Aishwarya Rai

Queen of Bollywood, Miss world 1994, one of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People (2006) - these are just a few of the titles that Aishwarya Rai is known by. Aishwarya gained international attention in 2004’s critically acclaimed film Bride and Prejudice, but she has been a superstar in Southern Asia for nearly a decade.

Aishwarya Rai was born on November 1, 1973 in Manglore, Karnatka, India to a well off family. Her father is a marine engineer and her mother is a teacher, and they influenced Aishwarya to be more than just a pretty face. She excelled academically and studied architecture at Rachana Institute before turning her attention to modeling and acting.

Aishwarya’s natural beauty was evident at a young age. Her flawless good looks, accentuated by her piercing blue-green eyes, led her to modeling jobs when she was still young. Her face has been seen on the covers of countless fashion and entertainment magazines including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Vanity Fair. She was also on the cover of Time Magazine’s Asian publication as “the new face of film.”

Although many acting jobs were offered to her while still attending school, Aishwarya resisted the temptation and continued her studies. It wasn’t until after she won the Miss World pageant in 1994 that she began to seriously consider acting and started to accept some of the roles that were being literally handed to her.

Her feature film debut came in 1997 in India’s Iruvar. Since then she has appeared in over 30 movies. She’s won two Filmfare (India’s equivalent to the Oscars) awards in the best actress category – one for 1999’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and the other for 2002’s Devdas. Aishwarya’s popularity in her native country has also earned her honors in Zee Cine Awards, the Screen Weekly Awards, and the Awards of the International Indian Film Academy.

With her star firmly cemented in Bollywood, Aishwarya is on her way to shining in Hollywood. In 1994 she made her first English language film, Bride and Prejudice, a musical which retells the story of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Her performance was critically praised and well accepted by fans.

Her performance brought her to the attention of the American film industry and has landed her roles in films opposite major stars such as Meryl Streep, Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley. She continues to act in Bollywood films while branching out to Hollywood.

While Aishwarya is focusing on her acting career she continues to model. She’s a member of L’Oreal’s Dream Team and represents the cosmetic company worldwide.

Not one to simply reap the benefits of her fame, Aishwarya is using the advantages that stardom and the money that comes along with it bring to found the Aishwarya Rai Foundation. This charity is committed to giving relief to those affected by 2005’s tragic tsunami which ravaged the part of the world she calls home. Her foundation strives to meet the immediate needs of the victims as well as providing for their long term needs by building new homes and repairing fishing boats.

As Aishwarya continues her career, more and more people are taking notice. In 2004 she carried the Olympic flame through her native India. That same year Time Magazine named her one of Most 100 Most Influential People. With recognition like that and the attention of those in Hollywood, it won’t be long until Bollywood’s superstar becomes an international superstar.

Latest News Aishwarya Rai:

Aishwarya Rai in top US series

The gorgeous newly wed Bollywood queen, the girl who rules the Indian film industry and the hearts of millions, Aishwarya Rai is back to the screen after a short break. First she made an elegant appearance at the Cannes film festival with her handsome hubby, the great Bollywood actor, Abhishek Bachchan. Second, she was seen enjoying the on stage performance of Abhi on the songs of his latest film ‘Jhoom Barabar Jhoom’. And now it is heard that Rai will appear in one of the top US TV series. She has signed up to star in the top US sci-fi serial ‘Heroes’.

According to Heroes TV.com, Aish will appear in 8 episodes of the forthcoming series of the NBC show on ‘superhuman’ beings.

The science fiction drama television series is the brainchild of Tim Kring. It premiered on NBC on September 25, 2006 telling the saga of the several people who “though they were like everyone else…until they woke with incredible abilities” such as telepathy, time travel and flight. Soon, these people learnt that they are made for the welfare of the mankind.

It is heard that Aish will play the role of Dr. Mohinder Suresh’s elder sister Shanti Suresh who is blessed with unnatural abilities. This has provided Aish an opportunity to work with Sendhil Ramamurthy, an American actor of Indian origin who plays the character of Mohinder Suresh, a genetic professor at the University of Madras who is engrossed in discovering the truth behind the sudden death of his father and is working on his father’s research of finding the ‘superhuman’ beings on earth.

The super gorgeous and super popular Aish will begin shooting for the series next month (July) in Los Angeles.

