After four years of marriage and an equal number of headline grabbing appearances on the French Riviera, Aishwarya Rai will be going solo at the Cannes red carpet this time, thanks to husband Abhishek Bachchan’s packed schedule.

The Bollywood beauty won’t have Abhishek on her arm this time around as he will be busy shooting in Russia.

“I can’t go this year to Cannes with Aishwarya. We were there together last year to promote ‘Raavan’. But this year I will be shooting in Russia that time,” Abhishek said.

This will be the actress’ tenth consecutive Cannes outing and Abhishek is proud of the achievement.

“I am very proud of her. I think she is the only Indian actress to have that,” said the 35-year-old actor.

The couple made their debut at the coveted film festival in 2007, while Aishwarya’s first appearance was in 2002 with her ‘Devdas’ co-star Shah Rukh Khan.

Excuse moi while I answer this call on my kaaliberry. It’s a parinda from Andheri’s Lokhandwala Complex, claiming to have a nugget on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The global beauty was sporting enough to sing a few lines of the track, All that jazz… at a FICCI event recently.

Seems like Manasi Scott, who was crooning the chartbuster, was encouraging every one in the audience to join her.

While Karan Johar excused himself saying he had a sore throat, Shah Rukh Khan politely declined. That’s when Ash agreed to sing a few lines, inspiring Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman, who was also present for the function, to join in.

Chalo, badhiya hai.

What’s common between Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and the hero of yesterday’s India-Australia World Cup quarter final, Suresh Raina? Of course, their Zodiac sign, Scorpio. All three, plus a host of other Bollywood and cricket stars, belong to this zodiac sign that is considered the most deadly of all. Lets us find out how.

Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan’s is a typical rags-to-riches story. Not to say that he came from an impoverished background before he became Bollywood’s biggest super star, but he did come from a humble home in Delhi. But as is common with Scorpios, SRK never rested till he achieved what he wanted. He made few friends and stayed loyal to them; he saw the world in a black and white and set out to conquer it. The fearless, determined and hardworking SRK finally made it to the top of Bollywood and has stayed there with grace and wit for many years now. He is open with his friends and the media and greets even the spot boy on his sets very warmly, but very few know the real SRK. Like he is the King Khan, he is also the King of Scorpios. The world’s waiting now for his Ra.One.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
She came from a conservative middle class family and went on to become the leading actress for almost a decade, winning acclaim in India and abroad. Renowned for her green eyes and beautiful demeanour, the Scorpio in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan makes her powerful and passionate. Being the quintessential Scorpio, Ash also loves competition, whether at work or play, although she might not say it in so many words. And hasn’t she beaten all competition by being the heroine of the highest grossing film India has ever seen – Endhiran (Robot).

More on Scorpios: Reputed to be the “most powerful” sign of the zodiac, Scorpios lead fate filled lives and have intense and dramatic personal relationships. Passion, desire and power go hand in hand for Scorpios. They are different from all other zodiac signs and this difference has them walking, working and loving to a different beat. They are wise beyond their years and act as leaders and are an inspiration to others.

Suresh Raina
He’s a quiet, obedient boy from the innards of India, who rose up the ranks to become one of the most competent cricketers we have today in the Indian team. Just like the typical Scorpio, Raina looks up to his elders, like when he remarked after the Indian win over Australia in the World Cup quarter finals, “One hi-five from Sachin (Tendulkar) made all the difference.” His greatest strengths are his determination, passion and motivation and, of course, the burning desire to take the cup back home.

Brett Lee
He has been around for ages and has inspired hundreds of fast bowlers around the world. And being the Scorpio that he is, Brett Lee knows how to take defeat on the chin, but, at the same time, never give up. So, even after he hurt his eye in the quarter final match against India, he got bandaged and back to the ground in no time, ready to give the Indian batsmen a difficult time. Like all Scorpios, Brett Lee doesn’t have the word ‘quit’ in his dictionary and more often than not, he gets the work done

Hollywood and Australian star Hugh Jackman snubbed Aishwarya Rai at the final day of FICCI Frames 2011 by saying that when he was told that he will be meeting the most beautiful woman on earth he thought it was going to be his wife Deborra-Lee Furness. The X-Men star added that Ash is not the most beautiful actress as stated by many; nevertheless she is a very beautiful actress.

The Hollywood hunk, who was rated as the Most Sexiest Man on Alive in 2008, enthralled the audience by dancing to a Bollywood number after being persuaded to do so by Shah Rukh Khan.

