Seeing a drop-dead gorgeous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the Red Carpet at Cannes in a strapless and golden Roberto Cavalli was a painful reminder of how much I have missed her these past four years. Oh sweet, wistful nostalgia! I realised also, that it is impossible to be an Aishwarya Rai-fence-sitter. You are either pro-Rai or against-Rai - that is the passion she still evokes in her worshipers.
That mermaid illusion of her dress was also a clue to how hard she must have worked to get her figure back after a barrage of cruel reactions to the post-baby fat she carried for close to three years.
But mainly, Rai's public debuting of her new, trimmer figure was a signal to the ultra-competitive microcosm of Bollywood that she's back to work. And just in time, as heaven knows that the Indian film industry, one of the world's largest and the most accommodating, needs a boost of old grace. Rai has ample of that.
Missing in the cacophony of film promotions that Bollywood production houses and public relations agents have taken to an insane peak, is a constant, quiet and ethereal presence of a star to remind you that a towering actor is always the anchor for an expensive project and not the other way round as most films these days introducing newcomers would have you believe.
But Indian cinema has changed a lot since 2010 when Rai made her last appearance in three films. She will be coming back to fierce competition from talented juniors Alia Bhat and Kangana Ranaut - both of whom have proved that they deserve every bit of the fuss being made about them in the Indian press and within the industry.
Sharddha Kapoor, the daughter of Shakti Kapoor, has made her debut in a superhit film. Sunny Leone, a well known adult entertainment star, is an accepted, household name in India, something which probably could not be imagined at the time Rai made her own debut. Vidya Balan is a huge star, flexing her muscles as easily as her male co-stars Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan. She has in fact changed the rules of the game.
Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra remain popular and trusted comrades for the industry's financial benefactors. Even Rai's senior colleague - Sridevi - has made a stellar comeback.
Incidentally, she's returning with director Sanjay Gupta's 'Jazbaa', her first full-fledged action film. 'Jazbaa' will start rolling early next year and be shown at Cannes film festival in 2015. Gupta says the core spirit of Rai's role is gender neutral. She will be the 'hero' of the film, in keeping with times.
Rai, a veteran of many successful films, needs the work to keep the artiste in her satisfied or even just to stay afloat in the ever-shifting wave of newcomers, but are Indian audiences ready to reclaim Rai?
She's the darling of Indian cinema and its most prominent face abroad. Her stunning good looks have helped her reach the top of the food chain in dog-eats-dog Bollywood. But Rai's acting isn't exactly her strength. A sweeping change in cinema in the last four years has seen a talented group of character actors - Richa Chaddha and Huma Qureshi (and even Parineeti Chopra) - come to the front with their acting-driven, effortless performances.
Is there any place now for old-Bollywood heroine hysterics? Or pretty faces acting as props for towering male stars? Kaif was criticized for her bit role as Aamir's arm candy in 'Dhoom 3'. Sonakshi Sinha, one of the actresses with the most Rs 100 crore films against top stars, does little in these films but looking pretty. Will Rai be accepted as easily as Sonakshi in films where she will have little to do? The more important question is, will Rai, once the industry's top-billed star, ever be comfortable doing these herself?
Where is her unique place in today's cinema? Much as I want to see her return (motherhood is glorious but come back already), I hate to admit to myself, that Rai may no longer be relevant for Indian audiences. I will be thrilled to be proved wrong.
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