Rai's off-screen roles include being an ambassador for several charity organisations and supporting philanthropic causes through her namesake foundation. She was appointed aGoodwill Ambassador for theJoint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2012. She has also participated in stage shows and is an investor and prominent brand endorser. In 2003, she was the first Indian actress to be a juror at theCannes Film Festival. She married the actorAbhishek Bachchan in 2007, with whom she has a daughter.
Early life and education
Aishwarya Rai was born on 1 November 1973[1] into aTuluvaHindu family[2] inMangalore,Karnataka.[3] Her father Krishnaraj Rai, who died on 18 March 2017,[4] was a marine biologist and her mother Vrinda is a housewife.[5] She has one elder brother Aditya Rai, an engineer in themerchant navy. Rai's movieDil Ka Rishta (2003) was co-produced by her brother and co-written by her mother.[6][7] She has been fluent in Tulu, Hindi and English since childhood.[8]
Rai's family later moved toMumbai due to her father's job transfer.[8] There, she attended the Arya Vidya Mandir High School.[5] She had her intermediate schooling atJai Hind College for a year[9] and then enrolled atD. G. Ruparel College[10] inMatunga, securing 90 percent in theHigher Secondary (School) Certificate (HSC) exams.[5][11] Describing her desire to maintain a good academic standing, she said: "I've always got a first rank except for my seventh grade mid-term when I stood second. When I came to the 10th grade, my seniors, my juniors, everybody thought I'd top theICSE board exams. But I came seventh or eighth in class and that was a huge ego blow."[8][12]
Rai trained in classical dance and music for five years during her teens and showed interest in traditional dance forms, includingBharatanatyam.[11][8] Her favourite subject was zoology and she initially considered a career in medicine.[11] Planning to become an architect, she enrolled at Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture,[11] but later gave up her education to pursue a career in modelling.[9] Rai had appeared as a child model for Camlin pencils and later, photographs of her taken by her English professor for a project went viral, and photographersGautam Rajadhyaksha and Farrokh Chothia contacted her to appear in advertisements.[8]
Modelling career
In 1991, Rai participated in an international supermodel contest, which led to her being featured in the American edition ofVogue magazine.[10][13] In 1993, she gained wide public recognition for her appearance in aPepsi commercial with actorsAamir Khan andMahima Chaudhry. Her single line of dialogue "Hi, I'm Sanjana" became popular.[13][14]
With fashion designerManish Malhotra on the runway at HDIL India Couture Week in 2010
In the 1994Miss India pageant, Rai won second place behindSushmita Sen and was crowned Miss India World, also winning the titles Miss Catwalk, Miss Miraculous, Miss Photogenic, Miss Perfect Ten and Miss Popular.[15][16]
Prior to participating in beauty pageants, she had received four offers to star in movies but she decided to participate in Miss India to step back from the film industry for a bit. She said in an interview, "If I hadn't taken part in Miss India,Raja Hindustani (1996) would have been my first film."[21] She continued to model until she became an actress.[15][22]
In the 1998 big-budget Tamil romantic dramaJeans, whichS. Shankar directed, Rai appeared alongsidePrashanth as Madhumita, a young woman who accompanies her ailing grandmother to the United States to seek medical attention. The film was a commercial success, and earned her praise for her acting and dancing skills.[30] In this film, her dialogue was dubbed bySavitha Reddy.[31]Jeans, which was themost expensive Indian film at the time,[32] was submitted asIndia's official entry to the Academy Awards for 1998 but was not nominated.[33]
Rai's first role of 1999 was in the melodramaAa Ab Laut Chalen, whichRishi Kapoor directed. The film was a critical failure and had a below-average performance at the box office.[34] Her portrayal of Pooja Walia, a traditional Indian woman living in the United States, met with negative reviews;Rediff.com said: "Rai sports a plastic smile and never gets a scene where she can portray any depth. All she does is cry and smile and look pretty."[35] Also in 1999, Rai starred in the romantic musicalHum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which became a significant turning point in her career.[36] The film is an adaptation ofMaitreyi Devi's Bengali novelNa Hanyate; it was directed bySanjay Leela Bhansali, and co-starredSalman Khan andAjay Devgn. Rai played Nandini, aGujarati woman who is forced into wedlock with Devgn's character, despite being in love with another man (played by Khan). Bhansali cast Rai after meeting her at a film screening and was impressed with her eyes.[37]Khalid Mohamed ofBombay Talkies wrote that she has "an unquestionable felicity for acting", and has "that impossible combination of breathtaking beauty and brains".[38]Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was a commercial success and won Rai aFilmfare Award for Best Actress.[39]
