were on when they made this song (ten years ago).
posted by Methylviolet at 8:20 PM on April 20"

Don't think I ever specified how old she was when she had plastic surgery...though I might want to take you up on the drug offer, 'cause whatever you're on must be pretty good.

Apparently the nose job happened around 95-96.
posted by Liosliath at 6:38 PM on April 21, 2007

All professional beauties seem to get the old plastic surgery accusation thrown at them -- as if to say they are fake, not really beautiful. It smacks of sour grapes. And of course, misogyny. "Here's the impossible standard of beauty to which all women must aspire. Oh, you meet the standard? Hmph, well, you must be fake."

You didn't say how old she was, no, but she is 33 now. Plastic surgery is not a crime; if she had it, whatever. Good for her. But I doubt she did. If you have a before-and-after, I'd love to see it.

All brides are beautiful, this one particularly so. Either back up your allegation, or ask yourself why you feel the need to make it in a thread about the woman's wedding day.
posted by Methylviolet at 7:54 PM on April 21, 2007

I found the early pictures of Aishwarya and have spent far too much time peering at them trying to figure out if she's had plastic surgery and if her eyes are really that colour.

Then I looked at large image size files from the present date. Can't tell. At any rate, what I said to my husband about three years ago still stands:

My god, that's the most beautiful woman in the world.
posted by Savannah at 7:58 PM on April 21, 2007

First, it would be difficult for me to exhibit any characteristics of a misogynist, since I'm female. AR looks fine to me, I just don't think she's "the most beautiful woman in the world," despite how much that gets thrown around in the media.

As for bringing up the plastic surgery, this thread is about a lot more than her wedding day, isn't it? Like your manglik link...which wedding are we referring to, exactly? And why do you care so much? If she's the pinnacle of the "impossible standard of beauty" for you, I think that speaks more to your misogynistic mindset, not mine. For me, I don't think women have to look like that to be beautiful.
posted by Liosliath at 9:26 PM on April 21, 2007

There, there, dollface.
You are beautiful when you're angry.
posted by Methylviolet at 9:40 PM on April 21, 2007

I don't care that she used to be a man and that people are talking about it behind her back at her wedding. To me, she has an inner beauty that makes her the most innerly beautiful woman in the world.
posted by found missing at 9:41 PM on April 21, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Small caveat...during the "moonlit encounter" scene in Devdas, I would find it hard to deny that she's incredibly lovely.
posted by Liosliath at 9:41 PM on April 21, 2007

This scene.

I was just kidding there, Liosliath. I'm a woman too. And you're right, I care waaay too much. Bollywood has blown my mind permanently -- I cannot express how much joy these songs give me. But I am always trying, and half-an-hour later saying, "Don't get me started."
posted by Methylviolet at 10:07 PM on April 21, 2007

I love that scene, (particularly her Mom's coquettish gestures), but I meant the scene where she's "sleeping" out on an open veranda, Devdas happens by (amazing coincidence), and the moonlight falls gently down on her face.

Wait...that was Devdas, right? I keep renting Bollywood flicks, so I may have the plots all mixed up.
posted by Liosliath at 10:16 PM on April 21, 2007

Oh yeah, here it is, first scene in the group.
posted by Liosliath at 10:22 PM on April 21, 2007

Methylviolet, you're being moronic. The charge against her being dubbed the most beautiful blah blah is not necessarily a 'beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!!1' one, but that, goddammit, maybe some people don't find her more beautiful in the conventional sense than many other celebs we could name. Like, literally, don't. Blows your mind doesn't it?
posted by Firas at 1:21 AM on April 22, 2007

How were Indian standards for beautiful women developed? She (and most, if not all Bollywood female stars) looks very Western. Is it a holdover from Colonial days? The Hollywood influence?
posted by amberglow at 10:59 AM on April 22, 2007

Definitely colonial. Fair skin!
posted by Firas at 11:01 AM on April 22, 2007

interesting related thing: The Indian Beauty vs the Indian Sex Symbol at Cannes
posted by amberglow at 11:01 AM on April 22, 2007

amberglow: socioculturally could be colonial but the actual features which can be called 'western' also arise from reasons of genetic history. The Indian subcontinent has been invaded since forever by raiders sweeping down from the NW frontier from as far away as Greece or Turkey or mountain passes from the steppes of Russia. Indians are considered members of the Caucasian race.

