Aishwarya Rai Bachchan | The Enchanting and Timeless Icon

Bollywood Career

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's journey in the world of modelling began in 1991 when she won an international supermodel contest organized by Ford. This victory opened doors for her in the fashion industry, and she soon caught the attention of renowned publications. Aishwarya was featured in the American edition of Vogue, further establishing her presence on the international modelling scene. In 1993, she appeared in a Pepsi commercial alongside actors Aamir Khan and Mahima Chaudhry and gained immense recognition. The simplicity of her dialogue in the commercial, "Hi, I'm Sanjana," made her an instant sensation among the public. This endorsement catapulted her into the spotlight and significantly increased her popularity.

The following year, in 1994, Aishwarya participated in the Miss India pageant. She secured the second position, with Sushmita Sen winning the crown. However, Aishwarya was crowned Miss India World and also won several other sub-titles, such as "Miss Catwalk," "Miss Miraculous," "Miss Photogenic," "Miss Perfect Ten," and "Miss Popular." As Sushmita Sen represented India at the Miss Universe pageant, Aishwarya took on the responsibility of representing India at the rival Miss World pageant held in Sun City, South Africa.

The Big Breakthrough

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's breakthrough in Bollywood came with a series of significant films that showcased her acting skills and solidified her position as a leading actress in the industry. In 1998, she appeared in the big-budget Tamil romantic drama "Jeans". She portrayed the character of Madhumita, a young woman who travels to the United States with her ailing grandmother. The film was a commercial success and received praise for Aishwarya's acting and dancing abilities. Her dialogue in the film was dubbed by Savitha Reddy. "Jeans" was even chosen as India's official entry for the Academy Awards in 1998, further highlighting Aishwarya's growing popularity.

In 1999, Aishwarya had two notable film releases. She starred in the melodrama "Aa Ab Laut Chalen," directed by Rishi Kapoor. However, the film received negative reviews from critics and performed below expectations at the box office. Aishwarya's portrayal of a traditional Indian woman living in the United States was met with criticism, with reviewers noting her limited depth in the role.

The Ups and Downs

In 2000, Aishwarya starred in "Kandukondain Kandukondain," a Tamil adaptation of Jane Austen's novel "Sense and Sensibility." The film garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. Aishwarya portrayed the character of Meenakshi, a role that showcased her innocence and garnered positive comments from critics. Following this, she appeared in the action drama "Josh" alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Chandrachur Singh. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film proved to be a commercial success.

Aishwarya then took on the role of a rape victim in the social drama "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai," co-starring Anil Kapoor and Sonali Bendre. Her portrayal was widely praised by critics, who commended her ability to convey the turmoil and pain of her character. The film was well-received by audiences and performed well at the box office. In the musical romantic drama "Mohabbatein," Aishwarya played the daughter of Amitabh Bachchan 's character. Her character's tragic storyline garnered high praise from critics. The film became the highest-grossing film of the year and earned Aishwarya a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

A Rising Star

In 2002, Aishwarya starred in David Dhawan's comedy film "Hum Kisise Kum Nahin." Although the film didn't receive critical acclaim, it showcased her versatility in handling different genres. Following this, she appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's highly acclaimed period romantic drama "Devdas." Portraying the role of Paro, the love interest of the protagonist played by Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya delivered a compelling performance. "Devdas" premiered at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival and received international recognition. The film's success further solidified Aishwarya's position as a talented actress, and Time magazine included it in their list of the "10 Best Films of the Millennium." "Devdas" also became a major commercial success and Aishwarya's acting skills were highly praised.

In addition to her film career, Aishwarya participated in the show "From India With Love" in the UK in 2002. Alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Preity Zinta, she performed at Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Park, captivating an audience of over 100,000 spectators.

International Expansion

In 2004, after the success of "Chokher Bali," Aishwarya returned to mainstream Hindi cinema with the action thriller "Khakee." Starring alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, and Tusshar Kapoor, Aishwarya portrayed the character of a gun moll. Despite facing an unfortunate accident on set that resulted in a fractured foot, she delivered a commendable performance. She then appeared in "Kyun! Ho Gaya Na..." She gained international recognition in 2004 for her role as the Punjabi version of Elizabeth Bennet in Gurinder Chadha's British film "Bride and Prejudice." This was a Bollywood-style adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". While international critics had mixed opinions about her performance, she was acknowledged for her radiant beauty and talent. "Bride and Prejudice" achieved commercial success worldwide, grossing $24 million against a production budget of $7 million.

