Born November 1, 1973, in Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Birth Name Aishwarya Krishnaraj Rai
Nicknames Ash
Gullu
Height 5' 5¾" (1.67 m)
Born into a traditional south Indian family, Aishwarya started modelling at a young age. Aishwarya was an architecture student before she entered modelling as her part-time job. She was best known for her Pepsi commercial with Mahima Chaudhry. Crowned Miss India 1994 runner-up and won miss world. India's top Bollywood directors was soon lining up to work with Ash. Her film debut in Mani Ratnam's Iruvar (1997) received critical acclaim and her performance in ...Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya (1997), directed by Rahul Rawail, garnered her the Best Female Debutante Award.
Ash's star continued to rise in 2002, working again with Sajay Leela Bhansali in Devdas (2002), the most ambitious and most successful film in Bollywood history. It became the first Bollywood picture to receive a special screening at that year's Cannes Film Festival and broke box-office records in India and the US.
Ash had even more exciting opportunities in 2003. She became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the latest member of the elite L'Oreal Dream Team, joining renowned international beauties Catherine Deneuve and Andie MacDowell as L'Oreal's international ambassador. She graced the covers of India Today and the prestigious TIME Magazine, which also listed her on their list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World Today". She has graced numerous covers worldwide including the US, UK, China, Russia, Israel, United Emirates, Italy, Spain and France. Ash was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's annual "Hot List", Hello Magazine's 'Most Attractive Women in the World", Stuff Magazine, FHM magazine, V-Life from Variety Magazine, GQ Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Harper's & Queen and countless others. In 2004 Aishwarya took on the leading role in her first English-language film: Gurinder Chadha's Bride & Prejudice (2004). She also became the first Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world-famous Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.
Family
Spouse: Abhishek Bachchan (20 April 2007 - present) (1 child)
Children: Aaradhya Bachchan
Parents: Vrinda Rai, Krishnaraj
Relatives: Aditya Rai (sibling)