Rai next took up the leading role of Mansi, a naive young woman with an exceptional singing talent, inSubhash Ghai's musicalTaal alongsideAkshay Khanna andAnil Kapoor.[40] A reviewer from Rediff.com praised her acting and dancing in the film, and wrote: "Taal will again enhance her reputation as an actress while in no way detracting from her image as a traffic-stopper".[41]Taal was a commercial success and is notable for being the first Indian film to appear in the top-20 listing at the American box office.[42][43] Rai received a second Best Actress nomination that year at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.[44]
Established actress and success (2000–2008)
In 2000, Rai starred inKandukondain Kandukondain, a Tamil-language adaptation ofJane Austen's novelSense and Sensibility.Rajiv Menon directed the film, which also starsMammooty,Tabu andAjith Kumar. She was cast as Meenakshi, who is based onMarianne Dashwood, the younger sister of Tabu's character.[45] The film was a critical and commercial success, and earned Rai positive comments from critics; a review carried byThe Indian Express said: "Attacking her role with just the perfect dollop of innocence, Rai does full justice to her part, and matches up perfectly to Tabu".[46][47][48]
Rai next starred alongsideShah Rukh Khan andChandrachur Singh in the action dramaJosh. She portrayed Shirley Dias, the twin sister of Khan's character who falls in love with his arch enemy's brother (played by Singh).[49] The casting of Rai as Khan's sister was considered an unusual pairing at the time but directorMansoor Khan described it as "perfect".[50] Critics gaveJosh mixed reviews and it was a commercial success.[51][52] InSatish Kaushik's social dramaHamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Rai played a rape victim. The film co-stars Anil Kapoor andSonali Bendre, and was well-received by critics and did well at the box office.[53]Sukanya Verma praised Rai's decision to star in the film and said she "conveys the turmoil and pain of a rape victim well. But it is her transition from an emotional wreck trying to gather the broken pieces of her life back together, that is amazing."[54] Her performance in the film earned her a third Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[55]
After featuring inDavid Dhawan's slapstick comedy filmHum Kisise Kum Nahin,[59] Rai appeared alongside Shah Rukh Khan andMadhuri Dixit in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romantic dramaDevdas, an adaptation ofSharat Chandra Chattopadhyay'snovel of the same name.[60] Rai played the role of Paro (Parvati), the love interest of the protagonist (Khan). The film was screened at the2002 Cannes Film Festival and it was featured byTime in its listing of the "10 Best Films of the Millennium".[61][62]Devdas was a major international success with a revenue of over₹840 million (US$9.9 million).[63][64] Alan Morrison, writing forEmpire, praised the performances of the three leads and wrote: "Rai proves she has the acting talent to back up her flawless looks".[65]Devdas was chosen as India's official entry for theAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and received a nomination at theBAFTA Awards in theBest Foreign Language Film category.[66][67] In India, the film won 10 Filmfare Awards, including a second Best Actress award for Rai.[68] Also in 2002, she participated in the UK television showFrom India with Love along withAmitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The show took place atManchester'sOld Trafford and London'sHyde Park, with over 100,000 spectators.[69]
In 2003, Rai starred in two romantic dramas—her brother's production débutDil Ka Rishta alongsideArjun Rampal andRohan Sippy'sKuch Naa Kaho alongsideAbhishek Bachchan.[70][71] Neither of these films fared well critically or commercially.[71][72] She was later noted for her starring role inRituparno Ghosh's independentBengali filmChokher Bali, an adaptation ofRabindranath Tagore'seponymous novel.[73] Rai portrayed Binodini, an emotionally manipulative widow who is struggling with her sexual desires in early-20th century Bengal.[74] The film was a major critical success and Rai earned praise for her performance; Derek Elley ofVariety noted: "Rai dominates the film with her delicately sensual presence and physical grace".[75] Commercially, the film was asleeper hit.[76][77]
After the success ofChokher Bali, Rai returned to mainstream Hindi film inRajkumar Santoshi'sKhakee (2004), an action thriller featuring Amitabh Bachchan,Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn andTusshar Kapoor. The film tells the story of five constables involved in a mystery surrounding a terrorist attack; Rai played Mahalakshmi, agun moll. While filming forKhakee, she was accidentally hit by a running car that caused a fracture in her left foot.[78] Upon release, the film was a moderate critical and commercial success.[79] In her next release, the romantic comedyKyun! Ho Gaya Na..., Rai played Diya Malhotra, a university student who develops a one-sided attraction toward her friend Arjun Khanna (played byVivek Oberoi). The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics but was commercially unsuccessful.[80][81]
