Aishwarya Rai (born 1 November 1973
[1]), also known by her married name
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is an Indian actress, model and the winner of the
Miss World pageant of 1994. Through her
Bollywood acting career, she has established herself as one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India. Rai has received
several awards, including two
Filmfare Awards from ten nominations, and she was awarded the
Padma Shri by the
Government of India in 2009. She is often cited as the "most beautiful woman in the world".
While in college, Rai did a few modelling assignments. Following appearances in several television commercials, she entered the
Miss India pageant, in which she placed second. She was then crowned
Miss World 1994, after which she began receiving offers to act in film. She made her acting debut with the 1997
Tamil film
Iruvar and had her first Hindi film release in
Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya that same year. Her first commercial success was the Tamil romantic drama
Jeans (1998), following which she achieved wider success and two
Best Actress awards at
Filmfare for her performances in
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and
Devdas (2002). She garnered critical appreciation for portraying
Rabindranath Tagore's heroine, Binodini, in the Bengali film
Chokher Bali (2003), a depressed woman in the relationship drama
Raincoat (2004) and as
Kiranjit Ahluwalia in the British drama film
Provoked (2006). Rai's greatest commercial successes have been the adventure film
Dhoom 2 (2006), the
historical romance Jodhaa Akbar (2008), and the science fiction film
Enthiran (2010). She also received praise for portraying a nurse in the drama
Guzaarish (2010). Rai took a sabbatical from film acting in 2010, and made her comeback with the thriller
Jazbaa (2015).
Early life and modelling career[edit]
Rai was born into a
Tulu-speaking
Bunt[8] family in
Mangalore, Karnataka.
[9] Her father, Krishnaraj, was an Army
biologist, while her mother, Brinda, is a homemaker.
[10] She has one elder brother, Aditya Rai, who is an engineer in the merchant navy. Rai's movie
Dil Ka Rishta (2003) was co-produced by her brother and co-written by her mother.
[11][12] The family moved to
Mumbai, where Rai attended the
Arya Vidya Mandir High School.
[10] Rai did her intermediate schooling at
Jai Hind College for a year,
[13] and then joined
DG Ruparel College[14] in
Matunga, securing 90 percent in the
HSC exams.
[10][15] She trained in classical dance and music for five years during her teens.
[15] Her favourite subject was zoology, so she initially considered a career in medicine.
[15] Then with plans to become an architect, she enrolled at Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture,
[15] but later gave up her education to pursue a career in modelling.
[13]
In 1991, Rai won an international supermodel contest (organised by
Ford) and was eventually featured in the American edition of
Vogue.
[14][16] In 1993, Rai gained huge public recognition for her appearance in a
Pepsi commercial with actors
Aamir Khan and
Mahima Chaudhry. The single line – "Hi, I'm Sanjana," of her dialogue in the commercial made her instantly famous.
[16][17] In the 1994
Miss India pageant, she won second place, behind
Sushmita Sen, and was crowned
Miss India World, also winning five other sub-titles, including "Miss Catwalk", "Miss Miraculous", "Miss Photogenic", "Miss Perfect Ten" and "Miss Popular".
[18] With Sen representing India at the
Miss Universe pageant, Rai's duties as the first runner-up included representing India in the rival
Miss World Pageant, held that year in Sun City, South Africa. She went on to win the crown
[19] where she also won the "Miss Photogenic" award and
Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty − Asia and Oceania.
[20] After winning the pageant, Rai spoke of her dream for peace for this world, and her desire to be an ambassador of peace during her one-year reign in London.
[18][21] Rai continued to pursue a career as a model until she became an actress.
[22]
Acting career[edit]
Early work (1997–1998)[edit]
Rai made her acting debut in 1997 with
Mani Ratnam's
Tamil film
Iruvar, a semi-biographical
political drama, featuring
Mohanlal,
Prakash Raj,
Tabu and
Revathi. The film was a critical success and among other awards, won the Best Film award at the
Belgrade International Film Festival[23] Rai featured as Pushpavalli and Kalpana – dual roles; the latter was a fictionalised portrayal of politician and former actress
Jayalalithaa.
