Sona Mohapatra Says Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Toned Down Her Smartness After Becoming A Heroine | People News
Mumbai: Singer Sona Mohapatra recently shared her thoughts on the changes she observed in Aishwarya Rai after she rose to fame, particularly in terms of how the actress seemed to tone down her intelligence once she became a public figure. Speaking candidly on the Love Lingo podcast hosted by Arsala Qureishi and Jas Sagu, Sona recalled her first encounter with Aishwarya, which occurred when both were young and in the early stages of their careers.
Sona shared how she first met Aishwarya when the latter was studying architecture and preparing for her National Institute of Design (NID) entrance exams. Sona painted a vivid picture of the actress as someone who was not only incredibly beautiful but also highly intelligent. She described Aishwarya as someone who topped her academics and spoke eloquently, embodying the ideal of beauty paired with brains. Sona said, “She looked gorgeous, she was so smart, spoke very well, top, went on to be who she was.”
However, Sona noted a shift in Aishwarya’s public persona after she was crowned Miss World and became a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. The singer observed that in interviews, Aishwarya seemed to adopt a more playful and less serious demeanour, often giggling in a way that seemed at odds with the intelligent woman Sona had first met. Reflecting on the possible reasons behind this change, Sona speculated, “There was a period when I remember seeing her in interviews and saying, ‘This isn’t the Aishwarya I saw.’ Because she would have to somehow be very, maybe she was diplomatic in any case, but somehow giggle a lot and giggle a lot and giggle a lot. Maybe that was her phase. But I kept thinking, ‘She is a very intelligent woman’.”
Sona attributed this change to the pressures and expectations of the entertainment industry, suggesting that it might have forced Aishwarya to downplay her intelligence to fit into the industry’s image of femininity and charm. She mused, “The industry she is in, maybe compels her to not be just too smart, I might be wrong. She toned down.”
In addition to discussing Aishwarya, Sona also touched upon the concept of helplessness as a tool for navigating India’s complex social and professional systems. When asked about a social media post that suggested people should “know when to act stupid,” Sona expressed her confusion but also shared her belief that sometimes adopting a slightly helpless stance could actually be advantageous. She explained how maintaining independence and staying true to oneself was crucial to her, emphasizing that she worked tirelessly, often for 18 hours a day, to avoid being controlled by anyone. Yet, she acknowledged that a certain level of helplessness could sometimes help individuals manoeuvre through challenges in India’s system.
Sona’s candid reflections on Aishwarya Rai and her views on helplessness offer an insightful glimpse into the dynamics of fame, the pressures of the entertainment industry, and the complex realities of navigating India’s societal structures.