Aishwarya Rai made our hearts stop in a baby pink net sari and sleeveless silk blouse at the FICCI FRAMES Excellence Awards 2011 at Hotel Renaissance in Powai, Mumbai on Friday, March 25.

The 37-year-old Guzaarish star was honored with Decade of Global Achievement award for her contribution to Hindi cinema. The award was presented by Yash Raj Chopra.

Aishwarya’s delicate net saree had embroidery accent and embellishments. She paired it with a back baring matching silk blouse.

Aishwarya Rai at the FICCI FRAMES Excellence Awards 2011 held at Hotel Renaissance in Powai, Mumbai on Friday, March 25. Photo Credit: Sawfnews
She matched the delicate theme of her overall look with light jewelery – stud earrings, a diamond bracelet and statement rings on both her hands.

Her hair was styled straight with a side parting. She wore glossy pink lipstick complimenting her dress color; smoky eye makeup accentuating her green eyes.

Aishwarya Rai at the FICCI FRAMES Excellence Awards 2011 held at Hotel Renaissance in Powai, Mumbai on Friday, March 25.

She introduced Hugh Jackman during the ceremony and was seen chatting with him up later on.

She posed on stage with Yash Chopra, Hugh Jackman, Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar.

Aishwarya Rai and Hugh Jackman chat up while leaving the stage.

She was also seen sharing good laughs with Vidya Balan after congratulating her on her Best Actress award for her role in Ishqiya.

Aishwarya’s family members were not with her at the event.

Certainly! If you boast of a Miss World crown, spate of award winning Indian films and acknowledgment at international level. But when the event sees all A-listers in attendance, throwing your weight can infuriate all and sundry.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is the global face of India, couldn’t keep in check the curt side of her at a recently held award function in Singapore. Apart from keeping the organisers on their toes all the time, Aishwarya disrupted the rehearsals of other celebrities by choosing to rehearse her act at her own sweet time without caring if it would clash with others. “Despite repeated requests, Ash refused to come on stage and remained backstage. She made it clear that if she is receiving an award, it has to be handed over by the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan.

We were forced to make the last minute changes to please the lady. She would come for rehearsals at her own sweet time and many a times, it would clash with others who were rehearsing too. Another incident, when we realised the might and the stubborn side of Aishwarya, was when she flatly refused to jump over the trampoline kept on the stage. Like a true sport, Vidya Balan draped in a sari, granted our request of jumping over the trampoline with joy after bagging our award but Aishwarya refused to adhere. She told us that she is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and need not be told what to do?

We were left with no choice than to keep quiet about the matter. Nevertheless, her performance won accolades from everyone and was certainly the show-stopper. But we still wonder if the lady got up from the wrong side of the bed as she gave us panic attacks at regular intervals,” reveals a source. Well, big stars are expected to have bigger tantrums.

Unfazed by the fate of her films at the box office, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan counts her blessings as she reaps the fruits of years of hard work.

This year, except “Endhiran”, “Guzaarish”, “Raavan” and “Action Replayy” haven’t done too well at the BO. How much does that bother you?
Not at all. I got a great review for each of the films that I worked in, whether it was “Endhiran”, “Raavan”, “Action Replayy” or “Guzaarish”, so for me, it’s been a terrific year. Everything that I set out to accomplish when I took on these movies, as an actor, and in terms of the response I was looking for, I have been able to. Because, as an actor with so many years of experience now, you know when you take on a subject what potential the character per se holds. No one can ever preordain the destiny of a film and I say destiny because it’s literally that. After so many years, you cannot necessarily say that a great film is a superhit or it’s the other way around. I’m happy that the response from critics and audience has been so overwhelming for each of the characters essayed, no matter how different they were from each other.

From the devoted nurse, Sophie, in “Guzaarish” to the quarrelsome Mala in “Action Replayy”, how difficult was it shifting gears?
That’s your commitment, your craft and, of course, that’s the objective that I seek as an actor. When you are starting out and you are asked what sort of an actor you want to be, you say ‘versatile’ and after years of experience if you get to do that year after year, you regard yourself blessed. I’ve been doing that for the last couple of years, but this year, as the releases were in such quick succession, it became glaringly obvious to viewers and critics. It’s been 1.5-2 years of hard work.

With so much hard work involved, how important is it for you that your film does well at the box-office?
As a team member – I say that because I’m a team player – everybody would want their films to succeed because at the end of the day, you are an industry and it is a business on which the livelihood of many people depends, not ours, by the grace of God, but for many others. We all work for the love of art, but we do recognise it is a full-fledged industry. Hence everybody seeks the obvious commercial success of every venture taken on and if that doesn’t happen, then as a team, it feels bad. But the individual fruits that one comes away with it is when it becomes much sweeter. When your effort is recognized, you come away with your reward and try harder the next time.

