Aishwarya Rai Bachchan fans have a reason to rejoice, as the actor will joining the Disney Universe by voicing one of its most iconic characters, Maleficent, in the Hindi version of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Angelina Jolie played the role in 2014’s Maleficent and returns as the villainous character in the sequel.
At the trailer launch of the Hindi version, Aishwarya spoke about how she came onboard the project, how she’s dubbed for another artiste for the first time and on doing Mani Ratnam’s next.
About dubbing for Angelina she said, “This is the first time that I have dubbed for another artiste, and I must say that I got into it completely. As a committed professional it’s not just about doing something but about exploring an opportunity, believing that you are going to enjoy it and giving your all to it.”
She also added that they had to complete the dubbing in a short span of time because she was travelling soon after, but the entire process was very ‘smooth’.
Aishwarya will next be seen in Mani Ratnam’s but refused to divulge any details. She said, “I can’t really talk about the film, but Mani Ratnam is my guru and I’ve had the privilege of working with him at the start of my career and multiple times thereafter. It’s very exciting to collaborate with someone of his calibre.”
Disney India said in a statement that they “wanted to build a strong connect and bring Maleficent’s character to life in Hindi and Aishwarya’s persona would be a perfect blend.”
Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil is a tale of good versus evil, where Maleficent and her daughter Aurora question the family ties that bind them. The sequel picks up several years after the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora.
The film will be releasing in Hindi and English on 18 October. Apart from Angelina Jolie, the cast also includes Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, and Lesley Manville, who appeared in the first installment. Franchise newcomers who’ll be joining the sequel are Michelle Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein, Harris Dickinson and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
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