In 2004, Rai garnered international recognition for her starring role oppositeMartin Henderson inGurinder Chadha's British filmBride and Prejudice, a Bollywood-style adaptation of Jane Austen's novelPride and Prejudice. International film critics expressed mixed views on Rai's performance as the Punjabi version ofElizabeth Bennet; a review carried byThe New York Times called her "radiantly beautiful but inert"[82] whileRolling Stone noted "she is a world-class hottie with talent to match, as she proves in her first English-speaking role".[83] With a worldwide gross of $24 million against a production budget of $7 million,Bride and Prejudice was a commercial success.[84] Rai next collaborated with director Rituparno Ghosh for the second time on the 2004 relationship dramaRaincoat, an adaptation ofO. Henry'sThe Gift of the Magi, which won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.[85][86] Critics praised the film and noted the lack of glamour in Rai's role, which earned her a Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[85][87]Derek Elley ofVariety calledRaincoat a "chamber-sized gem" and said Rai had shunned "her usual immaculate makeup and duds, and looking more like a broken, malfunctioning doll".[88] Gautaman Bhaskaran ofThe Hindu said Rai "looks quite plain [and] seems to have made an earnest effort to emote, using less of her body and limbs and more of her face, and eyes in particular".[89]
Rai next co-starred alongsideSanjay Dutt andZayed Khan in the 2005 adult dramaShabd, which tells the story of an author who as research for his next book, persuades his wife to pursue a relationship with a younger man. The film received predominantly negative reviews and was a commercial failure.The Times of India said: "For the umpteenth time, Ms. Rai looks drop-dead gorgeous. And that's about it. She is like that picture postcard you get when what you were actually waiting for is a letter. It's very beautiful to look at, but is of no use because it says nothing."[90] In the same year, Rai took on the lead role of Tilo inPaul Mayeda Berges's romantic fantasy filmThe Mistress of Spices, an adaptation ofthe eponymous novel byChitra Banerjee Divakaruni.[91] Critics gave the film negative reviews[92][93] and it was a commercial failure.[94]Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian called Rai's performance "annoying" and wrote she "wafts and simpers" through the entire film.[95] Her only successful venture of 2005 was a special appearance inShaad Ali's crime comedyBunty Aur Babli, in which she featured in the popularitem number "Kajra Re".[96][97]
In 2006, Rai starred inJ. P. Dutta'sUmrao Jaan andYash Raj Films'Dhoom 2.Umrao Jaan is an adaptation ofMirza Hadi Ruswa'sUrdu novelUmrao Jaan Ada (1905), which tells the story of a doomed courtesan from 19th-centuryLucknow. Rai played the titular role, which was played byRekha inthe first film adaptation of the novel (1981). Reviewers, while comparing the film to the 1981 adaptation, were critical of the film and of her performance.[98][99] According to Joshi Poonam of theBBC: "While only Rai could emulate the grace and poise of Rekha, she doesn't quite capture the intensity of Umrao's abiding melancholy", and "Rai's incandescent beauty and artistry [..] does indeed keep the audience watching, though not necessarily emotionally engaged".[100] In theSanjay Gadhvi-directed adventure filmDhoom 2, Rai portrayed Sunehri, a petty thief who helps police catch an illusive criminal; the film has an ensemble cast includingHrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan,Bipasha Basu andUday Chopra.[101] Critics gaveDhoom 2 mixed-to-positive reviews and the film was Rai's first major commercial success sinceDevdas. The film was declared ablockbuster, and became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2006 with gross revenues of over₹1.11 billion (US$13 million).[102] Rediff.com commented: "[Rai] is all gloss and no depth. You seldom feel any tension in her behaviour and expressions. ...Sunehri enters the film nearly 50 minutes after its opening in a disguise. In no time, she is wearing the flimsiest of clothes. Once she opens her mouth—and she does it two minutes after appearing in the film—she spoils the image."[103] Nonetheless, her performance earned her a sixth Filmfare Award nomination in the Best Actress category.[104]
Rai in 2007
