Bangalore, Dec 06: Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai today virtually confirmed that she would make her Hollywood debut next year and said an announcement about it would be made shortly. "I had excellent meetings (with concerned agencies) in US. I have come back with a number of scripts. I am going through the scripts and I am open to work in the latter half of next year," Rai, whose attempts at entering international film arena is hotly speculated upon in Bollywood circles, told reporters here. Stepping into Hollywood for her meant "representing Indian talent," said Rai. She said she was in US recently for a charity show function where she had meetings with the agencies. "I have tied up with the managers", she said adding a press announcement about a forthcoming Hollywood project would be made shortly.
But the former Miss World made it clear that starring in an English film meant no more to her than acting in a language movie like Tamil or Bengali. "It is just another film. English films would mean just that".

Rai said she would have to be "excited" by the script, the role and the director of the film.

Flush with the runaway success of "Devdas", in which she was cast opposite Shahrukh Khan, she noted the "overwhelming response" to the film abroad and said the international media was "extremely encouraging".

Bureau Report