Aishwarya Rai has hitch: Will Smith wants dates she has already committed

Monday, March 27th 2006, 11:11 am

By: News On 6

NEW DELHI (AP) - Here's the hitch - and it involves Will Smith: Aishwarya Rai has charmed the Hollywood actor, who wants her to appear in his new film. But Rai is busy on the dates he wants.

Smith, 37, raved about Rai during his first visit to India last month. He wants her to shoot with him for three months starting in July _ the same dates she has committed to Indian director Ashutosh Gowariker, the DNA newspaper reported Saturday.

Gowariker is working on a period film, ``Jodha Akbar,'' the story of an arranged marriage between Emperor Akbar and his wife that later blossomed into love.

``We are in a bit of a situation. Aishwarya will obviously stick to her earlier commitment to `Jodha Akbar' as she is very professional. But if she loses out on Will Smith's film, it would be a great loss. Let's see what happens. We're hoping for the best,'' Hari Singh, Rai's business manager, was quoted as saying.

Smith has said he wanted Rai to star with him in the 2005 romantic comedy ``Hitch,'' but was told she was filming ``Bride & Prejudice.''

The newspaper said Rai planned to ask Gowariker to free her up on those dates, but that might not be possible because co-star Hrithik Roshan, a major Bollywood star, would also have to reschedule.