In 2007, Rai played the wife of Abhishek Bachchan's character in Mani Ratnam's social dramaGuru, which is fictionalised biography of businessmanDhirubhai Ambani.Guru tells therag to riches story of an uneducated man who builds a multinational corporation. The film met with international critical acclaim and was a box-office success.[105][106]Richard Corliss ofTime called Rai's character as an "ornament" but Raja Sen from Rediff.com said she had given "arguably her finest performance, visible especially when she takes over the film's climax."[107][108] Rai received her seventh Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for her performance in the film.[109]
She next starred alongsideNaveen Andrews andMiranda Richardson inJag Mundhra's independent British dramaProvoked as the real-life characterKiranjit Ahluwalia, anon-resident Indian who murders her husband after suffering years of domestic abuse.[110] Rai earned mostly positive comments for her performance.[111] Critic Indu Mirani fromDaily News and Analysis wrote: "Aishwarya Rai plays the battered wife in what is undoubtedly one of her best performances to date. Rai convincingly goes through the various stages of shock, bewilderment, remorse and finally vindication".[112] The film was internationally well-received and was a moderate commercial success in the UK.[113][114] That same year, she starred alongsideBen Kingsley,Colin Firth andThomas Sangster as the Indian warrior Mira inDoug Lefler's epic filmThe Last Legion.[115]
In 2008, she garnered critical and box-office success withAshutosh Gowariker's period romantic dramaJodhaa Akbar (now credited as Rai Bachchan, following her marriage to Abhishek Bachchan the previous year). The film narrates a partly fictionalised account of amarriage of convenience between theMughal emperorJalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (played by Hrithik Roshan) and theRajput princessJodha Bai (played by Rai Bachchan).Rajeev Masand noted: "Rai is wonderfully restrained and uses her eyes expertly to communicate so much, making this one of her finest outings on screen".[116] The film grossed₹1.12 billion (US$13 million) and earned Rai Bachchan a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards ceremony.[117][118] She then co-starred with her husband Abhishek Bachchan and her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, inRam Gopal Verma's political dramaSarkar Raj, a sequel to the 2005 box-office hitSarkar.[119] Rai Bachchan was cast as Anita Rajan, the CEO of an international power firm who proposes to set up a plant in ruralMaharashtra. The film was a critical and commercial success, and praise was directed towards the three leads' performances.[120][121]
Shift in career pace and hiatus (2009–2014)
Rai Bachchan's next role was in the 2009Harald Zwart-directed spy comedyThe Pink Panther 2, in which she stars alongsideSteve Martin,Jean Reno andEmily Mortimer. Rai Bachchan portrayed Sonia Solandres, a seductive criminology expert. Like itspredecessor,The Pink Panther 2 received negative reviews from critics[122] but grossed $34 million at the American box office.[123]Roger Ebert wrote: "Rai is breathtaking in Bollywood films, where they devote a great deal of expertise to admiring beauty, but here she's underutilized and too much in the background".[124]USA Today called her expressions "wooden" and added: "She looks gorgeous, but her expression rarely changes".[125]
In 2010, Mani Ratnam cast Rai Bachchan in his twin, modern-day adaptations of theIndian epicRamayana—the Tamil version titledRaavanan and the Hindi versionRaavan—which were filmed simultaneously. In both versions, Rai Bachchan plays Ragini, the wife of asuperintendent of police who is kidnapped by a bandit. Her role was modeled onSita, the female protagonist ofRamayana.[126] Rai Bachchan returned to Tamil cinema after a 10-year gap withRaavanan.[127]Raavanan was a commercial success whereas the Hindi version was a commercial failure.[128][129] The films received mixed reviews from film critics, as did Rai Bachchan's performances. Kaveree Bamzai ofIndia Today wrote: "Rai's Sita is one of the best things in the film ... her performance is heartfelt—this is a performer who is at ease playing women, rather than girls".[130] Critics Aniruddha Guha and Rajeev Masand criticised her character and said: "She's left to scream and shriek and hiss".[131]
Rai Bachchan's next role was oppositeRajinikanth in the science-fiction Tamil filmEnthiran (2010), which S. Shankar directed.[132] She was cast as Sana, a college student and the girlfriend of Rajinikanth's character. At the time of its release,Enthiran was the most-expensive Indian film production and became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.[133][134][135] She then appeared as Mala, an impetuous brat, inVipul Shah'sAction Replayy; a science-fiction comedy co-starring Akshay Kumar,Aditya Roy Kapur andNeha Dhupia.[136]
Rai Bachchan's final film of 2010 was the dramaGuzaarish, which was her third collaboration with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Hrithik Roshan.[137] The film tells the story of Ethan Mascarenas, aquadriplegic former magician (Roshan) who after years of struggle, files an appeal foreuthanasia. Rai Bachchan plays Sophia D'Souza, Mascarenas' nurse, whose alcohol-addicted husband abuses her. Due to her past associations with Bhansali, Rai Bachchan agreed to the project before reading its script.[138] Despite failing at the box office,Guzaarish met with positive critical reviews.The Telegraph described it as "one of Rai's best performances" andThe Times of India said: "Rai is a stunning picture of fire and grace, walking away with certain scenes by her sheer vitality".[139][140]
In 2011, Rai Bachchan was cast as the protagonist ofMadhur Bhandarkar's social dramaHeroine but due to her pregnancy, she was replaced withKareena Kapoor, the original choice for the role.[141][142]
Between 2011 and 2014, Rai Bachchan took a hiatus from acting, with no film releases during this period. She remained in the public eye through select brand endorsements and appearances but did not take on new film projects.[143][144] DirectorFarah Khan reportedly approached her in 2013 for her filmHappy New Year to play the female lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan; she showed initial interest but was never cast.[145] In a later interview, Rai Bachchan stated that she declined the offer because she believed that since her husband, Abhishek Bachchan, would not be paired opposite her, the audience might not accept the pairing.[146] The role was eventually played byDeepika Padukone.[147]
Selective work (2015–2023)
Rai Bachchan in 2015, during the promotion ofJazbaa
After a five-year sabbatical from film acting, Rai Bachchan made a comeback withSanjay Gupta's drama-thrillerJazbaa, co-starring withShabana Azmi andIrrfan Khan.[148] She also served as producer.[149] The film is a remake of the Korean thrillerSeven Days (2007); Rai Bachchan plays Anuradha Verma, a criminal lawyer who is forced to defend a rapist in exchange for her daughter's safety. Shubha Shetty-Saha ofMid-Day criticised the film's unnecessary and intrusive melodrama, and said Rai Bachchan "looks the part and even does a fairly decent job, barring certain emotional scenes where she clearly goes over the top".[150] The film underperformed at the box office.[151]
In 2016, Rai Bachchan starred inOmung Kumar's biographical dramaSarbjit, which is based on the life of Indian farmerSarabjit Singh, who was convicted of terrorism by a Pakistani court and whose sister Dalbir Kaur campaigned for his release. Rai Bachchan plays Dalbir Kaur andRandeep Hooda plays Sarabjit Singh.[152] The film premiered at the69th Cannes Film Festival.[153] A few reviewers said Rai Bachchan was "miscast" because she neither looked nor sounded like a Sikh woman.[154] Her Punjabi accent and her over-the-top performance in few scenes were largely criticised, though several critics noted how much she stands out in the film's quiet scenes.[155][156][157]Rajeev Masand said Rai Bachchan is "required to scream and shout and weep copiously to express her anguish; the shrillness does her no favors. In quieter moments – like one in which Dalbir can't bear to part with her stillborn baby – the actress shines."[158] Her role earned her tenth Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.[159] The film earned over₹440 million (US$5.2 million) worldwide against a production budget of₹150 million (US$1.8 million).[160][161]
Rai Bachchan's final film role of 2016 was inKaran Johar's musical romantic dramaAe Dil Hai Mushkil, alongsideAnushka Sharma andRanbir Kapoor, in which she plays a poet named Saba. Rai Bachchan received positive reviews for her performance despite having limited screen time.[162][163] Joe Leydon ofVariety considered her to be the film's prime asset and wrote she "seems to have wandered in from another movie, one where emotions are conveyed in subtler and more affecting fashion. When she takes her leave fromAe Dil Hai Mushkil, you may wish you could go with her."[164] The film became one of Rai Bachchan's biggest commercial successes with revenues of over₹2 billion (US$24 million).[165][166][167]
Two years later, she played a singer who is kidnapped by a troubled father in the comedy-dramaFanney Khan (2018), which is an adaptation of the Belgian filmEverybody's Famous! (2000).Fanney Khan co-stars Anil Kapoor andRajkummar Rao.[168] Uday Bhatia ofMint disliked the film and called Rai Bachchan "too unruffled a screen presence to convincingly sell the kind of silliness this film requires".[169]
Rai Bachchan again worked with Mani Ratnam onPonniyin Selvan: I (2022) andPonniyin Selvan: II (2023), a two-part Tamil ensemble period film that is based onKalki Krishnamurthy'seponymous epic novel.[170] Both parts were filmed concurrently.[171] Rai Bachchan playsNandini, a schemingChola queen. Haricharan Pudipeddi ofHindustan Times called her performance in the first part the best among the ensemble cast and in the second part to be the best of her career[172][173] while Sonil Dedhia ofNews 18 said Rai Bachchan is "wonderfully restrained and uses her eyes expertly to communicate so much".[174]Ponniyin Selvan: I earned₹5 billion (US$59 million) worldwide to become one of thehighest-grossing Tamil films of all time whilePonniyin Selvan: II grossed over₹3 billion (US$35 million) worldwide.[175][176]