Aishwarya’s Aish

The newly wed celebrity couple of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bacchan have received a red carpet honor at the Russian billionaire and the Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich. Abramovich gave a royal welcome to Aish and Abhi. The couple was Abramovich’s guest of honor in his private box for two recent Chelsea games in London. According to times of India source, Abramovich laid it out thick for the Bacchans while they were there in the country. The Daily Mail reports “Roman gave Aishwarya and her husband Abhishek Bacchan full use of his own box while he was out of the country, and really pushed the stops.” The sources added “he put lots of indian food, followed by a cheese course, and organized for them to receive a sterling silver pen and signed the football shirt.”

Aishwarya Rai will not Quit Acting

A news to cheer for all the Aish lovers. The Bollwood Queen will not follow the conventional rules of marriage i.e. she will not give up her career in acting after tying knot with the Big B’s son Abhishek Bachchan. Though Amitabh adhered to the Indian culture and did not permit his wife and a versatile actress Jaya Bachchan to act in movies after they got married to each other, yet he is ready to violate this tradition for his Miss World, daughter-in-law, Aishwarya Rai. So Aish will not have to compromise her career for the sake of marriage. She is allowed to continue with acting the way she was doing prior to getting married to the young and charming, Abhishek. Amitabh Bachchan says “Jaya and I have insisted that Aishwarya must continue with her acting career. There is no problem or issue with us. They will live with us. This decision came voluntarily from both Abhishek and Aishwarya”. We can then perhaps say that Aish will have a complete ‘aish’.

Rai and Bacchan tie the knots

The Bollywood’s big and blue eyed beauty, Aishwarya and the handsome heart throb of millions of girls, Abhishek Bachchan, tie the knots on April 20, 2007. The wedding is acclaimed as one of the biggest marriages of Hollywood which saw stars and their kith and kin all around. The weding ceremony was accomplished at the grand house of the Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai. The traditionally dressed Abhishek arrived at the service astride on a mare. His happiness was more pricy than his off white sherwani and a white turban studded with flowers. Aishwarya who stole the looks in a red and gold hand embroidery sari arrived in a silver colored Mercedes embellished with flowers. She was accompanied by her mother and brother. It is said that the Bachchan mansion glittered with joy and festivity as the one of the most celebrated couple committed to join hands forever. However, the Bachchan house was fenced with around 1000 security personnel who kept the crazy fans off from crashing into the auspicious ceremony. Bollywood celebrities Sonali Bendre, Preity Zinta, Karan Johar, Ajay Devgan and Kajol and many others were present in the wedding. A guest says, "They have invited all those people who are emotionally close to them."

It is also said that on April 19, 2007, a so called former lover of Abhishek Bachchan, slashed her wrists in front of the actor's mansion. She was taken to hospital and later arrested.

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan contest the IIFA awards

The celebrity couple has its charisma everywhere and this time they will both be presnt to mesmerize the audience at the IIFA awards ceremony. The duo along with Mr. Big B has been nominated for acting prizes at the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards. Aish and Abhi will tie the nuptial knot on the April 19 of this year. The blue eye beauty will also join the so called father of Indian cinema, Mr. Amitabh Bacchan, at the star-studded ceremony in Sheffield, England on 9 June (07). Rai is up for Best Actress for DHOOM 2, while the Bachchans will compete for the Best Supporting Actor gong for their performances in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (Never Say Goodbye). Besides this, the versatile actor, Mr. Shah Rukh Khan is nominated for Best Actor for Don, while Dhoom 2, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Krrish (There’s No One Like You) and Vivah will fight for the coveted Best Film title.

Aish and Abhi do not have time for marriage

The Queen of Hearts, Aishwarya Rai and the heartthrob of millions of girls all round the world, Abhishek Bacchan have delayed their marriage for sometime. The reason that the couple has cited is the lack of time. Abhi and Aish got engaged in the month of January this year (2007). But since then they could settle on a date for their wedding because of the enormous workload. The father of Abhishek Bachachan, the versatile actor and the most renowned face of Hindi cinema, Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, told contactmusic that "Now Abhishek's schedule for (new movie) DRONA is postponed so I'm hoping we'll be able to sit down and work out a date. "But Aishwarya is in Karjat (India) shooting. Everyone is impatient. So are Aishwarya and Abhishek." But while he is keen to start wedding preparations, Bachchan Sr. already considers himself Rai's father-in-law. He adds, "The day Abhishek announced Aishwarya was the girl he was going to marry, she became a part of our family. I look on Aishwarya as a daughter."