[24] Due to Rai's weak Tamil-speaking skills, her dialogue in the film was dubbed by Tamil actress
Rohini.
[25] That same year, she was cast as Ashi, a naive teenager in her first Bollywood film –
Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, a romantic comedy opposite
Bobby Deol. Both
Iruvar and
Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya were commercial failures and reviewers were critical of Rai's acting ability in both the films. However, for the latter, she won a
Screen Award for Best Female Debut.
[16][26]
In the 1998 big-budget Tamil
romantic drama Jeans directed by
S. Shankar, Rai appeared alongside
Prashanth and
Nassar. She played Madhumita, a young woman who accompanies her ailing grandmother to the United States to seek medical attention. A commercial success, the film earned Rai praise for her acting and dancing skills.
[27] Unlike in
Iruvar, Rai practised and dubbed for her own lines in the film.
[28] Jeans was later submitted as
India's official entry to the Academy Awards for 1998.
[29] Her first role in 1999 was in the melodrama
Aa Ab Laut Chalen, directed by
Rishi Kapoor. The film was a critical failure and had a below average performance at the box office.
[30] Rai's portrayal of Pooja Walia, a traditional Indian woman living in the United States, met with negative reviews;
Rediff.com published, "Aishwarya Rai sports a plastic smile and never gets a scene where she can portray any depth. All she does is cry and smile and look pretty".
[31]
Public recognition and success (1999–2001)[edit]
In 1999, Rai starred in the romantic drama
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam which became a significant turning point in her career.
[32] The film, an adaptation of
Maitreyi Devi's Bengali novel
Na Hanyate, was directed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali and co-starred
Salman Khan and
Ajay Devgan. She played the main protagonist Nandini, a
Gujarati woman who is forced into wedlock (with Devgan's character) despite being in love with another man (played by Khan). TheMovieReport.com praised Rai's performance over her co-actors and noted, "Rai, in a luminous, award-winning performance (largely considered her big dramatic breakthrough—and justifiably so), fills in the conflicted emotional shades that Khan fails to bring with his one-dimensional presence".
[33] Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam emerged as a major commercial success and won Rai a
Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
[34] Rai next took the leading role of Mansi, an aspiring singer, in
Subhash Ghai's musical
Taal; alongside
Akshay Khanna,
Anil Kapoor,
Amrish Puri and
Alok Nath.
[35] A reviewer for
Rediff praised her dancing prowess in it.
[36] A moderate domestic success,
Taal was notable for being the first Indian film to feature in the top twenty listing at the American box-office.
[37][38] Rai received a second Best Actress nomination that year at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.
Rai next starred alongside
Shah Rukh Khan and
Chandrachur Singh in the action drama
Josh. She portrayed Shirley Dias, the twin sister of Khan's character who falls in love with his arch enemy's brother (played by Singh).
[43] The casting of Rai as Khan's sister was considered an unusual pairing at the time; director
Mansoor Khan, however, described it as "perfect".
[44] Despite earning mixed reviews from film critics,
Josh emerged as a commercial success.
[45][46] Satish Kaushik's social drama
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai was Rai's next release; she played a rape victim in the film. Co-starring Anil Kapoor and
Sonali Bendre, the film was well received by critics and did moderate business at the box office. Film critic Sukanya Verma praised Rai's decision to star in the film and added that she "conveys the turmoil and pain of a rape victim well. But it is her transition from an emotional wreck trying to gather the broken pieces of her life back together that is amazing."
[47] Rai eventually earned a third Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.
[48]
Devdas and international recognition (2002–07)[edit]
In 2003, Rai featured in two romantic dramas of Bollywood, her brother's production début
Dil Ka Rishta, alongside
Arjun Rampal, and
Rohan Sippy's
Kuch Na Kaho, alongside
Abhishek Bachchan.
[59] Neither of these films fared well critically or commercially.
