Will Smith wants to act opposite Aishwarya in a Bollywood film

Actor Will Smith, one of the most popular Hollywood stars in India, Saturday said it is a part of his wishlist to work in a Bollywood masala entertainer with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

"One of the things on my bucket list is to be on a Bollywood dance sequence. I met Aishwarya 15 years ago, we had conversations about doing something together but never happened. Perhaps I would do a film with her," Smith said.

The actor, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday with a bungee jump over the Grand Canyon in the US, was in conversation with Farhan Akhtar at a session of Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2018.

Smith, whose diverse filmography ranges from "Ali", "Pursuit of Happyness" and "Ray" to "Independence Day", "I Am Legend" and "Suicide Squad", said he loves being in India as he finds the contrast "very beautiful".

"On any street corner you could cross a thousand years. There could be someone on a brand new cellphone and someone on a cart. The intermingling of the ages and the lifestyle is amazing," he said.

The actor considers "Ali", the 2001 biographical sports drama, a pivotal part of his career and said it marked his transformation as a performer.

"Playing Muhammad Ali was the most formative time in my career. It changed me forever."
"There is a scene where I was screaming and he turned to his wife and said, 'Was I that crazy?' and he turned to me and said, 'Man, you've done a great job'."