Rai Bachchan appeared with other Bollywood actors at the closing ceremony of the2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. The performance showcased Indian culture as a lead-up to India's hosting of the2010 Commonwealth Games.[179] Between July and August 2008, Rai Bachchan, her husband Abhishek Bachchan, her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, and actors Preity Zinta,Ritesh Deshmukh and Madhuri Dixit starred in the "Unforgettable World Tour" stage production, which visited the US, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, and Trinidad and Tobago.[180][181]
Business interests
Rai Bachchan receives Outlook Business Outstanding Woman Award, 2016
In 2016, Rai Bachchan was named in thePanama Papers, a dataset that was leaked from a formerPanamanian offshore law firm and was published on the Internet.[184] She, her parents and her brother were listed as directors of an offshore entity named Amic Partners Limited inBritish Virgin Islands between 2005 and 2008.[185] In December 2021, theEnforcement Directorate questioned Rai Bachchan, who denied any knowledge of the company and stated her father was in charge of her financial matters.[185] In 2019, Rai Bachchan and her mother invested₹10 million (US$120,000) in the environmental startup form Ambee, which measures air quality and other parameters using data.[186] In 2021,Kalaari Capital-backed nutrition-based healthcare company Possible secured₹50 million (US$590,000) from Rai Bachchan in a major funding round.[187]
Endorsements
Rai Bachchan made her first commercial forCamlin exam pencils when she was in the ninth grade.[188] She became popular after appearing in a commercial forPepsi with actorAamir Khan.[11] She is the only actress who has endorsed both Pepsi andCoca-Cola.[189]
Rai is the brand ambassador for Eye Bank Association of India's nationwide campaign to promoteeye donation.[202][203] In November 2004, she created the Aishwarya Rai Foundation to help needy people in India.[204][205] In 2005, she became a brand ambassador forPulse Polio, a campaign theGovernment of India established in 1994 to eradicatepoliomyelitis from the country.[206] In the same year, Rai was appointed spokesperson for theInternational Year of Microcredit, raising awareness of the United Nations' poverty alleviation efforts.[207]
In February 2005, Rai performed with other Bollywood stars at theHELP! Telethon Concert, an event to raise money for the victims of the2004 tsunami earthquake.[208] Along with other members of theBachchan family, she laid the foundation brick of a school in her name for underprivileged girls inDaulatpur, a village inUttar Pradesh, in 2008. The Bachchan family announced it would fund the school's construction.[209] The land allocated for the construction was the subject of dispute between Rai Bachchan's father-in-law and fellow actor and politicianJaya Prada.[210] The issue was reported to be resolved by 2012,[211] however, as of 2018 construction on the site had yet to begin.[212]
Rai Bachchan supportsPETA India.[213] In 2009, she was appointed as the firstGoodwill Ambassador ofSmile Train, an international charity that provides freeCleft lip and palate surgery to children in need. Her work with Smile Train focused on India and 76 other developing countries.[214][215] In September 2012, Rai Bachchan joined the United Nations Secretary GeneralBan Ki-moon and Hollywood actorMichael Douglas at a ceremony in New York City to commemorate theInternational Day of Peace.[216] Later that week, she was appointed as the new international Goodwill Ambassador forUNAIDS, the joint United Nations program onAIDS and HIV. She was tasked with raising awareness about protection of children from HIV infection and increasing access toantiretroviral treatment.[217]
Rai Bachchan is among India's most-popular and highest-paid actors.[218][183][219] At the beginning of her career, some Indian media described her as "a cold fish" and "a non-actress", and criticised her when some of her movies did not perform well at the box office.[220] Despite receiving multiple offers to star in movies, she was hesitant to accept roles without further evaluation, saying: "I'd rather look before I leap".[220] In an attempt to balance motherhood and her work, Rai Bachchan limited the number of her projects in the years after giving birth.[221]
