28 October 2010

How much do I hate Aish? Let me count the ways...

I know, and have known for a while now that Aish is definitely past her best-by date.
Seeing two Aish movies (Endhiran and Raavanan) almost back to back only re-confirmed it for me.

But this post isn’t just about Aish being past her best-by date. There’s no big deal in that. I can think of plenty of other actresses and actors who are post their best-by date, but are holding on like grim death.

What I can’t figure out is why watching Aish on screen is such an excruciatingly painful experience. It was never easy, but it only seems to be getting worse with time.

I think this has nothing to do with how old she looks. It has everything to do with what sort of an actress she is. And she isn’t a good one – yet (am being charitable here - I added 'good' to my original sentence).

While she couldn’t act for toffee from Day 1, she managed then because most of her early roles were ‘running around the trees’ and ‘looking too good to be true’ roles. But, I have never been able even stomach her, leave alone take her seriously, from the minute she started taking up roles that required serious acting.

And that, I think, is because, she lacks ‘X’ – the quality that the greats have, which makes you, the audience, forget that you are only watching a movie.

Okay, let’s be generous here – very, very few people have that ‘X’ – so it may not be fair to expect her to have it. But even in the group of second-raters, why does she stick out like a sore thumb?

Maybe its because she gives the impression of being too conscious of her status as ‘ulaga azhagi’. Even if she is running off a cliff or being tied up like a dog, this unfortunately comes through. You feel no sympathy for the character she is playing – rather, all you feel is irritation at how vapid she appears. I actually wanted to smack her.

Although this comes too late in the day, I think she should have stuck to modelling, where she could have easily hidden her acting flaws and capitalised on her ex ‘too-good to be true’ looks. Unfortunately for me and my ilk, she chose acting....

But not even that any more though. Her face looks like the desi version of Pamela Anderson now – and if you don’t believe me, just google the internet to see before and after versions. Here’s just one link to help you out. Even when she is in the middle of the jungle in Raavanan, she still manages to look plastic. Eeeks. What really bothers me is why directors still run behind her.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system (phew, thankfully – I can tell you its been simmering in there for a while – I hate that woman for messing up my Endhiran experience), what do you think it is that drives people in equal lots to the Hate Aish and Love Aish clubs? What is it for you? The "I think Plastic Ash is fantastic' queue is to the left, while the eco-friendly, sane ones can line up behind me.