Aishwarya Rai is busy shooting non-stop in Tunisia for her first full-fledged English film “The Last Legion“, as director J.P. Dutta waits for her return next month to start shooting for “Umrao Jaan“.

Aiswarya Rai may nott be back in time to start “Umrao Jaan” on schedule, as “The Last Legion” shooting is delayed further.

Director J.P. Dutta says “It is not Aishwarya Rai’s fault at all. Apparently, the shooting of her foreign film is behind schedule. And there will probably be a delay of a week. It’s a routine delay and one for which she is in no way responsible.”

“Aishwarya Rai’s contract for the foreign film clearly states that there can be a spillover in the shooting dates. She has no choice but to stay back.

“But that really puts me in a fix. How do I start the film without Ash? There is no ‘Umrao Jaan’ without Umrao! It is like Agra without the Taj Mahal” J.P. Dutta adds

“Aishwara Rai had called for Ganesh Chaturthi. Her secretary has been in touch and he has informed me of the inevitable delay. We are trying to work out a solution. But it looks like I will have to start building my Agra without the Taj Mahal” J.P. Dutta concludes.

Many Bollywood actress wanted to break into the west - but Hollywood never took them seriously. The Only exeption so far is Aishwarya Rai.

Other than Aishwarya Rai, the names like Sabna Azmi also failed and the latest victim is Mallika Sherawat.

Mallika Sherawat repeatedly made goof-ups in the press conferences about her Hollywood debut in ‘The Myth‘.

Mallika Sherawat’s much-vaunted “stellar” role in Stanley Tong’s The Myth is just that—a myth. According to audiences at the Toronto Film Festival where the film was premiered her role is no more than a glorified cameo.

According to members of the Indian film fraternity at the Festival Mallika’s presence was a complete non-event.

Well there can be only one Aishwarya Rai - even in the west.

Jagmohan Mundhra, producer of ‘Provoked’ featuring Aishwarya Rai in the lead, about to make a film on the life of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, also may seen Aishwaray in lead role - portraiting the Italy born Indian political leader.

On the request of the London-based producer Dr J. Murli Manohar, who has just released the new Hindi satire ‘Ramji Londonwale’, the ‘Provoked’ director however agreed to direct the film. They’ve bought the rights of Rashid Kidwai’s biography on Sonia Gandhi too. They have talked to Carla Gugino, the actress from ‘Spy Kids 2′, they have also spoken to Preity Zinta in India for the role of Sonia, but as they felt it needs an authentic international face, they zeroed in on none but the one and only Aishwarya Rai.

Carl Austen will write the script. For the role of Rajiv Gandhi, they had international name like Jimmi Mistry in mind, but still have not settled up.

But quite before the thing takes shape, controversy comes on the way. A city-based actor who described himself as “active Congress worker” on Tuesday filed a petition in a court here against the proposed films on the life of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The petitioner objected these films are being made without Sonia Gandhi’s permission and they would hurt the sentiments of the people. He also sought a ban on making of any such film and prayed to the court to issue directions to this effect.

And as per development took place yesterday, a notice has been sent to the makers of the film, in the notice, the court has directed the writer-directors to be present on September 26 in the court.