[59][60] She was later noted for her starring role in
Rituparno Ghosh's
independent Bengali film Chokher Bali, an adaptation of
Rabindranath Tagore's
novel of the same name.
[61] She portrayed the character of Binodini, an emotionally manipulative widow, struggling with her sexual desires in early-20th century Bengal.
[62] The film was a major critical success and Rai earned positive notice for her performance; Derek Elley of
Variety noted, "Rai dominates the film with her delicately sensual presence and physical grace".
[63] Commercially, the film was a
sleeper hit.
[64][65]
After the success of
Chokher Bali, Rai returned to mainstream Hindi film with
Rajkumar Santoshi's
Khakee (2004), an action thriller featuring Amitabh Bachchan,
Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan and
Tusshar Kapoor. The film tells the story of five constables embroiled in a mystery surrounding a terrorist attack; Rai's role was that of Mahalakshmi, a
gun moll. While filming for
Khakee, Rai was accidentally hit by a running car, which resulted in the fracture of her left foot.
[66] Upon release, the film received moderate critical and commercial success.
[67] In her next release, the romantic comedy
Kyun! Ho Gaya Na..., Rai played Diya Malhotra, a university student who develops a one-sided attraction toward her friend Arjun Khanna (played by
Vivek Oberoi). The film received positive to mixed comments from critics, but failed commercially.
[68][69]
In late 2004, Rai garnered international recognition for her starring role opposite
Martin Henderson in
Gurinder Chadha's
British film Bride and Prejudice, a Bollywood-style adaptation of Jane Austen's novel
Pride and Prejudice. International film critics were appreciative of Rai's "beauty" but questioned her acting abilities; a review carried by
The New York Times mentioned her as "radiantly beautiful but inert".
[70] With a worldwide gross of $24 million against a production budget of $7 million,
Bride and Prejudice proved a commercial success.
[71] Rai next collaborated with director Rituparno Ghosh, for the second time, in the relationship drama
Raincoat, an adaptation of
O. Henry's
The Gift of the Magi. Also featuring Ajay Devgan,
Raincoat met with wide critical acclaim and among other wins, won the
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
[72] The Hindu noted, "[A]s Neerja, [Rai] appears to have shed her inhibitions about looking unglamorous. What is more, she seems to have made an earnest effort to emote, using less of her body and limbs and more of her face, and eyes in particular".
[73] She eventually received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.
Rai had two film releases in 2006,
J P Dutta's
Umrao Jaan and
Yash Raj Films'
Dhoom 2. The former, an adaptation of
Mirza Hadi Ruswa's
Urdunovel
Umrao Jaan Ada (1905), tells the story of a doomed
courtesan from 19th-century
Lucknow. Rai played the titular role, a character famously played by
Rekha in
the first film adaptation of the novel. Reviewers, while comparing the film to its previous adaptation, were critical of the film as well as of Rai's performance.
BBC noted, "While only Aishwarya could emulate the grace and poise of Rekha, she doesn't quite capture the intensity of Umrao's abiding melancholy", adding that "Rai's incandescent beauty and artistry [..] does indeed keep the audience watching, though not necessarily emotionally engaged."
[82]
In the
Sanjay Gadhvi-directed adventure film
Dhoom 2, Rai portrayed Sunehri, a petty thief who helps the police catch an illusive criminal; the film had an ensemble cast including
Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan,
Bipasha Basu, and
Uday Chopra.
[83] Though critically unsuccessful, the film was Rai's first major commercial success since
Devdas; the film was declared a
blockbuster, and became the
highest grossing Indian film of 2006 with gross revenues of over
₹1.11 billion (US$16 million).
[84] Rediff.com commented, "[She] is all gloss and no depth. You seldom feel any tension in her behaviour and expressions. [..] Sunehri enters the film nearly 50 minutes after its opening in a disguise. In no time, she is wearing the flimsiest of clothes. Once she opens her mouth—and she does it two minutes after appearing in the film—she spoils the image."
