5 films in which Aishwarya Rai stood her ground, and shone

A model and actress, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan remains the heart-throb of millions, not only in India, but globally. Often cited as the ‘most beautiful woman in the world’, the light-eyed diva turns 45 years of age today.

From being crowned Miss World in 1994 to being feted with the Padma Shri in 2009, and the Meryl Streep award earlier this year, the Pepsi model has come a long way. And in the course of it has given us some memorable performances which have established her acting prowess.

As she turns a year older, here’s a look at some classic films that also set the cash registers ringing.


1. ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ (1999)

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, starred Aishwarya, her then beau Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgn in pivotal roles. An adaptation of Maitreyi Devi's Bengali novel ‘Na Hanyate’, it was a love triangle where Nandini (Rai) had to choose between the love of her life Sameer (Khan) and Vanraj (Devgn), the man who taught her how to abide by the rules of love.

Set against a grand and typical Bhansali backdrop, the 3-hr-plus film was a riot of colours and music. Add to that the on-screen chemistry between Salman and Aishwarya, and there was a sure box-office winner in this story about jilted lovers that seemed too real for reel. And not only did she look ethereal for most part of the film, she showed some acting chops, striking a balance between intensity and humour, that left her with the Filmfare and IIFA awards.

2. ‘Taal’ (1999)

The Subhash Ghai musical romance in a way catapaulted Aishwarya into mainstream Bollywood. And while Anil Kapoor and Akshaye Khanna were the male leads, it was the 26-year-old Aishwarya who cast an impression with her shy dancer act.

Her performance was talked about, and ‘Taal’ managed to do good business, at home and abroad..

3.‘Devdas’ (2002)

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Devdas’ was an adaptation of a Bengali novel by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Featuring Shah Rukh Khan as the eponymous protagonist, Bhansali, known for his grand cinematic affairs, cast Aishwarya as his childhood sweetheart, Paro. And it was the first time that she shared on-screen space with Madhuri Dixit who starred as Chandramukhi.

Apart from perfecting the Bengali look - the quintessential white-and-red saree with vermilion on the forehead - Rai stood her ground even as she shared the screen with SRK and Madhuri. And while Bhansali’s film was a little over-the-top, critics praised her balanced acting.

4. ‘Guru’ (2007)

Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’, loosely based on the life of Reliance founder Dhirubhai Ambani,. was the third time that Aishwarya shared on-screen space with Abhishek Bachchan who later went on to become her husband..

The film was centered around the life and struggle of Gurukant Desai, a villager who comes to Bombay to try his luck and ends up as a business tycoon. Aishwarya gave an impressive performance as Desai’s wife, Sujata, who remained the pillar behind his success.

5. ‘Jodha Akbar’ (2008)

Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama ‘Jodha Akbar’ was a historical romance based on the love story of emperor Akbar and his wife, the Rajput princess Jodha. Hrithik Roshan played the role of Akbar, while Aishwarya stole the show as an elegant and strong Jodha who overcame numerous obstacles to conquer love.