A Gautam Rajadhyaksha portrait: Bhaghyashree, Simi Garewal and Rekha

A Gautam Rajadhyaksha portrait: Bhaghyashree, Simi Garewal and Rekha 
 

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan (1981)

 

 

Released on 2 January 1981, the career-defining role and film of Rekha, the sublime Umrao Jaan. 

The commercial superstar outshone every single actor in the film, including thespian Naseerudin Shah. 

The album is absolute perfection; music, lyrics, singers, composition, orchestration. 

Trying to achieve Nirvana? Listen to the CD with your headphones on. 

Aishwarya Rai in Josh (2000)

Aishwarya Rai, 27, in Josh (2000)
 

The perfect symmetry of face: Rekha

 

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016): Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor sizzle on screen

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016): Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Ranbir Kapoor sizzle on screen 

A deeply flawed film with bizarre logic and a runaway screenplay... but the magical visuals of Aishwarya Rai back in form and glimpses of her epic beauty made it worthwhile. The soundtrack was sensational too... 

But yikes, that ending. And... well the poetry... well, wasn't by Javed Akhtar I'll tell ya that... 

In a world where nothing succeeds like success, the massive hit snuffed out every critic. Including us. But we still stand by our initial review, it's by no means a great film.  

Aishwarya Rai at events: Face card 10/10

Aishwarya Rai at events: Face card 10/10

 

Aishwarya Rai

 The smile that launched a 1000 campaigns... 

Aishwarya Rai in Mani Ratnam Films: Iruvar to PS2

Aishwarya Rai in Mani Ratnam Films: Iruvar to PS2! 
Iruvar released January 14, 1997. 

PS2 released on April 28, 2023. 

26 years separates these two frames of film. Cinema. Magic. Rai with Mohan Lal and Vikram






 

News: Longines drops Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

After a decade of alliance between the iconic Indian actress and famed beauty queen, Aishwarya Rai, Longines has dropped the Bollywood icon as their enduring ambassador. 

No word on why, when, but she no longer is the 'face' (and what a face!) of the brand in South-East Asia. 

No official word on why and how the conversation fell apart as posters of the original advert are still dotted in many parts of the world. 

Aishwarya Rai with a line-up of her SLB co-stars: Hrithik Roshan, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan

Hrithik Roshan, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai 

An all-superstar line up of Aishwarya Rai's co-stars in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film; Hrithik Roshan (Guzaarish), Shahrukh Khan (Devdas) and Salman Khan (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), .

The fandom clearly loved Ash and Hrithik more; below the FAKE pics of the two superstars trending on social media with some clever and not-so-clever pixel edits. 

Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar in Khakee (2004)

 Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar in Khakee (2004) 

The dazzling excess of Devdas: Aishwarya Rai at her imperial best

The dazzling excess of Devdas: Aishwarya Rai at her imperial best 

Released on July 12, 2002, there was an unquestionable queen of Bollywood. Madhuri Dixit had passed the baton... 

 

Aishwarya Rai in Taal

Aishwarya Rai in Taal 

Released on August 13, 1999, there was a new female superstar on the horizon at the turn of the new millenium. The face of Indian cinema changed to a model turned beauty queen. There have been several Miss India's before, but no one like 'the' Aishwarya Rai. 

The significance of Aishwarya Rai and her power at the box-office has been underreported - people went to movies (some terrible ones) just to see how she looked, danced, and sometimes performed. She took every critic's note on the chin and strove ahead. As she herself, in her first film, she was being coming to the first lady of Bollywood. She was sensational in Taal - a film of incredible ingredients not the least of which was the music. 

1999 was her year, like 1989 was Sridevi's year; a double nominee for Taal and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. (Sridevi in 89 had Chaalbaaz and Chandni!). 

 

Kajol's outtake with Shahrukh Khan: DDLJ publicity shoot

Released on October 20, 1995, Kajol and Shahrukh Khan changed the trajectory of Indian cinema and romance on film. 

For our gen, the movie was soul stirring, an awakening of the possibility of what Hindi films could be, led by a young gen director. The old guards changed, a new era was ushered in. 
 

Aishwarya Rai in Iruvar: 6 Films of Mani Ratnam with Aishwarya Rai

Released on 14 January 1997, Aishwarya Rai, 24, finally made her big-screen debut in the Tamil now-classic, Iruvar. A double role, her staggering beauty lit up the big screen. For a first film, it was a brave performance. Guided by her 'guru' Mani Ratnam, it began the longest professional association between the two, director and muse. All her career highs link Rai and Ratnam. 

1. Iruvar (1997)
2. Guru (2007)
3. Raavan /Raavanan (2010) 
4. PS1 (2022)
5. PS2 (2023)

 

Aishwarya Rai in Devdas: Classic Bengali Styling

Aishwarya Rai's portraits in Devdas to me are like Raja Ravi Verma's classic paintings; timeless. For eons, future generations will refer to her look, styling, wardrobe, makeup and her sharp painstakingly crafted aesthetics as the highest benchmark of the classic Indian beauty caught on film.  

In all its glorious excess, Rai walked like poetry in motion, a still portrait that magically came to life. Such extreme visual appeal meant that critics - whose job it is to criticise by pure definition - went after her for other reasons other than her finely honed craft. Under the stewardship of ace director Bhansali, Rai went from model to deification. 

Did she peak by age 29? One wonders... 

 

Aishwarya Rai by Shantanu Sheorey

 Aishwarya Rai by Shantanu Sheorey 

Aishwarya Rai in Taal: Styled by Neeta Lulla

 Aishwarya Rai, 26, in Taal: Styled by Neeta Lulla 

Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai at a ... guessing DeBeers event in India... so perfect  Nakshatra diamonds ambassador - but good lord, who looks this good ina. simple black sari - other than Ms Rai?!! 

Aishwarya Rai

 Well now... 

 Divine Aishwarya Rai. 

Aishwarya Rai outtake

The trouble with AI images - they're getting so good, we can't tell the real from the fake. 

EG this one... 

Ash at her peak was perfection, AI couldn't dream or conjure this face...

But just heard this is AI generated. 

Classic Kathak steps: Madhuri Dixit strikes a familiar pose

Classic Kathak steps: Madhuri Dixit strikes a familiar pose 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes

 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes