Despite the scandal and sensation surrounding her life, Aishwarya Dhanush has not lost sight of her goals, and her love for her husband seems to be at an all-time high now. The rumoured romance between Shruti Haasan and Dhanush reached a peak when a popular vernacular magazine plastered posters of the duo across Chennai, posing the question — ‘Are they dating?’ While her film 3 is still in the making, Aishwarya says, “It’s been very difficult to deal with such controversies. There is absolutely no truth to it. I have only focused on my job at hand – which is to make a good film for our fans and to maintain a positive home environment too. Dhanush is a great guy and we are tiding through this with belief in each other and the support of our immediate families.”
Was it hard to see posters plastered all over the city? “Yes, I was taken aback that a magazine could go to this extent. They hadn’t spoken to any of the people involved, who are trying so hard to establish their individual careers. They showed no sensitivity to the families with children and the elderly. The basic premise of journalism is to at least get a reaction from those being written about.” She continues, “I know that it’s part and parcel of the industry but we needn’t explain anything, I am just doing it for our fans.”
The reason she’s speaking out, she says, “Dad’s fans and Dhanush’s fans have accepted us as family. They take everything very personally. Whether it was dad’s health or my entering filmdom, they have always been involved and stayed in touch. They are all shocked by these baseless rumours and I want them to know that I’m completely okay, and Dhanush and I are happy.”
So, what’s her relationship like with Dhanush today, after all the controversies? “We have evolved over the years; with this we’ve seen it all. He is my pillar of strength and encourages me to follow my passions. Whether Bharatanatyam performances or filmmaking, he has been my strongest supporter, sitting and cheering me on.”
As in most cases, has the equation with the ‘other woman’ changed? She laughs, and says, “Not at all. Shruti is a very good friend of mine. She has a good rapport with Dhanush and is very professional. Poor thing is being linked with a married man. All our families know each other and it does tend to get awkward as parents worry a lot.”
How have the families taken this? “Dad and mom are incredibly supportive. They believe me and don’t go by press reports. However, my mom and dad have been babysitting my kids and letting me focus on work as they know the film is very important to both Dhanush and me.”
Not letting her resolve slip, she concludes, “I believe in marriage and I trust my husband. He’s the father of my two children and is extremely caring. We are only focusing our energies on our film.” Has she learnt anything from this whole controversy? “Yes, that bad news spreads faster than good news and that some people you consider close enjoy the misery that they think you’re going through.”