Aishwarya Rai stuck with the Tree

The most talked about Bollywood beauty, the big-eyed charming girl who has many times proved her versatility in the world of Hindi cinema, Aishwarya Rai is undergoing a phase of tension nowadays. The reason for her worry is the lawsuit that she has been hit with for performing a banned ancient Hindu ceremony in which she spiritually tied knot with a tree. The would be daughter in law of the great Bacchhan empire and the former Miss World had agreed to undertake the ritual to overcome the expected troubles forecasted by astrologers in her married life. She believed that after getting married to a tree, the problems that could possibly hit her and Abhishel’s life after their marriage would not occur. According to astrologers in India because Rai is a manglik girl she must get married to a peepal tree before actually tying the nuptial bonds with the man of her dreams.

But the 33 year old queen of hearts has landed into trouble because she is now facing a civil lawsuit for practicing the ‘untouchability’ service. This is because her ceremony is associated with the caste system under which the Indian constitution violates such ceremonies as these are considered offensive to women. Aishwarya is sued by a lawyer in Patna, Shruti Singh. Shruti wants Rai and her family to issue an apology in public for her ‘false marriage’. However so far there are no comments either from Bacchan or Rai’s family over this matter.

Aishwarya Rai bedazzling China

Aishwarya Rai, one of the hottest celebrities of Bollywood, is now casting her spell in China. This world beauty has visited the place in order to attend Indian film festival held there.

The festival will screen Aish’s two blockbuster movies: Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Choker Bali (Bengali). This is meant to entertain the Chinese fans of Aishwarya Rai who hardly get a chance to watch her movies.

The festival will be held for two full weeks in the two most beautiful cities of China- Shanghai and Beijing (the capital city). It will show ten different films in different Indian regional languages. This festival is a part of the ongoing ‘2006 India- China Friendship Year.

Hope Aish makes the best out of it!!

Aish all set to enlighten the Diwali 2007

The evergreen queen of hearts Aishwarys Rai has decided to not just bring a brighter Diwali this year but also to light up the festival of lights 2007. The Bollywood heartthrob is also awaiting the release of her much talked about film ‘Umrao Jaan’ in the month of Diwali.

She is also waiting to surprise her fans with her another big venture ‘Jodha Akbar’ in which she plays the lead role opposite Hrithik Roshan. It is reported that the shooting of romantic scenes for Jodha Akbar will commence next month (September) under the supervision of the famous director Ashutosh Gowarikar. This movie is a 16th century love story between a Muslim emperor and a Hindu princess and would be shot in palaces and forts in western and northern India.

Aishwarya Rai wins Starwars Hottest Bollywood Celebrity contest 2006

She is certainly the Queen of Hearts, her fanfare is growing with her age, Aishwarya Rai is still unbeaten. Recently the lady has won the title of hottest Bollywood celebrity of the year 2006. Aish got 55% votes which made her leave behind another well-known charming Indian beauty, Priyanka Chopra. In case of male actors, John Abraham with his stunning looks and performances procured the highest number of votes was declared this year’s hottest male celebrity.

Right now Aishwarya is all set to hit the silver screen with her outstanding performances in Dhoom II and in Provoked premeired at Cannes and at the IIFA Dubai. Aish’s role in Provoked has already fetched her several compliments.

The World Queen turns Jhansi ki Rani

After playing some outstanding roles in blockbuster movies such as Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, Bride and Prejudice, Khakee, etc. Aishwarya Rai will now for the very first time be playing a historical character of Rani Jhansi in Ketan Mehta’s upcoming film Jhansi ki Rani. This is Ketan’s second venture regarding a historical movie. His recent movie Mangal Pandey starring Aamir Khan did fairly well at the box office. About this female oriented historical project Ketan says “it is a common misconception abroad that Indian women are very soft and don’t have the courage to oppose anything. But my Jhansi Rani will prove beyond a doubt that Indian women are in no way inferior in courage to those outside India.” On his choice of Aishwarya Rai Ketan feels that Aish is ideal to play the Rani Jhansi role. He added “everyone is saying, but once you see the film after its release, you will be convinced that no one else would have suited the role better than Aishwarya Rai.”

When spoken to Aish about the film she said that she is really excited and enthusiastic about the movie because of the uniqueness of the role and also due to her past contender Sushmita Sen playing the same character in another movie.

Aishwarya Rai hates domestic violence

The Bollywood queen Aishwarya Rai had a nostalgic experience while working for her new movie on domestic violence. This is because the blue-eyed model turned actress got reminded of the violence she had confronted at the hand of her ex-boyfriend (Salman Khan) few years back. Her new film named ‘Provoked’ is a story of a Punjabi woman who kills her harassing husband and rebels against the verdict of the court which goes against her. Rai found the script quite interesting and close to her heart. The 32 year old beauty said that “we are all extremely aware of such violence and it is something I have experienced too. This is one of the reasons that I wanted to be involved in this project.”