Former beauty pageant and the iconic actress of Indian cinema, Aishwarya Rai, is one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India.
Known for her breathtaking beauty, grace, and versatility, Aishwarya rose to international fame even before launching her acting career by winning the Miss World 1994 pageant. She debuted in Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar and has since starred in dozens of films, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and English movies. She has received several awards, including two Filmfare Awards, and was conferred with the Padma Shri by the Government of India. She was also a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003, becoming the first Indian actress to be honored for such works. Her notable films include Jeans (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Chokher Bali (2003), Raincoat (2004), Provoked (2006), Guzaarish (2010), Mohabbatein (2000), Dhoom 2 (2006), Guru (2007), Jodhaa Akbar (2008), Enthiran (2010), Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), and Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022). So, who is Aishwarya Rai? Here’s everything you need to know about the actress.
Contents
Aishwarya Rai Biography
Aishwarya Rai was born on the 1st of November 1973, in Mangalore, Karnataka, India. She is currently 51 years old.
| Birth Name | Aishwarya Rai |
| Nickname | Aish, Gullu, Ash |
| Other Name | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan |
| Date of Birth | November 1, 1973 |
| Place of Birth | Mangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 51 |
| Sun Sign | Scorpio |
| Profession | Actress, Model |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Indian (Tulu Bunt) |
| Residence | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Abhishek Bachchan |
| Children | 1 |
Early Life: Family and Education
Aishwarya Rai was born into a Tuluva Bunt Hindu family to late Krishnaraj Rai, a Marine biologist, and Brindya Rai, a writer. His father died on March 18, 2017. Her older brother, Aditya Rai, works as an engineer in the merchant navy. Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan are her in-laws.
For education, she attended Arya Vidya Mandir High School in Mumbai and then attended Jai Hind College for a year for her intermediate schooling. She later enrolled in DG Ruparel College of Arts, Science, and Commerce in Matunga, where she secured 90 percent in the HSC exams. From a young age, Aishwarya trained in classical dance and music, performing in school events.
She aspired to make a career in medicine since her favorite subject was Zoology. But, she enrolled at Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture as she changed her plans to become an architect; however, she dropped out to pursue a full-time career in modeling.
At 20, she entered the Miss India pageant, placing second, before winning Miss World 1994 in South Africa, which catapulted her into modeling and acting.
Aishwarya Rai Personal Life
Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan began dating when they acted together in the film Dhoom 2 (2006). Abhishek fell in love with her, and the couple eventually became engaged on January 14, 2007. They were married on April 20, 2007. They welcomed their first daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, on November 16, 2011. She has been nicknamed “Beti B” by the fans.
Before her marriage to Bachchan, Rai had been involved in a few relationships. She dated model Rajeev Mulchandani during her modeling days.
She began dating Bollywood actor Salman Khan in 1999. They entered into a live-in relationship after they worked on Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. But their relationship was short-lived, which came to an end in late 2001. Rai reported to the media that Salman abused her – emotionally, physically, and verbally. But Khan, on the other hand, denied these offenses.
Physical Statistics
| Height | Feet – 5 feet 7 inches Centimeters – 170 cm Meters – 1.7 m |
| Weight | Kilograms – 58 kg Pounds – 128 lbs |
| Body Build | Slim |
| Body Measurements | 34-26-35 |
| Body Shape | Hourglass |
| Eye Color | Green with a tint of blue |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Shoe Size | 8 (US) |
| Dress Size | 6 (US) |
| Distinctive Features | Attractive Eyes |
Career Overview
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s career spans over 25 years, from modeling to international stardom in cinema. She made her feature film debut in 1997 with the Tamil movie Iruvar, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Mohanlal and Prakash Raj. She won critical acclaim for her performance. The same year, she appeared in her first Bollywood film, Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, opposite Bobby Deol.
Her breakthrough came with Jeans (1999), where she played the dual role of Madhumitha/Vaishnavi opposite Prashanth and directed by S. Shankar. The film became a huge hit at the box office, earning four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and the National Film Award for Best Special Effects. The same year, she starred in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Starring alongside Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn, her performance won her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
Throughout her career, she starred in several iconic films, including Taal (1999), Devdas (2002), Dhoom 2 (2006), Guru (2007), Jodhaa Akbar (2008), The Pink Panther 2 (2009), Guzaarish (2010), Jazbaa (2015), Sarbjit (2016), Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), Fanney Khan (2018), and Ponniyin Selvan: I & II (2022-2023).
