Aishwarya Rai's Early Life
Aishwarya Rai (also known as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) was born on November 1, 1973 in the city of Mangalore in India to father Krishnaraj, an army biologist, and mother Vrinda, a housewife. They soon moved to Mumbai, which is where she remained till her high school years before branching out into other avenues.
Having studied classical dance and music as a teen, Rai initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine and zoology, but soon switched to architecture. However, those ambitions evolved once again when she decided to leave her education behind to pursue modeling.
Aishwarya Rai's Rise to Fame
Aishwarya's first taste at modeling came at the age of 18, when she won a contest organized by Ford in 1991, which got her featured in American Vogue. After a few more years in the modeling and pageant circuit, she got her first taste of global fame when she won the Miss World 1994 crown, the same year India also won Miss Universe.
She transitioned to acting, making her debut in the acclaimed 1997 Tamil film Iruvar, transitioning to Hindi cinema and Bollywood with 1997's Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya. 1998's Jeans won her box office regard, while 1999's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam emerged a critical and commercial smash, winning her a coveted Filmfare Award for Best Actress, her first of two.
Aishwarya Rai's Film Career and Success
Rai's career as an acclaimed Bollywood star skyrocketed in the early '00s thanks to her performances specifically in Mohabbatein (2000) and Devdas (2002), the latter of which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival that year and won her a second Filmfare. The following year, Rai was invited to sit on the jury at Cannes, becoming the first Indian film actress to do so.
Further success followed in Chokher Bali (2003), Dhoom 2 (2006), Guru (2007), Jodhaa Akbar (2008), Raavanan (2010), and Enthiran (2010). After a five-year sabbatical, she returned with acclaimed performances in Sarbjit and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (both 2016). She made her international debut in 2004 with Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice, following that up with intermittent work in British films over the years.
Aishwarya Rai's Personal Life
A noted brand ambassador and philanthropist, Rai remains one of the most recognizable and popular faces in India and beyond, particularly noted for her prestige work and polished personal presence.
Rai's personal life has also been a fervent topic of discussion in the tabloids, particularly during her two high-profile relationships with Bollywood leading men Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi during the early aughts. She then entered into a relationship with frequent co-star Abhishek Bachchan in 2006 and the two announced their engagement and tied the knot the following year. They pair are seen as an Indian "supercouple" thanks to their longevity and her husband's association with the illustrious Bachchan film family. They're parents to daughter Aradhya, who was born on November 16, 2011.
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