International cosmetic giant L'Oreal Paris has surprisingly dropped Aishwarya Rai Bachchan from their 2011 global 'Happy New Year' commercial.
While Aishwarya is the only international brand ambassador to be dropped from the new campaign, L'Oreal dropped a second bomb by roping in Freida Pinto, Hollywood's Indian flavour of the season, in the commercial.
The brand's international ambassadors include Jane Fonda, Diane Kruger, Beyonce Knowles, Claudia Schiffer, Milla Jovovich, Patrick Dempsey, Rachel Weisz, Laeticia Casta, Evangeline Lilly and Gerard Butler.
All of them feature in the new campaign except Aishwarya, who was roped in by the company in 2005 as one of its global spokesmodels.
While L'Oreal Paris representatives in India couldn't be reached for a comment, the buzz doing the rounds is that the prestigious cosmetic brand has plans to rope in Freida as their new global spokesmodel from India.
The commercial, which has been uploaded on L'Oreal Paris' French site, features the brand's spokesmodels delivering hard sell lines in French and English.
Freida incidentally gets as much screen space as the other stars.
When contacted, Aishwarya's spokesperson claimed to be unaware of the matter. "I don't know anything about it. We need to check out the details," she said, adding: " Ash is busy with her upcoming performance at an awards function, so she can't speak on this issue right away." Interestingly, Ash along with Hollywood diva Eva Longoria, has been a regular at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet over the past few years as the cosmetic brand's spokesmodel.
Many in Bollywood feel the brand's disinterest in Ash could have to do with the fact that she hasn't been very active on the international front of late.
"She needs to be seen more in the West to get new work there. She needs to keep the excitement level going about her. Freida has been constantly in the global limelight in recent times. That could be a reason," says a Bollywood filmmaker who has worked with Ash.
Right now, Freida is clearly the exotic flavour of the season in the West. "Also you can't deny the fact that at 37, Aishwarya is no longer as young as she used to be. For westerners, she isn't probably as much a draw as she was about five years ago. Now, Freida has caught their imagination," says a media analyst.
In fact, L'Oreal Paris' UK portal states it clearly. It writes: "Freida, India's very own million dollar baby, has gone from strength to strength, be it upcoming international films or building her reputation as the young fashionista across the globe. Freida's name has been firmly engraved in the minds of all." Come to think of it, Freida is indeed going great guns in the West.
