With five days to go for her birthday, a week to go for Umrao Jaan and four weeks to go for Dhoom 2, AISHWARYA RAI is definitely the lady of the moment. Simi Garewal catches up with her in an exclusive Rendezvous this Sunday (STAR World, 9.30 pm) eight years after she first came on the show. Here’s a part of the chat transcript.

Simi: There have been so many milestones, so many honours… Did you dream of all this?

Ash: No. Nothing’s changed. I still giggle. That is me. But no, I did not see all of this. I don’t know if I deserve it. How much of it I have earned. I must confess to enjoying it.

Simi: You draped a sari around Oprah...

Ash: I was extremely nervous doing it because, I have never made somebody else wear a sari.

Simi: And you kept saying: “Oh, mummy! I wish mummy was here.”

Ash: I was like, mom hope I am doing it right. And what’s really sweet was she sent me a photograph with the two of us. And she actually said, next time we will do it without the sweater!

Simi: Why are your performances in some films outstanding and in some forgettable?

Ash: In terms of why it works or why it clicks, the director plays a huge hand. Obviously because he is the captain of the ship. He is the film-maker.

Simi: Are they intimidated by you? Ash: I don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to say what, why, where... But I think it’s just the character, the script in itself… The characters when I have connected with them completely, I think the connection is apparent.

Simi: Aishwarya, for some people being in love is great. For others, it’s complicated. What is it like for you?

Ash: Love is complicated! It is as it was meant to be. It’s not going to be just a straight path with a definite destination.

Simi: But when it ends, it gets complicated. Seems like men treat you like a prize they can’t let go off. They get obsessive, they get bitter. How do you deal with that?

Ash: (Laughs) You know, without over-analysing. You know at that time you tend to over-think, you tend to over-analyse. What’s important is to accept the situation for what it is. When there’s reality staring at your face, there is no point living in denial.

Simi: I know many years have passed by and he’s moved on but can you look at the Salman episode objectively?

Ash: I think I’ve shut it out. I don’t think I would get into looking at it in any which way especially on a public platform. I really wouldn’t want to.

Simi: You feel negatively about it?

Ash: I’ve exorcised my demons. It’s a thing of the past. It needs to be left right there.

Simi: Tell me, what did you learn from that experience?

Ash: I don’t know about any particular lesson but you grow with every experience. Discovering strengths you didn’t know exist and just treasuring the relationships you had and treasuring them really.

Simi: Men have brought you happiness or unhappiness in relationships?

Ash: They bring you the gamut of emotions! Relationships do! Experience is enriching. It’s a gift! It’s all of this that has made me what I am today — the good, the bad and the ugly!

Simi: Did it turn out as you dreamt?

Ash: Life is way too real! That’s the way I prefer it. Real is good and you live it.