Back in action, Aishwarya hunts for justice in new film Jazbaa

Marking her return to cinema after a five-year hiatus, the Bollywood actress joins co-star Irrfan Khan to discuss their first project together.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan -- actress, mother and full-time money making machine -- is so tired of hearing about her so-called "comeback" in new film Jazbaa that she's given up trying to quantify her time away from the industry.
"I didn't feel I had gone anywhere," she says during a teleconference from Mumbai, joined by co-star Irrfan Khan. "I know Jazbaa will always be my comeback film; there's no going away from that and I ain't fighting it."
Perhaps it was wishful thinking on Aishwarya's part to believe that her return to the silver screen wouldn't focus as much attention on her long absence as it has - Indian news outlets have been in overdrive picking apart her "debut" - but considering Bollywood's well-known penchant for melodrama, particularly in the context of an actor's stalled career, everything is unfolding as expected.
The former Miss World doesn't look like she's caving to the pressure, though. While speaking with City Times, she dominated the conversation with topics ranging from the ludicrousness of being labelled a "yummy mummy" to the pressures and pitfalls of being a working mother. In Aishwarya's world, it would seem, she's got nothing left to prove.
But nonetheless, all eyes will undoubtedly be on the 41-year-old when she returns to cinemas today, marking her first film debut following a five-year hiatus after giving birth to her first child with husband Abhishek Bachchan.
Jazbaa, a remake of the 2007 South Korean film Seven Days, sees her play the role of a prominent criminal lawyer forced to defend a convicted felon to secure the release of her abducted daughter.
"This is a film I would have loved to have done five years ago," she says, revealing that real-life motherhood allowed her to give her fictional character more depth and authenticity.
"Having done it today, I realise that I can bring a lot of honesty and nuance to the role because I know about being a mother. That has been a personal advantage to me."
The film's trailer has racked up nearly seven million views online, giving fans of one of India's most recognisable stars a glimpse into her newfound propensity for action stunts, and better yet, a tough as nails attitude. In one scene she crashes a car through a police checkpoint, an undeniable "don't mess with my kid" moment, leaving many observers to laud the film for featuring a strong female protagonist bent on protecting her family, even if she must go it alone.
Starring alongside her will be Bollywood-turned-Hollywood actor Irrfan Khan - arguably one of India's hottest film exports - who credits his growing international reach with "Hollywood's growing awareness" of the largely untapped market and talent to be found in his native homeland. The 48-year-old film veteran has been making waves with roles in blockbuster hits like Jurassic World, Life of Pi and the upcoming film Inferno (2016) by director Ron Howard. In Jazbaa the actor will play a(nother) police detective opposite Aishwarya.
"[Jazbaa] is an engaging thriller, and we are both working together for the first time," he says. "I was looking forward to working with her for a long time."
"He's a bad habit!" Aishwarya interjects, "and I would love to work with him again and again."
The film is directed by Sanjay Gupta (Shootout at Wadala, Kaante) and shot extensively in Mumbai and its suburbs.
It releases in UAE cinemas today with a dubbed Arabic language version scheduled to release on October 15, a first for a Hindi film.
kadry@khaleejtimes.com