Brand Endorsements
Aishwarya Rai has been in modeling since a tender age. She had her first television commercial in the 9th grade for Camlin pencils. Over the years, she became a popular and high-profile celebrity endorser, who has been affiliated with several brands like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Titan Watches, Longines watches, L’Oréal, Lakmé Cosmetics, Casio pager, Philips, Palmolive, Lux, Fuji films, Nakshatra Diamond Jewellery, and Kalyan Jewellers.
Ever since Rai bagged the Miss World beauty pageant, she has become the favorite of beauty and cosmetics brands. She has been the face of De Beers Diamonds, TTK Group, and Lodha Group World One. Aishwarya is among the top-paid celebrity female endorsers and the highest-paid actresses in B-town.
Trivia
- Rai is the most popular celebrity in the international arena and has over 17,000 websites dedicated to her.
- Rai has earned the distinction of being the first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival.
- In October 2004, she was honored with a wax statue that was put on display in London’s Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.
- Her distinctive features are green-blue eyes, luscious lips, sexy curves, and ultra-feminine mannerisms.
- She was the first Bollywood celebrity to appear in Oprah’s “Women Across the Globe” segment.
- Rai has featured on the list of “Most Beautiful Women in the World” by Harpers and Queen in 2005.
Aishwarya Rai Net Worth
The most beautiful and popular international figure, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, has an estimated net worth of $120 million as of 2025. As per financial data for 2014, she made $888,000 per film and $740,000 per endorsement deal. Her major source of income comes from acting, endorsement deals, appearances at events, and modeling assignments.
She is one of the most bankable actresses in Bollywood. The unmatched beauty is among the wealthiest Bollywood celebrities, and of course, the versatile diva lives her life like a queen, boasting everything in her life.
Rai owns a luxury house in the posh area of Mumbai. She also bought an expensive Sanctuary Falls home in Jumeirah Golf Estates that has neighbors like Dubai David and Victoria Beckham, as well as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. She and her husband, Abhishek, spent $10 million on his exquisite home. Aishwarya has a great sense of taste when it comes to cars that can be attributed to her large car collection – Bentley, Audi Q7, Range Rover, and Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Favorite Things
- Color – Black, Blue, White
- Actors – Raj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar
- Actresses – Nargis, Madhubala
- Food – Chinese and Thai food (all kinds), Chocolates
- Place – France-Paris, Normandy, and Cannes
- Brand – L’Oréal, MAC, Maybelline, Revlon
- Film – Casablanca (1942)
- Designer – Giorgio Armani
- Book – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Facts
Rai has received numerous awards and accolades, including two Filmfare Awards from eleven nominations, and she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009.
Aishwarya Rai was speculated to win Miss India in 1994 but lost it to Sushmita Sen.. She was then crowned Miss World in 1994.
She trained in classical dance and music for five years during her teens.
In 1991, Rai won a supermodel contest (organized by Ford) and was eventually featured in the American edition of Vogue.
She also won the “Miss Photogenic” award and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty – Asia and Oceania.
As of 2003, she was the second Indian actress to grace the covers of Time magazine.
In 2003, she appeared in Rolling Stone’s annual ‘Hot List’.
She was ranked $3 on “Asia’s sexiest Women” by UK Magazine Eastern Eye in 2006.
Rai is the second most popular watch brand ambassador all over the world, according to a survey conducted by World Watch Report.
Aishwarya Rai was called out on a dinner date by Miss World Contest host Richard Steinmetz when she won the beauty pageant in 1994, but she politely denied it.
She was approached to host the 77th Annual Academy Awards, but she refused as she was busy shooting for her film, The Mistress of Spices at that time.
Different Tulips at the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands have been named after her.
She took a hiatus from acting in 2010 due to her pregnancy and returned with Sanjay Gupta’s drama-thriller Jazbaa, co-starring Shabana Azmi and Irrfan Khan in 2015.
Rai has pledged to donate her eye to the Eye Bank Association of India after her death.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is scared of cockroaches.
In July 2020, Aishwarya announced that she and her daughter tested positive for COVID-19.
She played the dual roles of Nandini and Mandakini Devi in the epic historical fiction drama film, Ponniyin Selvan I & II (2022-2023), helmed by ace director Mani Ratnam. Starring an ensemble cast including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ravi Mohan (as the title character), Karthi, Trisha Krishnan, Jayaram, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Prakash Raj, the film earned critical acclaim and became a huge box office hit.