In 2023, Anjali Belgaumkar ofThe Indian Express noted despite appearing in around 10 films in a decade, Rai Bachchan still appealed to the younger generation because her impact was not limited to her on-screen roles or fashion choices but there was also an element of "divaness" that made her popular.[222] Hrithik Roshan, who co-starred with Rai Bachchan in three movies, commended her for her work ethic, saying: "Her level of patience is inspiring. If she has to sit like Jodhaa all day, she will. If she has to stand all day dressed like Sophiya, so that the dress doesn't crease, she will."[223] Filmmaker Omung Kumar believed her to be a "director's actor" who could mould herself into any character under the right guidance.[224] Despite constant media speculation, Rai Bachchan keeps her personal life well-guarded and limits her activities on social media.[223] Off-screen and in the press, she is known for her sensitive, caring nature and she is reportedly driven by her instincts.[223][221][225] In an interview, Rai Bachchan stated she is "like water, I just naturally, easily fit and adjust to any situation. That's always been my mind space and my temperament."[223]
Media image
Rai's wax figure atMadame Tussauds, London — the first Indian actress to be featured at the museum in 2004.
Fans and media frequently refer to Rai Bachchan by the nicknames "Ash" and "Aish" but Rai Bachchan has stated she dislikes being called these names, and has discouraged people from referring to her using names other than "Aishwarya" because she does not want to "spoil [her] good name".[226] In 2001,Forbes named her among the top-five Indian movie stars.[227] She was placed inRediff.com's annual listing of "Best Bollywood Actresses" for six consecutive years (2003–2008).[228] She was also placed in Rediff.com's other listings; "Powerlist: Top Bollywood Actresses",[229] "Bollywood's Best Actresses of all time",[230] "Top 10 Actresses of 2000–2010",[231] and "Women of Many Faces".[232]Filmfare also placed Rai Bachchan in its lists of "Top Ten Actresses" in 2003 and 2004, and she ranked eighth in its Power List in 2007.[233][234] In 2004,Time chose her as one of the100 most influential people in the world and she appeared on the cover of its 2003 Asia edition.[235][236] Rai Bachchan has appeared on television chat shows such asLate Show with David Letterman,[237] and was the first Bollywood personality to appear onOprah's segment "Women Across the Globe".[238] For two consecutive years, she was listed amongIndia Today's list of 50 most-powerful people in India (2004 and 2005).[239][240]
In October 2004, a wax figure of Rai was put on display in London'sMadame Tussaud's wax museum.[241] She was the sixth Indian and the second Bollywood personality—after her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan—to get this honour. In 2007, the same figure was displayed at Madame Tussaud's museum inTimes Square, New York,[242] followed by another version in Washington.[243] In 2005 in the Netherlands, a cultivar of tulip was named after her.[244] Also in 2005, toy manufacturerMattel released a limited edition ofBarbie dolls of Rai in the United Kingdom.[245]
In 2008 and 2011,Verve magazine placed Rai Bachchan in its list of the country's most-powerful women.[246][247] In 2009,Forbes listed her 387th of 1,411 actors on its list of the most-bankable stars in Hollywood. She was the highest-ranked Indian actor on the list.[248][249] In a poll conducted by the newspaperDaily News and Analysis in 2009, Rai Bachchan was voted one of India's most-popular icons.[250] In the same year, she made appearances on the television showsMartha andThe Tyra Banks Show.[251] She was present onBox Office India's lists of "Top Bollywood Actresses" for ten years,[252] and was ranked first on its top actresses lists from 2000 to 2009,[253] and was ranked second on its list of "All Time Top Actress".[254] She was placed inOutlook India's list of "75 Best Bollywood Actresses".[255] From 2012 to 2015, and in 2018, Rai Bachchan was placed onForbes India'sCelebrity 100 list, which is based on the income and popularity of Indian celebrities, peaking at number 34 in 2015 with an annual income of₹480 million (US$5.7 million).[256] The market research firmYouGov named Rai Bachchan the world's eleventh-most-admired person of 2018.[257] Her wealth has been estimated at₹7.76 billion (US$92 million).[258] As of 2024, she is estimated to be the second richest actress in India.[259]
Appearance
In the 2000s and 2010s, media often described Rai as "the most beautiful woman in the world".[260][261] Her physical appearance and performances have made her a style icon for women.[262] Media have cited her most-distinctive physical features; her green-blue eyes, luscious lips, curves and feminine mannerisms; as her trademark.[263]Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who directed Rai Bachchan inHum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999),Devdas (2002) andGuzaarish (2010), commented on her ability to express emotions through her eyes, saying: "There's something in her eyes. That's the most important aspect of her beauty. They are not 'normal'. They are so powerful that even if you don't give her dialogue, they emote."[264] He also praised her ability to perform musical numbers despite physical injuries or pain.[264]
Rai Bachchan in 2014; herblue/green eyes have been identified as a trademark by the Indian media.
