Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is surely the most gorgeous face in Bollywood, yet it can’t be denied that the actress had to put in a lot of hard work to create a niche for herself in the industry. In a chat with Swati Chaturvedi on her talk show Kahiye Janab, Ash talked about her latest release ‘Raavan’, her relationship with hubby Abhishek and more.

Here are the excerpts:

Swati: While shooting for ‘Raavan’, you had Abhishek on the sets as a co-star, and then you would have dinner with him back home. Isn’t it like too much of Abhishek?

Aishwarya: No…(Laughs). You’re asking a personal question to get a personal answer now!

Swati: But really, how do you balance your personal and professional life?

Aishwarya: Honestly, there hasn’t been a definite plan for it. Having said that…I’ve been fortunate that opportunities did come my way. But I had to work hard for them and struggle a lot. Really, there’s no substitute to hard work. But for me, that’s a pleasure, because it’s been a passion for me.

Swati: You know, sometime back on this show, Sushmita Sen had said that she can never work as hard as you. What do you have to say to that?

Aishwarya: (Smiles) That’s very sweet of her! But I’d say that she’s just been following her heart. You know you must enjoy what you do. You don’t have to throw yourself in it. Earlier, when I used to do modeling, I was just a student, but when I used to do it, I was like a thorough professional, because I enjoyed it.

Swati: But from being an architecture student to modeling to doing movies in the South – if you look at it, it must have really been a struggle.

Aishwarya: Yeah…but when I say it’s not been easy, that’s how I look at it today. For me, the opportunities are something to work hard on, and made memorable. I’ve had the good fortune to mix the two from the beginning. I would say that I’ve been fortunate to have got the chance to work with the best of filmmakers in the industry.

Swati: So, what’s been your most difficult role so far?

Aishwarya: We’re talking about ‘Raavan’, so that’s what is coming to my mind. Right now, I think ‘Raavan’ has been the most challenging of all the roles I’ve done in the past.

Swati: And is it also because of Mani Ratnam…Mani Sir…are you scared of him?

Aishwarya: No…He’s a friend. You know everyone says that he’s a taskmaster; he’s more like a teacher. He’s somebody who’s looking to create something memorable all the time.

Swati: Who’s better – Abhishek as a co-star or Abhishek as a husband?

Aishwarya: See, husband is a husband! (Laughs) As a co-star, the kind of work, we’ve managed to do together in the recent past, has been good. Each of his co-stars says that he’s fun to work with. But there is a very serious side of him too. And I knew of it before we became a couple. And I would say, that of late he’s been making brilliant choice in terms of the work he’s doing.

Swati: But it must be very difficult for Abhishek to be so grounded despite being the legendary Amitabh Bachchan’s son.

Aishwarya: That’s what’s so wonderful about him. Right from the beginning, he did not use that to any kind of advantage. He always says ‘Of course I’m proud to be his son’. You know, he respects it, he takes pride in it.

Swati: And your relationship with your father-in-law also seems very interesting…you know…you call him Pa..

Aishwarya: Yeah…we’ve a great equation…but we’ve got to attribute it to our family and upbringing.

Swati: Now, what do you have to say about the labels like ‘Abhi-Ash’ or ‘Saifeena’?

Aishwarya: Well, I just think they make for easier writing. I guess it’s a term people use for easy labeling! But yes, wishfully we hope to make a difference together.