While working harder, do you intend to do things any differently next year to counter whatever happened this year at the BO?
I’ve never had such thoughts. It’s been a dream journey for any aspiring actor, in terms of the variety of work. I’ve worked with the best of directors not just once, but a couple of times, got to essay so many characters, break across genres and languages… it’s rare and a blessing.

Do you feel lucky that you are a part of Bollywood at this point in time?
I have carved my own journey from the beginning. The potential of different kinds of cinema will have its fruition depending on the way its business is planned. Bearing in mind the business of cinema, it’s a great time for creative explosion. But I haven’t suddenly changed my mode of work or my search for doing different kind of genres.

It’s a star shower on TV… from Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar to Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. What would it take for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to host or judge a reality show?
Time, the mindset, the inclination and a very exciting opportunity. A lot of ideas have been brought to me in the last couple of years… but so far, I haven’t had the time, and hence haven’t thought about taking on anything. Anything that I take on, I want to be able to participate completely in and commit myself the way I have on every venture.

You always say age is a state of mind and have often cited the example of your father-in-law. Does Bollywood think that way?
I would’ve talked about him even if I hadn’t been family, he’s the most glaring example that you can see. Also, I’m not judgmental, and so far, I haven’t experienced being judged. On that front, I’m fortunate to have met likeminded professionals and got to do the kind of work I wanted to.

How do you manage your time, between shoots and taking care of your family?
Manage, prioritise and commit to whatever you take on and get on with whatever next you have planned.

How was the experience of shooting in Rome with Kate Winslet and Chi Lin?
Rome is a beautiful city. It was very hot… I had never been there in summer. I was there very briefly to shoot for “Jeans”, and to go back there and experience that summer could be so hot was a revelation for all of us. Coming from India, it was embarrassing to say that we have experienced summer. But then again, when you watch the commercial, you don’t see that. We were all so committed to what we were doing, that you only see us having a great time.

Besides Longines, what else do you and Kate Winslet have in common?
Not only Kate, even Chi Lin. When we worked together, we realised that the way we work, the way we are as women, our thoughts, outlook to life, the work that we do, are very similar. We are very basic people, who have a mix of the old world and are the women of today. We all have deep-rooted values, cultural understanding and are committed to our craft.

Director Vishal Bhardwaj seems to be too eager to sign Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan for his next film. The director recently met with Ash to show her the fresh script of his next project.

When he had approached Ash with the script last time, the actress suggested some changes in it. Bhardwaj, known for cult films like Omkara, seems to have realised that it is easier to rope in an A-lister actress than that of an actor of the same stature for his film. So the director, whose most films have strong female characters, did not mind doing some cosmetic changes in his script.

According to a source, Vishal faced a lot of trouble while working with the stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan right from the times of his narration of the film to having changes in the script. According to sources, Vishal had also met Saif and Shah Rukh to sign them for his films, but to no avail.

When Bhardwaj, who has been working on the Priyanka Chopra-starrer Saat Khoon Maaf, approached Ash this time, the actress reportedly liked his script. But she wouldn’t reveal on record. The light eyed beauty hasn’t said a concrete yes though.

The director has now gone back to the drawing board to weave the script which suits Ash’s personality, before narrating it to her again.

This Friday will see the return of one of Bollywood fan’s favorite jodis when Guzaarish, starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan opens in theaters. The early buzz is that the duo has created magic on screen in their roles of Ethan and Sofia in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed film. We thought in honor of the film’s release we would take a look at some of the best scenes between the reel couple and then because we wanted to, and knew you, our dear readers, would enjoy it, we also decided to list some of the highlights from their separate films.

Hrithik and Aishwarya’s Magical Jodi

Before Guzaarish, the Aishwarya and Hrithik jodi has made jadoo on screen in two films, and they could not be any more polar opposite. First there was Dhoom 2 in 2006, Hrithik and Aishwarya were in their modern avatars as Mr. A and ‘are you like checkin me out’ Sunheri. Though there were many great moments between the two in the action film, we thought of two we just had to mention. Audiences could not wait to see the gorgeous duo dancing together and they lit the screen on fire in the ‘Dil Laga Na’ number. Doing one of the things they both do best, both Hrithik and Aishwarya looked hot and completely cool at the same time. Then there is the infamous KISS! You have the handsome Hrithik and the beautiful Aishwarya in a scene filled with tension and it ends in a very hot kiss. Of course, being Bollywood, there was an uproar. It was rumored that the Bachchan family objected to the kiss, there was rumbling among fans and even a court case, but in the end, it is the kiss that is one of the best and most remembered scenes from the hit film.

