Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Should've Been More Aggressive With Film Choices

New Delhi: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who recently returned from her annual Cannes Film Festival trip, told news agency IANS that she should have been more aggressive with her career choices. Aishwarya, 44, told IANS that she has been very "school girlish in her choices" and "walked away from some very great films and opportunities." Aishwarya added: "Now when I think back, I should have maybe been more fierce and aggressive with wanting the films and allowed the schedules to figure themselves out as I have seen a lot of colleagues have worked over the years." She, however, has no regrets. "There are so many stories to be told, look at the population of the world. There are enough films and enough work to do," said Aishwarya.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan debuted in films after she won the Miss World title in 1994. He first film was Mani Ratnam's Iruvar and she went on to star in successful films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Jodhaa Akbar and critically acclaimed films like Chokher Bali and Raincoat.

Aishwarya took a sabbatical of five years after the birth of her daughter Aaradhya in 2011. She returned to films in 2015's Jazbaa, which tanked commercially and critically. "Recently, there was a colleague who asked me, 'Was Jazbaa the comeback vehicle you wanted?' I was like, 'Guys, it was a script, I liked the idea and I went with it'. I don't want to play into how one has to go about things," said Aishwarya.

"I came in from Miss World, so because I experienced blast of stardom so early, I, from the very beginning -- from Mani Ratnam to date - made choices from my heart, and tried being myself... I ended up doing my own thing and not following patterns that existed before, after or what is the natural trajectory of a leading lady in our industry. I think that's why people think I end up breaking preconceived norms... And that wonderfully continues," she added.

After Jazbaa, Aishwarya Rai featured in 2016's Sarbjit and Ae Dil hai Mushkil (the only film which passed the box office expectations). Aishwarya hasn't picked up pace as she's currently filming Fanne Khan and had no releases on 2017. "When I took a break with Aaradhya and even now, I get asked, 'Why don't we see more of you?' Yes, I want to do more films. I have been a little easy on my time planning... I have happily played mummy to Aaradhya and thrown work around here and there. Even now when I am offered a good script, I feel like doing but then I think, 'Let me take one more holiday this month. I will do the next one'. I think this attitude needs to change," she said.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is yet to take a call on starring in Shree Narayan Singh's Jasmine, a mfilm on surrogacy, and the remakes of Raat Aur Din and Woh Kaun Thi?.

(With inputs from IANS)