Green, blue, hazel eyes are not uncommon in the North and West and what is now Pakistan but also in pockets of clans or communities scattered across the country.
posted by infini at 11:11 AM on April 22, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Can we relate this post to this post somehow?
posted by speicus at 11:34 AM on April 22, 2007

thanks, infini. I guess it is true that all over the world, people consider beautiful: ... female faces with small lower faces (delicate jaws and relatively small chins) and eyes that were large in relation to the length of the face. Jones called these "exaggerated markers of youthfulness", and they are similar to the features mentioned in other cross-cultural studies of beauty. For example psychologist Michael Cunningham found that beautiful Asian, Hispanic, Afro-Caribbean, and Caucasian women had large, widely spaced eyes, high cheekbones, small chins and full lips. ...

(except that her Rai's jaw is very strong--like a Brooke Shields)
posted by amberglow at 12:16 PM on April 22, 2007

Amberglow: Interesting that you bring this point up, since I recall seeing in the news some concern that due to the ability of post production 'airbrushing' to subtly emphasize these features, the global 'media' sense of beauty was moving more and more towards a 'neonatal look'.
posted by infini at 12:32 PM on April 22, 2007

it's a really really interesting topic--what is beautiful? how does it differ? where? is it universal? why and how do the ideals change? (it's much skinnier now than even 40 years ago or less, and more athletic/angular except for large breasts and baby-ish face, etc) ...

I was just watching a thing on tv (i think it was CNN Int'l)--Brazil, which had its own standard of beauty for ages is now undergoing a big change and a big rush for lipo--with hips no longer in style, and towards the skinnier US standard. So we see even places that had their own local standard are changing--we have to ask why.
posted by amberglow at 12:41 PM on April 22, 2007

Methylviolet, you're being moronic. The charge against her being dubbed the most beautiful blah blah is not necessarily a 'beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!!1' one, but that, goddammit, maybe some people don't find her more beautiful in the conventional sense than many other celebs we could name. Like, literally, don't. Blows your mind doesn't it?

Firas, you're responding to comments I never made. Where did I say any of that?

For me, I don't give a fuck at all if people think Aishwarya Rai is or is not the most beautiful woman in the world -- I don't necessarily think she is, and yes, it's a ridiculous concept anyway. The fact that a lot of people have said so made her wedding merit a FPP, I thought. The manglik, and the wrist-slashing, and the mass hysteria in India, combined with the unusual situation of being able to view the happy couple billing and cooing in myriad youtube videos -- eh, I thought it might interest somebody. My first post in the Subcontinental Studies series. In response to all of this, some people say "Is not!" Um, OK. Thanks for sharing.

Amberglow, I bet if you looked at movie stars from the past sixty years, you'd see the worldwide trend toward a homogenous, American, standard of beauty is at work in India too. I linked to some examples of past ideals -- Madhubala (50's) (a previous generation's "most beautiful"), Hema Malini (60's) and Madhuri Dixit (80's-90's) -- above. Now compare with new hotness Deepika Padukone and Kangana Ranaut. It seems to me that actresses are getting taller, skinner, and losing nose. American cultural hegemony in action.

The movies themselves are changing too -- moving away from the big choreographed dance numbers that make my heart explode, the everything but the kitchen sink cross-genre masala movies, the smokin'-hot implied sexuality -- toward a more Hollywood style. This makes me very sad.
posted by Methylviolet at 1:44 PM on April 22, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Sorry, I just got seriously pissed at the "There, there, dollface. / You are beautiful when you're angry." thing and had to get all 'En Garde!11'
posted by Firas at 2:02 PM on April 22, 2007

Hey, thanks, Firas. I had to laugh at the visual of "en garde." I just kind of ignored it...people get passionate about all kinds of subjects, I guess, why not Bollywood??

What you said was what I was trying to say, but not very well...personally, I'm bowled over by Liv Tyler.
posted by Liosliath at 2:16 PM on April 22, 2007

That's what i had thought, Methyl.

