Aishwarya Rai with her husband Abhishek Bachchan at the IIFA Awards (2007)
Aishwarya is Hindu and deeply religious. Her favourite temple is a 200-year-old Lord Ganesha Temple.
In 1999 Aishwarya 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 a reason for ending their relationship. However, in a 2009 Times of India article titled "Salman didn't hit Ash!" Khan denied ever beating her: "It's not true that I hit a woman."
Rai is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan. After much speculation concerning their relationship, their engagement was announced on 14 January 2007. The announcement was later confirmed by his father, Amitabh Bachchan. The couple got married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the Bunt community to which she belongs. 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. Though the wedding was a private affair intended for the Bachchan and Rai families and friends, the involvement of the media turned it into a national extravaganza. They have been cited as a supercouple in the Indian media. Rai has been very close to her family and lived with them in Bandra, Mumbai, until her marriage.
International media
Rai has been the most popular face of Indian cinema globally. In 2004 she was chosen by Time magazine as one of the World's "100 Most Influential People", and appeared on the cover of Time magazine, Asia Edition in 2003. In October 2004 a wax figure of Rai was put on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum. She was the sixth Indian and the second Bollywood personality after her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan to get this honour.
She was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile on 2 January 2005, 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". In that same year she became a global brand ambassador of L'Oreal alongside Andie Macdowell, Eva Longoria and Penelope Cruz. The same year, a special tulip in the Netherlands was named "Aishwarya Rai" after her. Rai became the first Indian to appear on such shows as Late Show with David Letterman, and was the first Bollywood personality to appear on Oprah's "Women Across the Globe" segment. In 2005, Harpers and Queen's list of 10 Most beautiful women in the world ranked her at the ninth spot. In 2009 she made an appearance on Martha Stewart's show Martha. The same year she also appeared on The Tyra Banks Show hosted by Tyra Banks.
In 2010 she appeared for the second time in list Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World".
Awards and nominations
Main article: List of Aishwarya Rai's awards and nominations
Filmography
Year Title Language Role Notes
1997 Iruvar Tamil Pushpa / Kalpana
Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya Hindi Ashi Kapoor
1998 Jeans Tamil Madhumita
1999 Aa Ab Laut Chalen Hindi Pooja
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Hindi Nandini Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Ravoyi Chandamama Telugu Special appearance
Taal Hindi Mansi Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2000 Mela Hindi Champakali Guest appearance
Kandukondain Kandukondain Tamil Meenakshi Bala
Josh Hindi Shirley
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai Hindi Preeti Virat Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke Hindi Sahiba Grewal
Mohabbatein Hindi Megha Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
2001 Albela Hindi Sonia
2002 Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam Hindi Suman Guest appearance
Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin Hindi Komal Rastogi
23rd March 1931: Shaheed Hindi Special appearance
Devdas Hindi Parvati (Paro) Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Shakti: The Power Hindi Herself Special appearance in song "Ishq Kamina"
2003 Chokher Bali Bengali Binodhini
Dil Ka Rishta Hindi Tia Sharma
Kuch Naa Kaho Hindi Namrata Shrivastav
2004 Bride & Prejudice English Lalita Bakshi
Khakee Hindi Mahalakshmi
Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na Hindi Diya Malhotra
Raincoat Hindi Neerja Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2005 Shabd Hindi Antara Vashist/Tammana
Bunty Aur Babli Hindi Special appearance in the song "Kajra Re"
Mistress of Spices English Tilo
2006 Umrao Jaan Hindi Umrao Jaan
Dhoom 2 Hindi Sunehri Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2007 Guru Hindi Sujata Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Journey Across India English Mumtaz Mahal
Provoked English
Hindi Kiranjit Ahluwalia
The Last Legion English Mira
2008 Jodhaa Akbar Hindi Jodhaa Bai Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Sarkar Raj Hindi Anita Rajan
2009 The Pink Panther 2 English Sonia Solandres
2010 Raavan Hindi Ragini Sharma
Raavanan Tamil Ragini Subramaniam
Enthiran Tamil Sana
Action Replayy Hindi Mala
Guzaarish Hindi Sofia D'Souza
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