TBT: 1998: Aishwarya Rai, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit at Filmfare Awards

TBT: 1998: Aishwarya Rai, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit at Filmfare Awards 

Ash presented the Best Actress trophy to Madhuri Dixit for Dil Toh Paagal Hai.

Aishwarya Rai poses for Femina magazine

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's look at Filmfare Awards Night: The first sighting of Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Aishwarya Rai in 2006. This was her look in Mani Ratnam's Guru. 

It was the first time I remember Ash wearing 'that new designer' Sabyasachi - who had done all her looks in the film. 

Sadly, as gorgeous as these pictures are - a fake AI iteration 

Below clip you can see what Ash really looked like - flawless at Filmfare. 

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Cannes 2026

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Cannes 2026. 

The face of Indian cinema... 
 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Cannes 2026

Like her, or any superstar's career, a lot of hits and misses. At least not a complete disaser as 2024... She's still got 'the face'... Everything else has been questionable. 

Bless stylist Mohit Rai for... trying.

Aishwarya Rai in Cannes over the years

 Aishwarya Rai in Cannes over the years.... 

Aishwarya Rai in Devdas: The Neeta Lulla

 

The 2002 Hindi film Devdas (directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit) was released in India on 12 July 2002.

Aishwarya Rai in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai

 Aishwarya Rai in Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai 

Aishwarya Rai in Taal and Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam

 Aishwarya Rai in Taal and Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam

 1999 was Ash's mega year. 

Shobhaa De by Gautam Rajadhyaksha

Shobhaa De by Gautam Rajadhyaksha 

Sure they were cousins - but she was also muse, model and a mother. 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's regal gait The Reign and Supremacy of Ash as Queen in PS1 and PS2

 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's regal gait The Reign and Supremacy of Ash as Queen in PS1 and PS2

Aishwarya Rai at Cannes

 

Aishwarya Rai as a young model for Saris

Early days, I remember cutting out Garden sari ads to have this perfect face on my walls. 

The staggeringly beautiful young Aishwarya Rai as India's youngest supermodel. 

Aishwarya Rai on the red carpet

 

Aishwarya Rai in her first Hindi film Aur Pyar Ho Gaya

 

Aishwarya Rai in her first Hindi film Aur Pyar Ho Gaya 

Aishwarya Rai in Taal (1999)

 

Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai: Bollywood's favourite unrequited love story

In real life and in reel life, they just weren't meant to be. She gave him class, he gave her sex appeal } remember reading that phrase?! 

Salman Khan was 8 years older than Aishwarya Rai. Their on and off screen magic was something else. Just wasn't meant to be... 

Aishwarya Rai attends Neeta Lulla's store opening

Aishwarya Rai attends Neeta Lulla's store opening

 

Aishwarya Rai appears on the Tyra Banks show: TBT to 2009

 Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 36,  appears on the Tyra Banks show: TBT to 2009!

The perfection of Rekha in Silsila

 

 

Released on the summer of 1981, 14 August to be precise, Rekha, then 26, was at the absolute peak of her prowess and peacock-ian beauty when the affairs-of-the-heart, musical melodrama Silsila released.

Empowered by fellow aesthete producer/director Yash Chopra, with the camera work of Kay Gee capturing Rekha in all her polished glory, no leading lady commanded screen space with such ease and elegance. Not a strand of hair out of place, her impeccable fashion (which deteriorated dramatically by the time Khoon Bhari Maang and Geetanjali released!), has to be studied as one does an unholy book of haute Hindi film fashion. 

Rekha when reigned in by writers and directors she admired -- Yash Chopra, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar -- didn't go completely off the rails. Lesser men who didn't have the courage to edit Re' fell folly to her over-the-top sartorial shenanigans. Yash Chopra had a more deft hand; be it Silsila or Faasle, Rekha looked polished, refined... just damn near perfect.

Rekha with Yash Chopra on the sets of Faasla - a rare pic 

Aishwarya Rai's iconic pose for Taal

Stephen Fry mentioned in an interview he hates the word 'iconic' being used incorrectly. Well, over used. And I see it pop up just about everywhere. And he's so right.

However, this shot - is truly iconic. One look and you know instantly, its Aishwarya Rai in a career-defining role in Taal.

The first time India took note of Aishwarya Rai: The Famous Pepsi ad, "Hi, I'm Sanju!"

Who's that girl? 

Aishwarya Rai's ad for Pepsi... when all of India took note of this young model - who became a sensation overnight. 

Ad featuerd Aamir Khan, Mahima... but all we remember is the stunning Ash 

Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai in Khakee

 

One of their best films together, Khakee was a thriller with just the right amount of twists and turns, Rajkumar Santoshi is an underrated film maker. 

Khakee is remembered more fondly for its quality and cast than its box office numbers. It performed decently but was somewhat overshadowed in a competitive year - 2004.

Aishwarya Rai in her Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain

 Till date, easily one of her best films, performances, music... 

Aishwarya Rai in the amazing Kandukondain Kandukondain