The actor and actress went in a completely opposite direction for their second film together when they starred in the period epic Jodhaa Akbar. We had a hard time picking moments from the film because every scene with the two is done brilliantly, but here are three scenes that we feel really define their jodi in this film. One of the first is when Akbar sees Jodhaa for the first time. She is praying, the song ‘Mann Mohanaa’ is playing… he walks around, sees her face and is stunned. Then there is the scene after the wedding, they are in the bedroom and she lowers the curtain between them, the look on his and her face is priceless. The scene at the gate when he sends her away in his jealousy, both acted the feelings of betrayal wonderfully. Oh wait, it must be four scenes because, we have to mention the sword-fighting scene as well, so much passion, so much desire and not a word spoken.

Yes, we could go on and on and on, but now we will go on to some of the highlights that they have brought separately to the silver screen.

Aishwarya’s Best

One of Aishwarya’s best performances is in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. She is terrific as Nandini and her portrayal of the path from spoiled lovesick girl to mature woman who loves her husband is wonderful. In a movie filled with great moments two of the best are the last scenes of the film, one with Salman and one with Ajay. Of course while talking of HDDCS, we must mention ‘Nimbooda’. Combine Aishwarya’s great skill as a dancer and the art of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films and you have a dance sequence full of beauty.

It was and still is considered one of the best item numbers ever. We are talking about the sultry Aish in ‘Kajra Re’ from Bunty Aur Babli. ‘Hai Hai’, as Big B said!

One of Aishwarya’s more unusual films is Leena Yadav’s Shabd. Most people first of all think about her bed scene ‘Chahaton Ka Silsila’ with a soft and very tender Sanjay Dutt – but the scene which leaves you really speechless is in the end when Sanjay, torn by schizophrenia, is losing his mind and Aishwarya desperately tries to convince him that nothing has happened, that he didn’t kill anyone and that she loves him and no one else. Goosebumps!

More recently Aishwarya was seen in Mani Ratman’s Raavan. She was great in the song ‘Khili Re’, but it was her eyes that did the acting in this film. Our reviewer said, “In a nuanced, quite brilliant performance, Aishwarya delivers perhaps her finest work to date and Raavan is her film.”

Devdas began her work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and her performance as Paro is probably what really made people know Aish as an Actress with a capital A. She had a lot to live up too, a classic novel, and a star like Shah Rukh Khan and she shined. There are so many great scenes of hers in the film, but the two we want to highlight are in the song ‘Hamesha Tumko Chaha’, she literally spoke with her eyes, beautiful. Of course, you can’t write about Aish and Devdas and not talk about the ‘Dola Re Dola’ dance with Madhuri Dixit. Two of the best dancers in Bollywood, dancing together, in gorgeous costumes to a great song… need I say more?

Have to sneak in one more Jodhaa Akbar moment; there is the scene were she watches from behind a curtain as he practices with his sword, no shirt. So much was said in that scene with her eyes… and we quite agreed with everything she said though she spoke not a word.

For Guru, it was really impossible for us to pick one scene because she was so good. So, we will just say watch Guru!

Hrithik’s Best

His debut performance in Kaho Na Pyaar Hai created such a huge sensation that has not been seen since. He recently said that at the first screening, on the way in, a few people said, ‘oh you are the boy in the movie’, but then three hours later I could not leave the theater because of the mob of fans wanting to get close to me. Besides looking so fine and acting so well, it was his dancing that got the fans swooning. Have a look at the scene with Ameesha Patel, a club and Hrithik’s moves in ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’ and you can see why he needed a police escort.

When talking about Hrithik’s best performances or scenes we have to talk about Koi Mil Gaya. I remember watching the film and it wasn’t until he was walking down the street in the village that all of a sudden I realised that Rohit was the hunky Hrithik Roshan. He got so inside the character as the child like Rohit that I did not even recognize him. I actually fast-forwarded to the credits to make sure I was right. That tour de force performance is out of this world (pun intended).

Another film that showed Hrithik’s talent of becoming so lost in a character you really don’t see him is Lakshya. His change between the lazy boy to the military man is phenomenal. The scene where he points to the mountain peak, his lakshya, was full of power in all its quietness. We also have to mention the slightly odd but totally cool choreography for ‘Main Aisa Kyun Hoon’ in Lakshya, this sequence firmly established Hrithik as one of the best dancers in any wood.

