Aishwarya, or “Ash” as she is more widely known…first burst upon the international stage when her striking beauty, poise and commanding intelligence won her the Miss World crown in 1994. India’s ambassador to international cinema and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai is celebrating her 33rd birthday now.
Aishwarya Rai was born in Mangalore, South India, to Krishnaraj Rai, a marine engineer, and Vrinda Rai, a writer on November 1, 1974. Her ancestors are from Mangalore. She was brought up in Mumbai along with her elder brother, Aditya Rai. Aditya is a film producer, and has occasionally produced films in which Rai acted.
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai attended the Arya Vidya Mandir at Santacruz, Mumbai, then entered Ruparel College, Matunga. She was a bright student and was on track to become an architect. After winning Miss World and the Miss Photogenic award, she then worked as a professional model, in advertising and Indian fashion magazines.
Aishwarya Rai started acting in flims in 1997. Initially mainly in Tamil and Telungu movies. Devadas was the film which gave her international stardom. It was a big budget film and she appeared along with with Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Devadas was a major box-office success. The film attracted overseas attention as well, receiving a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival, garnering international attention for Aishwarya Rai.
Aishwarya Rai became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the latest member of the elite L’Oreal Dream Team, joining beauties Catherine Deneuve & Andie MacDowell as their international ambassador. Aishwarya Rai is the firat Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London.
There is rumor that, marriage of top Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai is certain to take place in February 2007, according to Bachchan family astrologer Chandrashekhara Swamiji. She is appearing opposite Abhishek Bachchan in her latest Hindi movie “Umrao Jaan”
by director J.P. Dutta. The anticipation for the movie has been heightened after speculation in the media that she and Abhishek were set to replicate their romance in real life as well and would be tying the knot.
Aishwarya Rai has appeared in the cover of many international magazine including India Today and TIME Magazine. Time Magazine has also listed her on their list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World Today”. .
