Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, India's and the world's envy, draws gasps of admiration wherever she goes. On her 40th birthday, we bring to you 40 of pictures from her fashion outings, red carpet appearances, global events and our favourite Ash movies. So here's Aishwarya - Ash You Like It.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, India's and the world's envy, draws gasps of admiration wherever she goes. On her 40th birthday, we bring to you 40 of pictures from her fashion outings, red carpet appearances, global events and our favourite Ash movies. So here's Aishwarya - Ash You Like It.
Ash looks simply stunning in a Christian Dior gown in this picture from her photoshoot for Noblesse India magazine's October edition.
Here's more Ash from her photoshoot for Noblesse India magazine's October edition. We think she bears an uncanny resemblance to French icon Brigitte Bardot the way she looked in the '60s with her tousled hair and long eyelashes.
Aishwarya is the epitome of beauty as she posed on a tennis court in this picture from her Dubai photoshoot (August 2013).
Abhishek could't let go of his beautiful wife's hand even when the couple famously appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show (September 28, 2009).
This picture of the beautiful Aishwarya when she was crowned Miss World remains etched in our memories (1994).
Ash was the show stealer in a fuschia Roberto Cavalli dress, accessorised with her hunky husband, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008.
Aishwarya sparkled in a bronze strapless Giorgio Armani Prive Fall 2010 gown accessorised with a Jimmy Choo ‘Lana' clutch bag in the same shade on the 2011 Oscar red carpet.
Ash stole the show on Day 3 of the Cannes Film Festival in 2010 as she walked the red carpet in a one-of-a-kind violet Gucci gown.
In 2011, Ash joined the big fashion league at Cannes as she sashayed the red carpet in a stunning geometric Armani Privé dress, a bold bracelet, and her trademark smokey eyes
Gutsy Ash wore clingy Elie Saab and a smile at Cannes in 2012, months after she had given birth to daughter Aaradhya. This was possibly her most adventurous look ever - since the dress clung to every plus size curve – and Ash was applauded for blithely disregarding the national obsession with her weight and the many cruel comments about her failure to lose the extra kilos.
Aishwarya had clearly nailed the art of dressing for off-red-carpet events as she posed for a media call - in a black Zac Posen skirt, white Saint Laurent shirt accessorised with an Armani belt - at the Cannes 2013.
This black lace Elie Saab on the opening day of Cannes 2013 has to be one of our all-time favourite Aishwarya appearances.
No one could keep their eyes off a Sabyasachi-clad Ash at the premiere of Raavan at the 2010 Busan film festival in South Korea.
In 2005, the usually demure Aishwarya took a risk on the Cannes red carpet in black Gucci with a plunging neck and sheer mid-section.
The green-eyed beauty showed no signs of discomfort in the sub-zero temperature at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, grabbing eyeballs in a fuchsia Roberto Cavalli dress at the premiere of her Hollywood flick, Pink Panther 2.
Aishwarya looked stunning, in a sari worn Bengali-style, at the music launch of Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se in Mumbai. The sindoor complemented her traditional look. We simply couldn't take our eyes off her (October 2010).
Six years after being married and one daughter later, Abhishek and Aishwarya continue to look like a couple very much in love. This is our favourite picture of Ash and Abhi, taken at a Bachchan family press conference (February, 2013).
Ash made the most stunning bride on her wedding day (April 20, 2007).
Aishwarya looks like a breathtakingly beautiful queen straight from the Rajput/Mughal era, much like her role as Jodhabai in Ashutosh Gowarikar's magnum opus Jodhaa Akbar, in an advert for Kalyan Jewellers which was released in January this year.
In this advertisement for Kalyan Jewellers, (released in March 2013), a midnight black outfit sets off her porcelain skin. Add the smouldering eyes and delicate jewellery and we have a picture perfect Ash.
Cannes held its breath as one of the most beautiful women in the world landed in the French Riveria with her tiny angel Aaradhya for the film festival in May this year. While Ash looked gorgeous in an all-black outfit, Aaradhya looked adorable in a pink and red.
This picture of Aishwarya holding her daughter Aaradhya on a hotel balcony made for a Cannes Kodak moment this year.
Ash, Abhishek and Aaradhya made one happy family when they were spotted at the Mumbai Airport (June 2013).
Aishwarya was red hot in a Sabyasachi lehenga at the the Longines Singapore Gold Cup races (November, 2012).
Ash looked drop dead gorgeous as she posed with her husband during a photo call for Raavan at Cannes 2010.
Aishwarya and Abhishek were the cynosure of all eyes at the IIFA Awards (June 2008).
Aishwarya, glamorous in a knee-length white and black lace dress with a sash, looked like Bollywood royalty on the first day of the Ascot horse races in England in June, 2013.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stole many hearts at the launch of a real estate brand in Mumbai on August 19, 2013 in her black ruffled gown by Gauri and Nainika.
Aishwarya looks like a dream as she poses for an advert for a real estate commercial in a blush outfit. The sleek hair, minimal make-up and accentuated eyes make her look drop dead gorgeous.
A hauntingly beautiful Ash captured our hearts and Salman's in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999).
Cascading hair, enviable curves, sun-kissed skin and kohl-rimmed eyes – Aishwarya's Dhoom 2 makeover still has everyone talking (2006).
Cascading hair, enviable curves, sun-kissed skin and kohl-rimmed eyes – Aishwarya's Dhoom 2 makeover still has everyone talking (2006).
Ash swept us off our feet as the regal Rajput bride in Jodhaa-Akbar. What chance did poor Hrithik Roshan, who played Akbar, have? (2008).
She stole our hearts and SRK's as the beguiling and mesmerising Paro in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Devdas.
Aishwarya acquitted herself with honours in The Pink Panther 2, playing criminology expert Sonia Solandres, opposite a stellar cast of Steve Martin, Jeremy Irons, Jean Reno, Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina and Emily Mortimer. (2009)
The former Miss World looked stunning in her role as the devoted nurse in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish (2010).
Aishwarya set the nation's collective heart beating faster as the incredibly beautiful courtesan with her sublime adaa in Umrao Jaan (2006).
She looked refreshingly beautiful and innocent in Chokher Bali (2003).
Ash ensnared the entire nation with her charm in Kajra Re - the peppy dance number from Bunty Aur Babli (2005).
Ash stole our hearts as the charming Lalita Bakshi, a Punjabi version of Austen heroine Elizabeth Bennet, in Bride and Prejudice (2004).
