When brand endorsement deals get in the way of movies...Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan can't go to the Venice Film Festival! One would think that an actor's highest priority is to make movies, but sometimes the stars get too caught up in the lucrative business of promoting products that they forget why they are in this business in the first place!

No time for Venice!

Abhishek and Aishwarya were set to accompany Mani Ratnam to the Venice Film Festival in Italy Monday where the Raavan director received the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award. But instead of tagging along to the beautiful city and pose for photogs on  the red carpet, Ash and Abhi had to stay home!

What could possibly be more important for the actors than to support the Raavan director? Well, it's pretty simple actually, yet quite sad for the B-town royalties. One of the Venice Film Festival's sponsors is a global watch company and a direct competitor to Omega and Longines, the watch brands that Ash and Abhi endorse.

So no trip to the Venice Film Festival for Abhi and Ash! Mani Ratnam's Raavan has been described as a 'modern take' on the Indian epic Ramayana that tells the story of Rama and his wife Sita who is abducted by the demon Rākshasa king of Lanka, Ravana. The movie also stars Vikram, Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi and Priyamani. Abhishek plays Beera Munda, Aishwarya Ragini, Vikram Dev Pratap Sharma, Govinda portrays Sanjeevani Kumar, Ravi Kishan plays Sid and Priyamani Serena Munda.

What a shame that the film's stars couldn't come to Italy with Ratnam to receive the award! "Yes Abhishek and Aishwarya won't be able to accompany Mani Sir to Venice because of their brand loyalty," Mani Ratnam's spokesperson told reporters. Maybe this will serve as an eye-opener for some Bollywood actors who will realize that it's about movies, not money! What do you think? Share your thoughts.