[85] Nonetheless, her performance earned her a sixth Filmfare Award nomination in the Best Actress category.
In 2007, Rai played the wife of Abhishek Bachchan's character in Mani Ratnam's social drama
Guru. A fictionalised biography of businessman
Dhirubhai Ambani,
Guru tells the
rag to riches story of an uneducated man who builds a multinational corporation. The film met with international critical acclaim and emerged as a box-office success.
[86] Richard Corliss of
Time labelled her character as an "ornament", but Raja Sen from
Rediff described it as "arguably her finest performance, visible especially when she takes over the film's climax."
[87][88] Rai received her seventh Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for her performance in the film. Rai next starred alongside
Naveen Andrews and
Miranda Richardson in
Jag Mundhra's independent British drama
Provoked, as the real-life character of
Kiranjit Ahluwalia, a
non-resident Indian who murders her husband after suffering years of domestic abuse.
[89] Rai earned mostly positive comments for her performance.
[90] Critic Indu Mirani from
DNA wrote, "Aishwarya Rai plays the battered wife in what is undoubtedly one of her best performances to date. Rai convincingly goes through the various stages of shock, bewilderment, remorse and finally vindication".
[91] Internationally well-received, the film emerged as a moderate commercial success in the United Kingdom.
[92][93] That same year, Rai starred alongside
Ben Kingsley,
Colin Firth and
Thomas Sangster as the Indian warrior Mira in
Doug Lefler's
epic film The Last Legion.
[94]
Jodhaa Akbar and other roles (2008–10)[edit]
Rai at the premiere of
Raavan in 2010
After a series of films that under-performed either critically or commercially, Rai garnered both critical and box-office success with
Ashutosh Gowariker's period romance
Jodhaa Akbar (2008). The film narrates a partly fictionalised account of a
marriage of convenience between the
Mughal emperor
Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (played by Hrithik Roshan) and the
Rajput princess
Jodha Bai (played by Rai).
Rajeev Masandnoted, "Aishwarya Rai is wonderfully restrained and uses her eyes expertly to communicate so much, making this one of her finest outings on screen".
[95] The film had gross earnings of
₹1.12 billion (US$17 million) and fetched Rai a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.
[96] She then co-starred with her husband, Abhishek Bachchan, and her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan, in
Ram Gopal Verma's political drama
Sarkar Raj, a sequel to the 2005 box-office hit
Sarkar.
[97] Rai was cast as Anita Rajan, the CEO of an international power firm who proposes to set up a plant in rural
Maharashtra. The film was a critical and commercial success, with praise directed to the performances of the three leads.
[98][99][not in citation given]
Rai's next role was in the 2009
Harald Zwart-directed spy comedy
The Pink Panther 2. Starring alongside
Steve Martin,
Jean Reno and
Emily Mortimer, Rai portrayed the role of Sonia Solandres, a seductive criminology expert. Like its
predecessor, the sequel received negative reviews from critics,
[100] but did a moderate business of $34 million at the American box office.
[101] Roger Ebert wrote, "Rai is breathtaking in Bollywood films, where they devote a great deal of expertise to admiring beauty, but here she's underutilized and too much in the background";
[102] USA Today mentioned her expressions as "wooden" and added, "She looks gorgeous, but her expression rarely changes".
[103]
In 2010, Rai was cast by Mani Ratnam in his
bilingual modern-day adaptation of the
Indian epic Ramayana. Her role was that of Ragini (modeled on
Sita, the heroine of
Ramayana), a woman married to the
superintendent of police, who is kidnapped by a bandit. The Hindi version (
Raavan) and the Tamil version (
Raavanan) of the film were shot simultaneously and Rai played the same role in both the film versions.
[104] The films received polarising reviews from film critics, as did Rai's performance. Kaveree Bamzai of
India Today wrote, "Aishwarya's Sita is one of the best things in the film ... her performance is heartfelt—this is a performer who is at ease playing women, rather than girls".
[105] However, film critics Aniruddha Guha and Rajeev Masand criticised her character and noted, "She's left to scream and shriek and hiss."
