Aishwarya Rai in her first Hindi film: Aur Pyar Ho Gaya

Released on 15 August 1997, ie 29 years ago, Ash entered Bollywood with a musical bang, though it was a critical and commercial... whimper! 

Aishwarya Rai in the 90s was unbeatable (cough cough Sushmita at Miss India was... an aberration, albeit a splendidly eloquent one), as a popular model from her teens to topping the pageant world, Rai was accustomed to being looked at and fawned over from an early age. She also took the barbs and brickbats on her sharply honed chin and hid her hurt well, occasionally revealing in tell-all interviews when the criticism got to her -- reached peak volume during her second Cannes outing - more on that later.   

Her launch in Hindi films had all the right ingredients as she's never looked better on the big screen - which is saying something considering her Miss World credentials. She hit Bollywood with great expectations, all of 23, post her Miss World world tour, she had Neeta Lulla working on her clothes, Manmohan Singh lighting her like the dream she is in the movie (he famously made Sridevi look ethereal in Chandni years before), and the biggest flex of all, Ash's look, wardrobe, makeup, hair etc  was entirely styled by the great Mickey Contractor - if you don't know him, go down a Google search rabbit hole, and be amazed at his hand-craft skills.

Aur Pyar Ho Gaya is remembered today mainly as Aishwarya Rai's Bollywood entry point rather than for its box office success or critical acclaim. The music by the late, great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and lyrics by Javed Akthar are impeccable. So many songs stand the test of time - and all so gloriously picturised on the telegenic pair. For her first film, Aishwarya's not bad but people expected her to be Madhuri from day one. Which was unfair to the (albeit confident) newcomer. As a rom com its.. fine. Its fine.

As a time capsule for contemporary fashion in the 90s, its textbook. Skip through most of the film, and just watch Ash. Totally worth it. 

Rekha in her career defining year: Khoobsurat

Released in January 1980, Rekha was the undisputed queen of Bollywood at the time. A career-defining year for Re as she absolutely stunned in Khoobsurat, Kalyug, Basera, Umrao Jaan and Silsila, all which came back-to-back. 

When you see her filmography in the early 1980s, she appeared in nearly a dozen movies each year. Sadly the quality of the films themselves was all over the place. Either she was exquisite or erratic. 

As a beauty, actor and dancer, Rekha is peerless - topped with a flawless voice and husky dialogue delivery where her Hindi and Urdu is perfection. 

In her vast filmography, many like to state that Umrao Jaan is her career-defining performance. A valid thesis can be made of that.

I propose the flawless, Khoobsurat. Legend has it Hrisihikesh Mukherjee made the film just for Re - and is closest character to the actress herself. 

I've seen the film... 148 times. It is glorious. Every single actor in the movie is so natural and wonderful. Particularly Ashok Kumar and his magical jugulabandi with Dina Pathak. 

 

Birth Anniversary of Sridevi: Indian Icon

 

Bless Sridevi - wherever she is. She would have turned 63 today, 13 August. 

See this Sridevi page - Sridevi

The largest website dedicated to the actress with daily updates. Yes, even now, 8 years after... 

Showtime with Sridevi

13 August 1963. An Indian legend was born - the great Sridevi.  

Birth anniversary of the legendary Indian actress and famed south Indian beautyu, Sridevi. 

Daily updates in teh largest Sridevi site at Sridevi

90s top stars: Aamir Khan, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit

 

Devi, Sridevi. On the sets of Chandni

Thinking of Sridevi - its her birth anniversary tomorrow. August 13.

Rekha: A Bollywood Icon's Hollywood Influence: In Pictures

Rekha.. influenced by Elizabeth Taylor, Cher and Joan Collins in Dynasty. Those in the know, stylists especially, will see the exact reference. 

Aishwarya Rai in her best Tamil film

Aishwarya Rai in her best Tamil film: Kandukondain Kandukondain,

Well, if not best, perhaps most beloved and popular. She's also been very lucky with her constant collabs with A.R.Rehman in her first film till... her last! 

Rajiv Menon’s Kandukondain Kandukondain stands as a crowning achievement of turn-of-the-millennium Tamil cinema - a film where literary sophistication, visual splendour, and musical genius converge. As an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, Menon did not merely translate the classic novel to an Indian landscape; he enriched it, crafting a cinematic tapestry that feels both deeply rooted in Tamil culture and effortlessly universal. There are several notable critics who have stated that this is by far one of the greatest adaptions of an Austen novel - which is really saying something. It doesn't feel tired, dated, there's no sense of deja-vu... its spellbinding. 

At the heart of this romantic masterpiece is Aishwarya Rai, whose portrayal of Meenakshi remains one of the most radiant performances of her career. Rai captures the raw, unfiltered emotionality of a young woman consumed by poetry, music, and idealistic love. Her performance balances exuberant passion with heartbreaking vulnerability as her romantic illusions crumble against harsh reality. 

Visually, Rai is ethereal; the camera frames her with sublime grace, from the rain-soaked mansions of Karaikudi to the bustling streets of Chennai. 

Rai’s dancing elevates the film into legendary status. In "Konjum Mainakkale," her fluid movements and incandescent charm turn a joy-filled track into an iconic visual setpiece, while her classical artistry in "Kannamoochi Yaenada" underscores her profound mastery of expression and rhythm. 

Complementing her presence is a powerhouse ensemble cast - Tabu brings grounded maturity as Sowmya, while Mammootty, Ajith Kumar, and Abbas deliver brilliantly nuanced performances that give every romantic arc distinct narrative weight.

Tying it all together is A.R. Rahman’s transcendent soundtrack, a composition where classical Carnatic ragas seamlessly blend with modern orchestral arrangements. 

Every frame of Kandukondain Kandukondain breathes technical precision, warmth, and artistic harmony, solidifying its status as arguably the most flawless Tamil cinematic landmark of its era.

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke

Gorgeous songs, gorgeous couple, the film was...just ok. 

Aishwarya Rai at 3.20: Dhoom again.

A magical gorgeous duo in Bollywood; Aishwarya Rai and Hrithik Roshan.