Aishwarya Rai as a young model

One of the few things I've 100 ercent agreed with Jit Pit; Aishwarya Rai, "She's sooooooooo beautiful..."

 

Saroj Khan with Aishwarya Rai on set

 

Aa Ab Laut Chale wasn't a great film, but Aishwarya Rai looks soooo pretty in it. 

Subhash Ghai recently revealed that Saroj Khan recommended Aishwarya Rai for the film Taal. Aishwarya Rai's career and trajectory changed after that film... 

Showtime: FEBRUARY 01-15, 1998: Aishwarya Rai rejects Sooraj Barjatya

PHOTOGRAPH: ASHOK SALIAN 

MAKE-UP, HAIR AND CREATIVE STYLING: MICKEY CONTRACTOR 

OUTFIT: ANNA SINGH - THE DESIGN STUDIO

Before her hits, her second year in Bollywood, despite a series of flops, Aishwarya Rai was gracing cover after cover - as she sold magazines like no one else. Her success was inevitable - her roster of producers and directors wer second to none - and oh my she made the industry gilrs insecure. 

And, the power she had to reject Sooraj Barjatya... which sounds like a scandalous headline, but it wasn't. Her dates and diary was full - and btw, wow, she dodged a bullet. Kareena Kapoor went on to do the film - the infamous Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. Which was not only the worst film in the director's career, but the biggest flop of the year, if not decade. 

The cover features the following text:

• Top Header: IS THE A.R. RAHMAN MAGIC FADING AWAY?

• Magazine Title: SHOWTIME

• Publication Details:

  • A MAGNA PUBLICATION

  • FEBRUARY 01-15, 1998

  • RS. 15

• Cover Headlines (Left Side):

  • ART ATTACK! HOW PARALLEL CINEMA HAS BECOME THE INDUSTRY'S NEW PASSION!

  • VOLTE-FACE: WHY AISHWARYA RAI REJECTED SOORAJ BARJATYA!

  • DEADLY! THE SUNIL-KARISMA WAR RAGES ON!

  • DUMPED! ADITYA'S CLASH WITH A TOP DIRECTOR!

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan

 

Golden gal: Rekha: Burning amber

 Rekha brought high glamour to fashion shoots in film magazines. 

Aishwarya Rai in Dil ka Rishta

A dreadful film... that many Aishwarya Rai fans have seen several times as she looks so staggeringly beautiful in it. 

Ash in Dil ka Rishta. 

Young Aishwarya Rai as a model for Ritu Beri

The staggering beauty of young Aishwayra Rai in the 90s in Mumbai as the top model of her, if not all, time.  

Vinod Khanna, Shobhaa De and Rekha: The rockin 1970s

 

She was an occasional model and Stardust's most famous editor, the De-vine Shobhaa De. 

Seen here with stars Rekha and Vinod Khanna - but doesn't she look better than both?! 

The perfection and perfect symmetry of Aishwarya Rai's iconic face

 

Dazzling photos of Aishwarya Rai at Cannes over the years

Aishwarya Rai serving face at Cannes is nothing new... But when you line up the photos, good gravy, she was stunning.