[106] Commercially,
Raavanan emerged as a success while
Raavan flopped.
[107] Rai's next role was opposite
Rajinikanth in the
science fiction Tamil film
Enthiran (2010), directed by S. Shankar.
[108] She was cast as Sana, a college student and the girlfriend of Rajinikanth's character. At the time of release,
Enthiran was the most expensive Indian film production and eventually emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
[109][110][111] She then appeared as Mala, an impetuous brat, in
Vipul Shah's
Action Replayy; a science fiction comedy co-starring Akshay Kumar,
Aditya Roy Kapoor and
Neha Dhupia.
Rai's final film of 2010 was the drama
Guzaarish; her third collaboration with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Hrithik Roshan.
[112] The film tells the story of Ethan Mascarenas, a former magician (played by Roshan) suffering from
quadriplegia, who after years of struggle, files an appeal for
euthanasia. Rai's role was that of Sophia D'Souza, Mascarenas' nurse, who is abused by her alcoholic husband. Despite flopping at the box-office,
Guzaarish met with positive critical comments.
The Telegragh described it to be "one of Aishwarya Rai’s best performances" and
The Times of India summarised, "Aishwarya is a stunning picture of fire and grace, walking away with certain scenes by her sheer vitality."
[113][114] In 2011, Rai was cast as the protagonist of
Madhur Bhandarkar's social drama
Heroine; however, due to her pregnancy, Rai was replaced by actress
Kareena Kapoor, the original choice for the role.
[115][116]
Work after sabbatical (2015–present)[edit]
After a five-year sabbatical from film acting, Rai made a comeback with
Sanjay Gupta's drama-thriller
Jazbaa, co-starring
Shabana Azmi and
Irrfan Khan.
[117] A remake of the Korean thriller
Seven Days (2007), the film saw Rai play the role of Anuradha Verma, a criminal lawyer who is forced to defend a rapist in exchange for her daughter's safety. The film received mixed reviews from critics but turned out to be a profitable venture at box-office.
[118][119] Shomini Sen from
CNN-IBN writing, "
Jazbaa scores only because of the performances. Aishwarya Rai grunts and screeches on some scenes but manages to deliver a convincing performance."
[120]
In 2016, Rai starred in
Omung Kumar's biographical drama
Sarbjit. The film is based on the life of Indian farmer
Sarabjit Singh, who was convicted of terrorism by a Pakistani court, and how his sister Dalbir Kaur fought relentlessly for his release. Rai played the role of the sister of Sarabjit Singh (played by
Randeep Hooda).
[121] The film premiered at the
69th Cannes Film Festival,
[122] and received mixed to negative reactions from critics, as did Rai's performance.
[123] Few reviewers expressed that Rai was "miscast" as she neither looked nor sounded like a Sikh woman.
[124] Her Punjabi accent and her over-the-top performance in some scenes was largely criticized, though several critics took note of how much she stood out in the film's quieter scenes.
[125][126][127] Rajeev Masand summarised that "she's required to scream and shout and weep copiously to express her anguish; the shrillness does her no favors. In quieter moments – like one in which Dalbir can't bear to part with her stillborn baby – the actress shines."
[128] Commercially, the film performed poorly.
[129] As of May 2016, Rai is filming for
Karan Johar's romantic drama
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil alongside
Ranbir Kapoor,
Fawad Khan and
Anushka Sharma.
[130]
Off-screen work[edit]
Endorsements[edit]
Rai made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade. Rai became popular after appearing in a
Pepsi commercial with actor
Aamir Khan.
[15] She is the only actress who endorsed both Pepsi and Coca-Cola.
[131] She is one of the top brand ambassadors in the country and is one of the top paid Bollywood actresses in this respect.
[132] She modelled for
Titan Watches,
[133] Longines watches,
L'Oréal,
Coca-Cola,
[134] Lakmé Cosmetics,
Casio pager,
Philips,
Palmolive,
[135] Lux,
Fuji films,
[136] Nakshatra Diamond Jewellery,
[137] and
Kalyan Jewellers.
