Aishwarya Rai 'toned down' her smartness after Miss World, entering films, says Sona Mohapatra: 'She'd giggle a lot'

Sona Mohapatra said that a person would fit into the “eco-system much better if you were also thoda bechara (a little helpless)”.

Singer Sona Mohapatra opened up about a change she felt in actor Aishwarya Rai before and after she won the Miss World title and her career post that. Speaking with Love Lingo for their YouTube channel, Sona recently spoke about how she works "18 hours a day" to stay independent and "not under anybody's thumb". (Also Read | Sona Mohapatra reacts strongly against Rahul Gandhi for 'demeaning' Aishwarya Rai in his speech)

Sona Mohapatra spoke about gorgeous, smart and well-spoken Aishwarya Rai.

Sona Mohapatra talks about being helpless in India

The singer said that a person would fit into the "eco-system much better if you were also thoda bechara (a little helpless)" adding that "helplessness in general is gender-free". The host shared that she came across something on social media which said that "you should know when to act stupid."

Sona opens up about changes in Aishwarya Rai

Sona Mohapatra was asked what it meant, and she responded, "We saw it, I remember the first time I encountered Aishwarya Rai was when I had come to write my NID exams in Bombay, the entrance exams. I had taken a train before the Bombay riots... She was studying architecture, she is older than me…She had a classmate, family friends, very close. She looked gorgeous, she is so smart, spoke very well, top, went on to be who she was."

"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. maybe that was her phase. But I kept thinking, 'She is a very intelligent woman'. But the industry she is in, maybe compels her to not be just too smart, I might be wrong. She toned down," Sona added.

About Aishwarya

Aishwarya wanted to become an architect and joined the Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture. She later quit her studies to pursue modelling. In 1994, she was crowned Miss World. She made her acting debut in 1997 with Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Iruvar. She made her Bollywood film debut with Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya the same year. She has starred in many films since. The actor was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023).