Aishwarya Rai Burns David Letterman in his own show

Script by Eric

LETTERMAN: Thank you very much, Paul. Our next guest is often called the most beautiful woman in the world and she stars in a new film title Bride and Prejudice, which opens in selected cities on Friday. Please say hello to Aishwary Rai. Welcome to the show.

RAI: Thank you. Thank you so much.

LETTERMAN: Well thank you very much for being here. I've tried to explain a little bit about who you are and where you're from and what you do, but why don't you help us out here. Where are you from?

RAI: I'm from India.

LETTERMAN: India.

RAI: I live in Mumbai.

LETTERMAN: Mumbai. Now that used to be Bombay.

RAI: Bombay.

LETTERMAN: And they changed it when?

RAI: Not so long ago, so we're still getting used to calling it Mumbai because it's Bombay for us. But they changed it right back to Mumbai because that's what it used to be originally.

LETTERMAN: And then Bombay came with the British colonization? Is that what it was?

RAI: Uh-huh.

LETTERMAN: And your family still lives there?

RAI: Yes, yes.

LETTERMAN: And you're – you work in films in India?

RAI: Mm-hmm.

LETTERMAN: And this Bollywood thing – was I right about that also?

RAI: About calling it Bollywood?

LETTERMAN: Yes.

RAI: Yeah. “B” from Bombay, “ollywood” from Hollywood.

PAUL: He likes it.

LETTERMAN: But is that where it comes from, the Bollywood?

RAI: Well, I assume, because – yeah – that's probably how it got identified. And initially when I listen to my seniors, they're not extremely ecstatic over the fact that's the way it's referred to. But now it's downin the dictionary, so that's the way it is.

LETTERMAN: And it's a thriving film industry, isn't it? Like 800 movies a year.

RAI: Oh, yeah. Those accounted for, yeah. Plenty.

LETTERMAN: And how many films have you been in?

RAI: About 25 now.

LETTERMAN: And what was your biggest film – your biggest worldwide film success?

RAI: Well I think the first movie that not so long ago was [GARBLED], that premiered at the Cannes festival. That kind of got people talking and noticing me.

LETTERMAN: Are these films done in English or not English?

RAI: No, in Indian languages. In Hindi. In Hindi. That's the national language, yeah.

LETTERMAN: And how many languages do you speak?

RAI: Well I can speak about four languages --

LETTERMAN: What are those?

RAI: – and I do understand

LETTERMAN: OK, tell me the four languages.

RAI: Hindi, Marachi, my mother tongue – Pulu, and broken Tamil as well.

LETTERMAN: Wow! It's just crazy because here in the United States we speak English.

RAI: Yeah. So –

LETTERMAN: And you speak nearly a half a dozen languages. Isn't that great?

RAI: Yeah, because in India we have even more languages with the number of states that we have. We've got plenty of languages in India.

LETTERMAN: Now I'm right about this: globally you're an enormous star, aren't you? You could go to any place on the globe –

RAI: I just evoked [SHRUGS] from you, so –

LETTERMAN: How did you get into your first – by the way, do you live with your parents? Is that true?

RAI: Yeah.

LETTERMAN: Now is that common in India, for older women to live with their parents?

RAI: It's fine to live with your parents because it's also common in India that we don't have to take appointments with our parents to meet for dinner.

LETTERMAN: I think we've learned a little something here tonight. So how did you get your first job in a film?

RAI: It started with – yeah – because I first went into modeling, which happened by accident.

LETTERMAN: Well how did that begin? At what age did that happen? Were you a young girl when that began?

RAI: Yeah.

LETTERMAN: Well you know a lot of times here in the United States we hear stories where young girls are discovered and they'd be like 16 or 17 years old and they go on to become famous superstar models. Was it something like that?

RAI: Yeah. Not a very different story. So how did you get into doing this?

LETTERMAN: Well, the other guy was sick one day and –

RAI: And you're smooth and you're fun.

LETTERMAN: Now is this, this movie – the new movie, Bride and Prejudice – it's like a Jane Austin. But the Bollywood thing, it's all musicals. Is that right?

RAI: Yes.

LETTERMAN: Yeah. And are all the movies you're in musicals?

RAI: Yes. The movies in India, a lot of them are musicals –

LETTERMAN: And why is that? Why are they so popular there and not so popular in this country?

RAI: That's definitely the Indian movie format. It has been so for a long time and it's what we grown up on and people absolutely love it. I think it's also reflective of our culture, which is a celebration. So we have songs for every festival, occasions, weddings. It's kind of this whole thing of art imitates life, and vice versa.

LETTERMAN: Now do you have dreams for –

RAI: It's pretty true of Hollywood as well.

LETTERMAN: Well, yes, I know, but – yeah, well – the Mikado recently was a musical production.

RAI: People still regard –

LETTERMAN: In the old days, like in the '30s and '40s, it was a lot of musicals in this country. But then it comes in cycles. Did you see the Happy Days reunion? Do you see a time when you might move to Hollywood? Would you ever consider that? Or do you want to stay in your native country?

RAI: I'd be happy to stay in my country. But I – we are gypsies. I mean, I think as actors who belong to the fraternity, you travel. You go where work takes you. I don't at this point see any reason for a permanent shift of residence.

LETTERMAN: We want to show a little clip of your movie, the Bride and Prejudice. Can you tell us what we're gonna see?

RAI: Well, it's definitely a scene that I relate to as an Indian, because when people come down to India, they think of the five-star hotels and seeing the palaces of India and they think that's all that there is to India. As Lalita, standing up in defense of that, you know, against Darcy.

LETTERMAN: All right. So we'll see some of that here? All right, let's take a look.

[SCENE FROM MOVIE]

LALITA: I'm sure you think India's beneath you.

DARCY: If I really thought that then why would I be thinking about buying this place?

LALITA: You think this is India?

DARCY: Well then you want to see more investment? More jobs?

LALITA: Yes, But who does it really benefit? You want people to come to India without having to deal with Indians.

DARCY: That's good. Remind me to add that to the tourism brochure.

LALITA: Isn't that what all tourists want here – five-star comfort with a bit of culture thrown in? Well I don't want you turning India into a theme park. I thought we got rid of people like you.

DARCY: I'm not British. I'm American.

LALITA: Exactly.

~~

LETTERMAN: Yeah. Wow. It's very exciting to meet you. And the film opens on Friday. You must be very excited about that.

RAI: Mm-hmm.

LETTERMAN: And I certainly hope you come back on the show again.

RAI: Any time.

LETTERMAN: Have you enjoyed the experience so far?

RAI: So far, yeah. It's been wonderful.

LETTERMAN: Yeah, good.

RAI: There's more?

LETTERMAN: Yeah, there's a little more. It's been a great pleasure to meet you.

RAI: Thank you.

LETTERMAN: Ashwarya Rai, ladies and gentlemen.