[138] She was named the official brand ambassador for
De Beers diamonds in India.
[136] Rai has been ranked the 2nd most popular watch brand ambassador worldwide in a survey, conducted by World Watch Report.
[139] In 2013 Rai and her husband
Abhishek Bachchan have been roped in as the brand ambassadors by the
TTK Group.
[140] Rai endorses Lodha’s Worli project by Lodha Group
World One.
[141]
Social and humanitarian work[edit]
In February 2005 Rai performed with other Bollywood stars at the
HELP! Telethon Concert, an event to raise money for the victims of the
2004 tsunami earthquake.
[150] Along with other members of the
Bachchan family, she laid the foundation of a special school for underprivileged girls in Daulatpur village in
Uttar Pradesh in 2008. Construction is being funded by the Bachchan family and the school will be named after Rai.
[151] She appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the closing ceremony of the
2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The performance showcased Indian culture as a lead-up to India hosting the
2010 Commonwealth Games.
[152]
Rai is a UN Microcredit Spokesperson.
[153] She supports PETA India.
[154] She pledged to donate her eyes to the Eye Bank Association of India and appeared in a public awareness film on eye donation.
[155] In November 2004, Rai created the Aishwarya Rai Foundation to help needy people in India.
[156] In 2009 Rai was appointed as the first
Goodwill Ambassador of
Smile Train, an international charity that provides free
Cleft lip and palate surgery to children in need. Her work with Smile Train will focus not only on India, but on 76 different developing countries around the world.
[157][158] In September 2012, Rai had joined United Nations Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon and renowned Hollywood actor
Michael Douglas at a ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Peace in New York.
[159] Later that week, she was appointed as the new international
Goodwill Ambassador for
UNAIDS, the joint United Nations programme on AIDS and HIV. She will raise global awareness on protecting children from HIV infection and increasing access to antiretroviral treatment.
[160]
Stage performances[edit]
Rai has taken part in several stage shows and world tours since 2001. Her first world tour, a series of concerts called
Craze 2001, was performed across the US alongside Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan,
Preity Zinta and
Gracy Singh. The show faced early cancellation due to the
11 September 2001 attacks, and the team prepared to return to India as soon as possible. However, the shows continued successfully in Canada.
[161] In 2002, she participated in the show
From India With Love in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta. It took place at two outdoor venues,
Manchester's
Old Trafford and London's
Hyde Park, with over 100,000 spectators.
[162] In the summer of 2008, Rai, her husband Abhishek Bachchan, her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, and actors
Preity Zinta,
Ritesh Deshmukh and Madhuri Dixit starred in the "Unforgettable World Tour" stage production. The first leg covered the USA, Canada,
Trinidad, and London, England. Rai is also involved in the functional and administrative operations of her father-in-law's company, originally known as ABCL, and rechristened as AB Corp. Ltd. That company, along with Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., developed the Unforgettable production.
[163][164]
Offshore investments[edit]
Rai along with her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan were named in the
Panama Papers leak of
confidential documents that provided detailed information about more than 214,000
offshore companies listed by the
Panamanian corporate service provider
Mossack Fonseca, including the identities of shareholders and directors of the companies. The documents show how wealthy individuals, including public officials, hide their money from public scrutiny.
[165][165] As per Reserve Bank of India guidelines, Indian citizens were not allowed to start an overseas entity before 2003.
[165]
Personal life[edit]
In 1999, Rai began dating Bollywood actor
Salman Khan; their relationship was often reported in the media until the couple separated in 2001. Rai cited "abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), infidelity and indignity" on the part of Khan as reasons for ending the relationship.
[166]
Though they both appeared in
Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (in which her then longtime boyfriend,
Salman Khan, had a brief cameo) and
Kuch Naa Kaho, Abhishek Bachchan fell in love with Rai whilst filming
Dhoom 2.
[167] Their engagement was announced on
14 January 2007 and later confirmed by his father,
Amitabh Bachchan.