A Few Setbacks and the Rise

In 2005, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starred in two films that received mixed responses from critics and audiences. First, she appeared in the adult drama "Shabd" alongside Sanjay Dutt and Zayed Khan. The film revolves around an author who convinces his wife to have an illicit relationship for the sake of his next book. Unfortunately, "Shabd" failed to impress both critics and viewers, resulting in commercial disappointment. In the same year, she took on the lead role in the romantic fantasy film "The Mistress of Spices," directed by Paul Mayeda Berges. The movie, based on the novel by Chitra Banerjee, received negative reviews and did not fare well at the box office. The film failed to capture the attention of audiences and was considered a commercial failure. However, amidst these disappointments, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had a successful venture with a special appearance in the crime comedy "Bunty Aur Babli." She featured in the popular item number "Kajra Re," which garnered significant attention and praise from audiences.

The Great Aishwarya

In 2007, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan played the role of Abhishek Bachchan's wife in the social drama "Guru." The film, based on the life of businessman Dhirubhai Ambani, received international critical acclaim and emerged as a box-office success. While some critics considered her character as an "ornament," others praised it as one of her finest performances, particularly in the film's climax. Following this, she starred in the independent British drama "Provoked" in 2007. The film tells the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an NRI woman who murders her abusive husband. Aishwarya's performance received positive comments, with critics acknowledging it as one of her best to date. She convincingly depicted the stages of shock, bewilderment, remorse, and vindication. "Provoked" was well-received internationally and achieved moderate commercial success in the United Kingdom.

In the same year, Aishwarya appeared in Doug Lefler's epic film "The Last Legion," alongside Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth, and Thomas Sangster. She played the character of Mira, an Indian warrior. In 2008, she gained both critical and commercial success with Ashutosh Gowariker's period romantic drama "Jodhaa Akbar" opposite Hrithik Roshan .

Fluctuations

Aishwarya's Bollywood journey continued in 2009 with her role in the spy comedy "The Pink Panther 2." Starring alongside Steve Martin, Jean Reno, and Emily Mortimer, Aishwarya portrayed the character of Sonia Solandres, a seductive criminology expert. While the sequel received negative reviews like its predecessor, it performed moderately at the American box office, grossing $34 million. Some critics felt that Aishwarya was underutilized in the film. USA Today mentioned her expressions as wooden, although acknowledging her gorgeous appearance.

In 2010, she was cast in a bilingual modern-day adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. She played the role of Ragini, modelled after Sita, the heroine of Ramayana. The Tamil version, "Raavanan," and the Hindi version, "Raavan," were shot simultaneously with Aishwarya in the same role. The Tamil version of the film was a huge commercial success, while the Hindi version failed to perform well. Her next film in 2010 was the science fiction Tamil film "Enthiran", where she played the role of a college student and the girlfriend of Rajinikanth's character.

Rise after Fall

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Bollywood journey continued in 2016 with her final release of the year, Karan Johar's musical romantic drama "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil." Starring alongside Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor, she portrayed the role of a poet. Despite having limited screen time, Aishwarya received positive reviews for her performance. Critics praised her and considered her the prime asset of the film. The film became one of her biggest commercial successes, earning over ₹2 billion in revenues.

Two years later, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan appeared in the comedy-drama "Fanney Khan" (2018), playing the part of a singer who is kidnapped by a troubled father. The film, an adaptation of the Belgian movie "Everybody's Famous!", co-starred Anil Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao. Aishwarya reunited with director Mani Ratnam for the two-part Tamil ensemble period film "Ponniyin Selvan: I" (2022) and "Ponniyin Selvan: II" (2023). Based on Kalki Krishnamurthy's epic novel of the same name, both parts were filmed concurrently. Aishwarya played the role of Nandini, a scheming Chola queen. Her performance in the first part was highly appreciated among the ensemble cast, and in the second part, it was considered the best of her career. Critics praised her for being wonderfully restrained and using her eyes expertly to communicate a range of emotions. "Ponniyin Selvan: I" became one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time, earning ₹5 billion worldwide, while "Ponniyin Selvan: II" has already grossed over ₹3 billion worldwide.