Ash in a dilemma over dates

She is at the most promising stage in her professional and personal life, but Aishwarya Rai is one worried woman currently.

If reports are to be believed, Ash has to choose between two very good (to say the least) projects with the most sought after film makers in India.

Ash has dates to accept only one film and she has to choose between Maniratnam and Shankar, both of whom had given important roles to this former Ms Universe during her initial stages in the film world.

Who can forget Ash in her grey sweater, sitting on the edge of the railing near the Kodai suicide point, flirting with Mohanlal in Iruvar? One could not but smile when the beauty swayed in a half-saree for Shankar's Jeans.

While Shankar was the man who gave her the title of being the world's eighth wonder in his Adhisayam song, it was Maniratnam who gave her an idea of screen presence and acting.

Ash's movie with Mani, where she will be paired with Abhishek (their romance bloomed in Guru) and Vikram (in Tamil) was a commitment that came much before Shankar's Robot with superstar Rajinikanth.

Both the movies are in the pre-production stage and the shooting for both is slated to begin this September. Aishwarya, who has said that she is looking forward to working with her husband all over again, has also said she was dying to work with Rajinikanth.

Also, this dilemma takes on a different angle, with the astronomical fee she is supposed to have been offered for Robot.

If Ash accepts this offer, she will be completely occupied by Robot, as it is Shankar's dream project and demands that kind of time from its actors.

In fact, inside sources say Ash's contract with Shankar speaks of her putting motherhood on hold for this film, as it involves Ash losing weight and looking her best.

Rumors are rife that Aishwarya may just lose Maniratnam's films (both the Hindi and Tamil ones) to Deepika Padukone.

When Aishwarya faced a similar date problem in Hindi for the role of Jhansi Ki Rani in a movie, the offer went straight to Deepika, who, of course accepted it eagerly.

So is Ash going to call the shots and ask Mani and Shankar to sort out their shoot dates so as to be a good part of both the films or is she going to sit plum on just one of the two offers and refuse the other? Watch this space for more