Deepike Padukone at the TIME 100 Red Carpet

 

Aishwarya Rai on the sets of Dhai Akshay Prem Ke

 

Young Aishwarya Rai in denim shorts: Supermodel in Mumbai

Young Aishwarya Rai during her modeling days. 

Aishwarya Rai in Gladrags: 90s sizzling cover girl

Jeans: Shankar’s Ambitious 1998 Tamil Blockbuster with Stunning Aishwarya Rai: A Hit in Tamil, Flop in Hindi

 

In the spring of 1998, Tamil cinema witnessed one of its most extravagant productions to date with the release of Jeans, a Tamil-language romantic comedy written and directed by the visionary S. Shankar. 

Premiering on April 24, 1998, the film arrived as a high-stakes gamble, boasting a then-record budget of approximately ₹20 crore. Produced by Ashok Amritraj and Dr. Murali Manohar (with Sunanda Murali Manohar), it aimed to blend family drama, romance, and globe-trotting spectacle in a story centered on identical twins and the complications of arranged marriages. 

The cast featured Prashanth in a dual role as the brothers Viswanathan and Ramamoorthy (also referred to as Vishu and Ramu in some contexts), with Aishwarya Rai essaying the dual parts of Madhumitha and Vaishnavi. Supporting players included legendary Malayalam actress Lakshmi, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nassar, Senthil, and Raju Sundaram. A.R. Rahman composed the memorable soundtrack, while Ashok Kumar’s cinematography captured lavish sequences, including one extravagant song reportedly filmed with visuals evoking the seven wonders of the world—a technical feat that underscored Shankar’s reputation for pushing cinematic boundaries in Tamil cinema. 

At the time of release, Aishwarya Rai, was 24 turning 25—a fresh face transitioning from modeling and her 1994 Miss World crown into acting. This marked one of her earliest major screen roles following her debut in critically acclaimed, Iruvar (1997), which met a lukewarm response by the audiences. Her co-star Prashanth, was also around 24-25 during filming; he reportedly cleared his schedule for the project, committing exclusively despite forgoing other offers. 

The chemistry (or lack there of!) between the leads did not work for the Hindi belt audiences - the two never worked together again after the film's release. 

Jeans proved a significant commercial success in its original Tamil version, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where it enjoyed extended theatrical runs, completing 100 days in multiple centers. It performed robustly in overseas markets like Malaysia [with its massive Tamil-speaking diaspora] as well, benefiting from strong anti-piracy measures at the time. The film’s scale, Rahman’s music, and the novelty of its international filming locations helped it recover its hefty investment through theatrical earnings, satellite rights, and ancillary revenue, cementing its status as a blockbuster in the South Indian market. 

However, the Hindi-dubbed version, released the same year under the same title, met with a markedly different fate. It underperformed at the Mumbai box office and failed to replicate the Tamil success nationally, drawing limited interest from Hindi-speaking audiences despite the considerable star power of a young Aishwarya Rai, fresh off the fame of her Miss World crown. 

This regional disparity highlighted the challenges of cross-language dubbing and audience preferences in 1990s Indian cinema, where cultural and linguistic nuances often determined a film’s pan-Indian reach. For Aishwarya Rai, Jeans served as a pivotal launchpad in the South. Though her performance drew mixed early reviews in some quarters, the film’s Tamil triumph boosted her visibility, paving the way for subsequent successes in both South and Hindi industries. 

More than 25 years later, Jeans remains a nostalgic touchstone for its audacious production values and the emergence of one of Indian cinema’s most enduring international stars. It exemplified Shankar’s knack for marrying commercial entertainment with technical innovation, even as it illustrated the uneven terrain of dubbed releases across India’s diverse markets. Before widespread digital streaming, the film’s theatrical journey underscored both the strengths of regional cinema and the hurdles of broader linguistic crossover. 

Aishwarya Rai and Prashant in the Tamil hit Jeans (1998)

28 years ago today, the Tamil film Jeans was released. 

An entertaining but essentially superficial film, it was rather shocking that Jeans went to the Oscars as an entry from India for Best Foreign Picture nominee. A decision almost universally ridiculed by critics.  

Only the music, costumes and dances of Aishwarya Rai stand out. And the visual spectacle of a summer release meant for box-office success, not critical acclaim. The Tamil version was a smash hit, the poorly dubbed Hindi version tanked. 

Released on 24 April 1998, Aishwarya Rai was 24 when she shot the film. Dazzling. Her tepid but trying performance was eclipsed by how staggeringly beautiful she looked in every costume in the film. 

Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai's first cover with Cine Blitz: November 1993

Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai's first cover with Cine Blitz: November 1993. shot by the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksa. 

Aishwarya Rai in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai

 Aishwarya Rai in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai

The simple salwaars, the monochrome saris, Aishwarya Rai looked so stunning in this hit film. The simpler the outfit, the more stunning she looks. The razzle dazzle of designer duds work against her natural, God-given beauty. All those heinous red-carpet gowns at Cannes and wild array of flak and criticism she got for it tapered down when she wore traditional Indian attire that enhanced her looks and didn't distract from 'the face' of Indian cinema. 

Note how much she was appreciated at her first Cannes appearance wearing the mustard-sari designed by Neeta Lulla, and her last appearance wearing a white Manish Malhotra. Note how much praise she got for her simplicity in the first part of Taal and her no-make up look in Chokher Bali... 

Aishwarya Rai at age 18!

 

Twitter says its Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's 19th anniversary!

On 20 April 2007, Bollywood's most photogenic couple got hitched after a decade of friendship, films and fulfilling the fantasies of a billion. 

It was the wedding of the decade - made all the more enticing as the press was not privy to most of the functions. Till date, only a handful of images have ever leaked online - including a notoriously fake pic that went viral - as tabloids could not go to print without a picture. 

The power couple seems to have stood the test of time, not letting gossip, rumours of breakups and patch ups galore, affect them in any way in public. Silence is indeed golden - as are these two! I mean just look at 'em!