Aishwarya Rai (b. 1973)

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Biography

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. Rai won the Miss World 1994 pageant and later established herself as one of the most-popular and influential celebrities in India. She has received numerous accolades for her acting, including two Filmfare Awards. In 2004, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2009, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri and in 2012, the Government of France awarded her with the Order of Arts and Letters. From the late 1990s, she has often been called "the most beautiful woman in the world".

Timeline

The story of Aishwarya Rai, told in moments.

Legacy

L'Oreal brand ambassador for over 20 years. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in 2004. She turned down Hollywood roles that required her to play stereotypes, choosing parts on her own terms.

Turning down Hollywood stereotypes. What was the hardest no? Twenty years as L'Oreal's ambassador. Did you ever feel used?

1994 Event

Wins Miss World at age 21 in Sun City, South Africa. The Q&A round clinches it. Asked what quality she most admired, she answers: "The ability to be a beautiful person from within."

That Q&A answer clinched Miss World. Was it rehearsed? Did winning at twenty-one feel like the beginning or the peak?

1999 Event

Stars in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam opposite Salman Khan. The film earns 950 million rupees and wins her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She is 25 and already Bollywood's highest-paid lead.

950 million rupees. Did the money change how you were treated? Was working with Salman Khan as electric as the screen suggested?

2002 Event

Devdas premieres at Cannes. She walks the red carpet in a sari. Western press dubs her "the most beautiful woman in the world." The title sticks for two decades.

Walking the Cannes red carpet in a sari. Was that a statement? Did 'most beautiful woman in the world' feel like a cage?

2007 Life

Marries Abhishek Bachchan, son of Amitabh Bachchan, uniting Bollywood's most famous family with its biggest star. The wedding draws crowds comparable to a state event.

Marrying into the Bachchans. Was the pressure real? Did the crowds at your wedding feel like celebration or spectacle?

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