Sona Mohapatra says Aishwarya Rai 'toned down' after she entered Bollywood: 'The industry compels her to not...'

Singer Sona Mohapatra has shared that she saw a change in Aishwarya Rai before and after the actress entered the Hindi film industry. She said that she felt that the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam star 'toned down' her smartness after she entered Bollywood to fit into the eco-system of the industry.

Speaking to the Love Lingo on their YouTube channel, Sona said that she works "18 hours a day" to not stay "under anyone's thumb." The singer added, "You fit much better into the eco-system if you were also thoda bechara (a little helpless). You should know when to act stupid."

When Mohapatra was asked what does she mean, she cited Aishwarya's example and explained, "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", the singer further added.