An unforgettable scene is Hrithik’s showdown with Sanjay Dutt at the end of Mission Kashmir – the merciless fight between them and then the crucial moment when Hrithik realizes that his father (Sanjay) had been right and he had been deceived and misled by the terrorists. Intense and fraught with tension.

Though not as popular a film, there is a scene in Yaadein that showed off Hrithik’s talent as an actor. She…Kareena… just broke his heart and his monologue outside, the way he says ‘theek hai’ and his hand shaking was brill, it broke the audiences heart too to watch him. I also have to mention the dance sequence in the rain, which comes in the middle of the song ‘Aye Dil Dil Ki Duniya’. It is only 44 seconds, but it is a full of feeling, pain and fabulous choreography and is one of my favorite Hrithik dance sequences, ever.

We mentioned Dhoom 2 before but we have to single out Hrithik’s performance in the film. Nobody could play a thief as cool as Hrithik. He was perfect in every caper and every second playing Mr. A, even dressed as the Queen!

Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham is full of great Hrithik-ness but the scene when he enters SRK’s house in London after so many years being apart – the look, the wiping of the tear…VAH!

This was really fun to write and we hope you enjoyed reading it as well! It will be interesting to see if any of the scenes be it together or separate from Guzaarish will be included on a list like this in the future! From the promos we have a feeling it will. Guzaarish opens on November 19th!

He has styled the tresses of Hollywood divas like Heather Graham, Drew Barrymore and Sharon Stone but Los Angeles-based celebrity hair expert Jamal Hammadi is in awe of Bollywood stars Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan. And he would love to style them too.

“I’d love to work with Aishwarya Rai. I haven’t yet. She’s got long, gorgeous hair and my god, those blue eyes. I’d definitely love to work with her. She is a beautiful lady and it’ll be fun and something different,” Hammadi told IANS in a telephonic interview from Mumbai, while on his third trip to India.

“I think Aishwaya Rai is gorgeous…Then, you have Priyanka (Chopra), who is awesome. I worked with her about a month ago. We did a Sunsilk Stunning Black Shine (Shampoo) commercial. She is so cool and fun and open. She is pretty talented as well and I like her attitude,” said the global shine expert, who is the co-creator of the shampoo.

What about Priyanka’s hair?

“Priyanka has good hair,” said Hammadi, who was in India just for a day but is looking forward to heading “north to the Himalayas for a whole spiritual thing” on his next visit.

Isn’t he aware about any Bollywood hero?

“Yes. There is Shah Rukh Khan. He is everywhere. He is huge. He is really big. I see him everywhere. And he is funny too. He has a great personality and sense of humour. I have seen his interviews. He seems cool…,” said Hammadi.

So, would he like to work on Shah Rukh’s hair?

“Sure. Absolutely! Why not,” exclaimed the hairstylist, who grew up with Eastern influences, does yoga and loves gorging on Indian food, especially “tandoori chicken and naan”.

Born in Paris, Jamal began styling in the early 1990s and is now well-known for creating glamorous looks for Hollywood celebrities and countless supermodels on the New York and Paris runways.

Known for his natural approach to achieving healthy hair shine, his clientele includes the likes of Linda Evangelista, Eva Mendes, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore, Kirsten Dunst, Naomi Watts and Maya Rudoph. Evangelista is one of his most dedicated clients so much so that she flew him over to London to style her hair for a Vogue cover shoot.

So who possesses the best hair in Hollywood?

” Heather Graham has amazing hair. She has got gorgeous, thick, wavy and beautiful hair. You can do anything with that,” said Hammadi, whose last job was with Barrymore.

Despite his skill, Hammadi conceded that even he faces tough times.

“It’s most challenging when I’m working in Paris in the shows. It’s beyond hairstyles. At that point you are creating sculptures and things like that. That’s the most challenging and the most rewarding for me,” he said.

“I have been doing this now for 15 years and I am confident enough with all kinds of textures, but it’s more about when you start creating these crazy, eccentric looks. You are more theatrical and it pushes you to the next level. Fashion shows really help you get that expertise,” he added.

He also has his own line, Hamadi (eds: correct) Beauty, that embodies products combining 100 percent essential oils and plant extracts. So has he thought of setting up shop in India?

“No. Not yet. There was a company that had contacted us. So we are working on that and hopefully in the future we’ll be there,” Hammadi said.

His future projects include “fashion shows and more of ads right now. And I might be working with James Franco next and probably Drew (again)”.