No cheap thrills when Ash is on song

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Nothing comes for free in Bollywood these days. Not even special appearances. <br />Ask the producers of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">March 23, 1931 —Shaheed</span>. And Aishwarya Rai. The Bollywood beauty won’t sing and dance for the on-screen Bhagat Singh aka Bobby Deol for a song —there’s a price for the producers to pay.So, what price a special appearance?<br />According to people in the know and those involved with the production of the Deols’ film on Bhagat Singh, ‘‘A token sum of Rs 50 lakh has exchanged hands.’’ Just for one song, one scene? No, the Deol camp doesn’t have money to burn. What it does have is its own reasoning. ‘‘I can’t comment on the exact amount paid to Ash for her special appearance in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">March 23, 1931 — Shaheed</span>, but it is definitely not a small amount,’’ reveals Deepak Sharma, the executive producer of the film, ‘‘Whatever be the price we have paid, Ash is worth every single rupee. We want her kind of spark in the film.’’<br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Jogiya Ve</span>, the song picturised on Ash and Bobby, was shot just a week back and is already on the air courtesy various satellite channels. ‘‘No expense has been spared to recreate the life and times of Bhagat Singh. So, there is no question of us baulking at the price of a star and not going in for the best,’’ offers Sharma.<br />After working in her maiden Hindi movie <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya</span> with Bobby, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">March 23, 1931 — Shaheed</span> will be Ash’s second outing with Deol Jr — if a special appearance can be so called. ‘‘There is no question of the audience being disappointed at seeing Ash in a special appearance,’’ maintains Sharma, ‘‘Everyone knows that the film is about the life and times of Bhagat Singh — there is no scope for a love story.’’<br />Incidentally, Ash also makes a special appearance in KC Bokadia’s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam</span>. No, there’s no word on the price which clinched the deal or whether Salman Khan (who stars in the film and wins over Ash in the climax) pitched in to persuade his off-screen love. But yes, considering that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hum Kisise Kum Nahin</span> hits the big screen on May 24, Miss Rai will be seen in three different films over the next three weeks.<br />Will the box-office likeit? Well, only time can answer certain questions.<br /></div> </div>