In 2003, TCM showed some older classics from Bollywood, and the stars did look different in the older ones.
posted by amberglow at 2:54 PM on April 22, 2007

I think smart women are sexy.
And funny women.
And powerful women.
If you get get Hillary, Sarah Silverman, and Bella Abzug in a transporter and smush 'em all together, I'd be really happy.
Except they'd have six hands.
posted by Dizzy at 3:43 PM on April 22, 2007

The better to love you with!
posted by Methylviolet at 3:50 PM on April 22, 2007

Upon reflection, that does get me a bit ginchy.
posted by Dizzy at 3:52 PM on April 22, 2007

Except they'd have six hands.
posted by Dizzy An hour ago

The better to love you with!
posted by Methylviolet An hour ago

Upon reflection, that does get me a bit ginchy.
posted by Dizzy An hour ago

Here you go, Dizzy, your dream woman - smart, powerful, more than six hands.
posted by infini at 5:16 PM on April 22, 2007

She's obviously a Scorpio.
I'm a Virgo.
Not gonna happen.
posted by Dizzy at 7:14 PM on April 22, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Well, she may not have enough arms, but I have heard she'd make a fine wife, Dizzy.

And apropos of nothing, holy crap Infini I missed your BW post. It was fantastic. Kehna hii kya is my favorite picturization of all time -- and you had it defining "love and romance," as of course, it does.
posted by Methylviolet at 10:34 PM on April 22, 2007

It's actually interesting comparing the bollywood starlets with those of Tamil cinema, who are usually a bit -- well , a lot -- more curvy. I think this is true of other South Indian cinema.
posted by chunking express at 6:57 AM on April 23, 2007

Thunder thighs?
posted by infini at 10:56 AM on April 23, 2007

oh and gracias, methylviolet
posted by infini at 10:57 AM on April 23, 2007

Here they are (check the sindoor) at the mandir.

OK I'll stop now.
posted by Methylviolet at 9:07 PM on April 23, 2007

aah, but was she a virgin on her suhaag raat?
posted by infini at 9:44 PM on April 23, 2007

After dating Salman Khan? Srsly?
But if so, I hope Abhishek did his homework.
posted by Methylviolet at 9:53 PM on April 23, 2007

no, obviously not seriously. heh ;p
posted by infini at 10:48 PM on April 23, 2007

Yeah, I mean, Aishwarya Rai's a respectable Indian woman and everything, but Sita herself would have hit that.
posted by Methylviolet at 10:58 PM on April 23, 2007

Oh, wow, you know about the RateDesi forum. That place is...I just don't have words. It epitomises the worst qualities in people from a Subcontinental background.
posted by liquorice at 2:42 AM on April 24, 2007

meh. puke. my ex is prolly a regular there
posted by infini at 11:49 AM on April 24, 2007

When Hollywood Meets Bollywood: Why Richard Gere is in Legal Trouble in India over a Kiss
posted by homunculus at 6:05 PM on April 25, 2007

I saw video of Gere and Shetty--he went way way beyond just a kiss--he was all over her and grabby and wouldn't let go, even when she froze and made it clear it wasn't right or comfortable.
posted by amberglow at 6:18 PM on April 25, 2007

It was an interesting article, Homunculus. Ironically, while images of rape are often included in movies in India, images of kissing were not permitted until the mid-1970s. That makes a certain kind of sense to me, though I don't like that it does. That lawyer doesn't know her BW though.

< *comic book guy voice*> "The first wet sari scene was shot in 1913 and directors only moved on in the 1970s when Dimple Kapadia, in the film Bobby made India blush..." (see Infini's BW post) Here are Madhubala and Nargis (with Raj) in wet saris in the 50's. Except that nobody has moved on -- the wet sari scene is evergreen. I could make an all-wet-sari FPP in fact. Do you dare me? Cause I will. < */voice*>

Previously... Inhi logon inhi logon ne le lii na dupatta ka Shilpa... Rather like Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction, I think. Phooey.
posted by Methylviolet at 8:12 PM on April 25, 2007

frankly, if gere or anyone caught me in indian public and did all that I'd die of embarressment too. while the activity itself might be considered 'harmless' the context in which it is done is harmful or rather could have led to problems. as they did. shetty was responding instinctively, having been brought up in india
posted by infini at 11:20 AM on April 26, 2007