Abhishek invites Raj Thackeray to watch Drona

There's absolutely no friction or ill-will about the disturbances that erupted earlier this month over Jaya Bachchan's remarks that triggered off a chain of hostility in Raj Thackeray and his MNS workers, as Abhishek, cool as a cucumber on the eve of the release of his poshest project to date, turns around to say, "I'd love Raj Thackeray to watch Drona.

I hope he does. And I hope he enjoys it. I know he will. He loves watching good films. And I'd like to think Drona is a good film."

There is widespread speculation that Mr Thackeray would be invited to the Drona premiere to be held in Mumbai on 1 October.

Abhishek is neither confirming nor denying this eventuality.

One presence that he's looking forward to at the premiere is that of his wife Aishwarya Rai who is apparently flying down just for the day from Brazil where she's shooting, to be in Mumbai by her husband's side on his big day.

Abhishek nearly falls off his chair with amusement.

"It sounds very romantic to say my wife is flying down specially to be at my premiere. But sadly, it is not true. Her schedule for Shankar's Robot was supposed to wrap up a week before the premiere, and it did.

So she was going to be in Mumbai for the Drona premiere anyway. Having said this, let me add, she'd have come back to Mumbai for the occasion from any part of the world even if she was shooting."

Abhishek has been asked in a television interview what it felt to be overshadowed by his wife at the Cannes film festival. "Although the intention behind such questions is obviously not honorable I don't get rattled at all.

It's a pleasure to be overshadowed by the most beautiful woman in the world. I had a ball doing the Unforgettable concerts with Aishwarya.

I know I'll have a great time shooting Mani Ratnam's film with her. Right now I'm looking forward to her return early next week."

At the moment Aishwarya has flown off to Paris to shoot the latest L'Oreal ad. The Big B and Jaya were also in Paris this week.

"Yes they were, " admits Abhishek. "Unfortunately Ma and Pa left a day before Aishwarya arrived in Paris. Pa had to be back to shoot a television programme to promote the Unforgettable concerts in India."

Yes, the Unforgettable concerts are now going to be staged in India, beginning with Mumbai.

"We're in the process of working out the venues and dates. There'll be more time for all this once Drona is released," says Abhishek.
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