[168] The couple married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the
Bunt community, to which she belongs.
[169] Token
North Indian and
Bengali ceremonies were also performed. The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence, "Prateeksha", in
Juhu, Mumbai.
[169] They have been described as a
supercouple in the Indian media.
[170][171] Rai is very close to her family and lived with them in
Bandra, Mumbai, until her marriage.
[172][173][174] Rai is
Hinduand deeply religious.
[5] Her international presence shot up when
Abhishek Bachchan accompanied her to the
Cannes Film festival shortly after their marriage, and later to
The Oprah Winfrey Show, appearing on 28 September 2009.
[175] They were described as being more famous as a couple than
Brangelina.
[176][177][178]
Rai gave birth to a baby girl on 16 November 2011.
[179] Her daughter became popularly known by the name of "Beti B", a name attributed to her by fans and the media, since the couple took over four months to name their daughter. The baby girl was finally named Aaradhya Bachchan in March 2012.
[180]
In the media[edit]
Rai Bachchan is one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in the world.
[40][181][182][183][184] Despite constant media speculation, she keeps her personal life well-guarded.
[185] Her beauty and performances have made her as a style icon for young women.
[186] Over 17,000 websites dedicated to her,
[187] she was selected by
Verve Magazine in its list of the country's most powerful women.
[188] In 2001
Forbesnamed Rai among the top five Indian movie stars.
[3] In a reader poll conducted by UK's
Hello! magazine, she was voted "the most attractive woman of 2003".
[189] In the same year, Rai appeared in
Rolling Stone magazine's annual "Hot List".
[190] In 2004 she was chosen by
TIME magazine as one of the world's most influential people, and appeared on the cover of its 2003 Asia edition.
[191][192][193] Rai has earned the distinction of being the first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival
[194] In October 2004 a wax figure of Rai was put on display in London's
Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
[195] She was the sixth Indian and the second Bollywood personality—after her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan—to get this honour. In 2007 the same figure was displayed at Madame Tussaud's Museum in
Times Square in New York.
[196] As her most distinctive physical features, Rai's green-blue eyes, luscious lips, sexy curves and ultra-feminine mannerisms have been cited by the media as her trademark.
[197] In 2005 she was the subject of a
60 Minutes profile on
2 January, which said that "at least according to thousands of Web sites, Internet polls and even Julia Roberts", she was "the world's most beautiful woman".
[5] The same year, a
tulip in the Netherlands was named "
Aishwarya Rai" after her.
[198] Also in 2005,
Mattel released a limited edition of
Barbie dolls of Rai in the United Kingdom.
[199] The British magazine
Maxim ranked Rai first on their list of "Hottest Women of India".
Rai, last in the 4th row, has been listed in the "most notable Indians in the world"
[200]
In a poll conducted by the newspaper
Daily News and Analysis in 2009, she was voted as one of India's most popular icons.
[208] She attended the
83rd Academy Awards, along with her husband, Abhishek.
[209] Rai with her husband
Abhishek Bachchan appeared on
The Oprah Winfrey Show on 28 September 2009. She is the first Indian celebrity who appeared in
The Oprah Winfrey Show twice.
[175] They have been described as a supercouple in the Indian media
[210] She ranked 2nd in
The Times of India's 50 most desirable women of 2010,
[211] and ranked 9th for 2011.
[212] In 2011, she has received a lot of negative publicity for failing to lose her post-pregnancy weight as is apparently "required" of a public figure. However she silenced her critics by walking the red carpet at the "AmfAR Cinema Against Aids" gala in
2012 Cannes Film Festival for the 11th time.
[213] Later that year, Rai has made it to the issue of
New York Magazine’s list of "Forty Women That Women Find Beautiful", where she grabbed the 21st position in the list, with New York Magazine saying "She may be the "world’s most beautiful woman," but what we really love is that she never feels fragile onscreen,".
[214] She was considered by the media one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in India.
[215]
Filmography and awards[edit]
Selected filmography[edit]