In a reader poll conducted by UK'sHello! magazine, Rai was voted "the most attractive woman of 2003".[265] In the same year, she appeared inRolling Stone magazine's annual "Hot List".[266] Rediff.com placed her first on its lists of "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses" and "Best Dressed Woman".[267][268] She was the subject of a60 Minutes profile on 2 January 2005, which said: "at least according to thousands of Web sites, Internet polls and even Julia Roberts", Rai Bachchan was "the world's most beautiful woman".[260] The British magazineMaxim ranked her first on its list of "Hottest Women of India".[269] In 2005,Harpers and Queen's list of "Most Beautiful Women in The World" ranked Rai ninth.[270] In May 2006, she was featured inPeople magazine as one of the "World's Most Beautiful People".[271] The UK magazineEastern Eye ranked her third in its list of "Asia's Sexiest Women" in 2006,[272] and she was ranked in the top ten in 2007 and 2009.[273][274] She again appeared on the list in following years and in 2019, she was chosen as one of the sexiest Asian women of the decade.[275][276][277] In 2008, American television channelE!: Entertainment listed Rai Bachchan's eyes as the sexiest on its list of Sexiest Body Parts.[278]
Rai Bachchan ranked second inThe Times of India's list of the 50 most-desirable women of 2010,[279] and was ranked ninth in 2011.[280]The Times of India also placed her fifth in its list of "50 Beautiful Faces",[281] and named her as one of the "Forever Desirable Women".[282] In 2011,India Today noted there were over 17,000 websites dedicated to Rai Bachchan.[283] In the same year, she received negative publicity for failing to lose her post-pregnancy weight. Despite the criticism, she appeared on the red carpet at the "AmfAR Cinema Against Aids" gala at the2012 Cannes Film Festival—her 11th appearance at the festival.[284] Later that year, Rai Bachchan appeared inNew York magazine's list of "Forty Women That Women Find Beautiful", where she ranked in 21st position;New York magazine said: "She may be the 'world's most beautiful woman' but what we really love is that she never feels fragile onscreen".[285]
Personal life
In 1999, Rai began dating Bollywood actorSalman Khan; their relationship was often reported in media until the couple separated in 2002. She cited "abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), infidelity and indignity" on the part of Khan as reasons for ending the relationship.[286][287] She then had a romantic relationship with actorVivek Oberoi that ended in 2005.[288]
ActorAbhishek Bachchan fell in love with Rai whilst filmingDhoom 2.[289] Their engagement was announced on 14 January 2007 and was later confirmed by his fatherAmitabh Bachchan.[290] The couple married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites.[291]North Indian andBengali ceremonies were also performed.[292] The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence inJuhu, Mumbai.[291] Indian media have described them as asupercouple.[293][294] Rai Bachchan is very close to her family and lived with them inBandra, Mumbai, until her marriage.[295][296][297] She isHindu and deeply religious.[260] Rai Bachchan gave birth to a girl on 16 November 2011.[298][299]
In September 2025, Rai Bachchan secured temporary relief from theDelhi High Court after raising concerns about her name, image, and likeness being misused—especially throughAI-generated content and unauthorized commercial use online.[304] The court directed platforms likeGoogle and various e-commerce sites to remove or block the flagged content within 72 hours, with further proceedings set for 15 January 2026.[304]
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