For Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan the family always comes first. She never tires of proving this in all her actions and gestures. Whether it’s rushing home from any part of the world to see her ailing father every time her tight schedule permitted or to paying a flash-visit from Kochi’s location for Mani Ratnam’s film to check on her mother-in-law when she was down with a persistent flu, Aishwarya’s commitment to the family is unerring passionate and immovable.
It therefore comes as no big surprise to know Aishwarya refused to accept the French government second- highest civilian honor ‘Officer Dan Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres’(officer of the order of arts and letters) conferred so far on Hollywood actors like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, until her father recovered from his serious illness.
Says Aishwarya, “It’s true. I wanted my entire family, and that now means my parents brother, sister-in-law, my husband and his parents and sister and brother-in-law, to attend the function. And as you know my father has been unwell for the past one year. So I requested the French government to defer the ceremony until he was well. I wanted my father to be there for me at this important moment.”
The French honour has so far been given only to one Indian actor.
“That’s right,” confirms Aishwarya. “Shah Rukh Khan received it last year. And now me. There’s only one higher French civilan honour the Legion d’honour which Pa(father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan), Mr Satyajit Ray and Pandit Ravi Shankar have received. So receiving it would be a glorious moment. But please, not without my father! There was no way I was going to go into it without my father’s presence.”
Now that her dad is well enough to attend the event Aishwarya has informed the authorities to go ahead with it.
The function could take place any time now. It might be held in India. Or it could happen in Paris when Aishwarya attends the world premiere of her latest international film Pink Panther 2.