The votes are in. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is Bollywood’s most coveted actress. Sixteen years after she was declared the most beautiful woman in the world, her flawless features still top the list of inquiries made at the plastic surgeon’s office.
“We get maximum requests for Aishwarya Rai’s narrow jaw line and high cheekbones. Most people still think of her as the one with a perfect face,” reveals cosmetic physician, Dr Rashmi Shetty. Plastic surgeon, Dr Meenakshi Agarwal adds, “Patients also ask for her eyebrows. Fine features like hers are very popular.”
Dr Jamuna Pai concurs: “Most people who come in to fix their nose want a sculpted, aquiline look, and they usually refer to pictures of Aishwarya Rai.” Pai adds. “Patients are also conscious of skin and that’s another area where she scores. She has the most beautiful and robust skin. From the enquiries we get, people seem to have noticed that.”
Other icons
While Angelina Jolie’s lips have conquered the globe, Bollywood’s leading ladies don’t fall far behind in the copycat game. “Kangana Ranaut’s lips are perky and full, people like that they’re not too dramatic,” Pai reveals. While pouty Priyanka Chopra’s lips may have only male fans, many women covet Katrina Kaif’s pink kiss.
“The pouty look is here to stay,” insists Pai. “Thin lips will never be popular because they age you. As you grow older, you lose volume on your face. I have a knack for subtly filling up the lip, though an actress might opt for a more emphasised look.”
Eyes on you
Reportedly, Bipasha Basu’s eyes have a fan following of their own. “She’s got a beautiful uplifted shape, close to almond eyes. We can create that using botox and fillers. Many people have requested it too. Shilpa Shetty’s eyes are emphasised by her luscious lashes. People who have thin eyelashes, like her lashline.”
Cheekbone implants are popularly used to give the face a youthful look. Instead of going under the knife, cosmetic physicians inject fillers into cheekbones to create glamourous apple cheeks. “The procedure is popular among girls who lose weight, especially on the face, because of heavy dieting. Madonna looks like she has opted for this procedure. The gaunt look with extremely prominent cheekbones and hollowed-out cheeks ages you,” claims Shetty. The results last between six months to two years, depending on the amount and quality of filler used.
Another popular trend is the dimple effect. Agarwal says that Deepika Padukone’s dimpled cheeks have tempted patients to ask for the same.“Today, everything from your smile to your nose can be bought,” grins Pai. “You can achieve anything you want.”
Never grow old
Among the older stars, people still love Rekha’s strong jawline. She hasn’t faded from public imagination,” reveals Shetty. Patients also want to know the secret behind Dimple Kapadia’s luminous skin, while Madhuri Dixit’s smile still reigns as the most coveted of all. “It’s been a while since they’ve seen her, but many still think of her smile as the most beautiful.”
Skin deep
Beauty is skin deep, cosmetic physicians will testify to that. Bipasha Basu’s dusky skin may be looking considerably lighter, but Pai attributes her glowing skin to her new workout: “People love her glow, they’ve noticed the change in her skin texture. It’s mainly her fitness regimen that’s flushing all the toxins out of her system.”

Shetty adds that Kareena Kapoor’s pink flush also attracts a fair share of admirers. “Her skin is really flawless, she needs no make-up,” she avers. Sushmita Sen is another torchbearer for the dusky skin tone.
Body line
According to Dr Rustom Ginwalla, there was some truth to that size zero phenomenon. “One of the things that people ask for, unrealistically, is to have Kareena Kapoor’s figure. Some actually come with photographs of the stars. If it’s unachievable, I shoo them away because they will never be satisfied with the results.” Ginwalla admits that most Indian women, with their heavy bone structure, cannot realistically copy Kapoor’s narrow frame. “They want to have the same proportions, especially the slim waist.”
Liposuction being the key method used to reduce fat, is one of Ginwalla’s most popular procedures and is used to tame flabby arms, thighs and abs. He’s also launched a new method called baser high-def, which makes it possible to construct a six-pack without spending long hours sweating it out in the gym. “You need to be someone who’s relatively fit anyway,” he mentions. “What we do is sculpt the body, especially the chest and abdomen area, to emphasise the muscles. Most men who come in for these procedures want to look like Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om.”
And while actress Jennifer Lopez may have the world’s most desired derriere, in Mumbai, Malaika Arora Khan’s voluptuous assets have many women asking for the same. “But Malaika was born with that butt,” reveals Pai. “I’ve known her for many years. So I have to tell patients who ask for the same, that she is genetically endowed.”

Sushmita Sen will appear in an item number in Sajid Khan’s film, Housefull, dancing to the remixed version of the famous song ‘Apni Toh Jaise Taisi’.

Confirmation of Sushmita’s appearance in the song – first made famous by Amitabh Bachchan in the 1981 blockbuster Lawaaris – puts persistent rumours of Aishwarya Rai’s appearance in the Housefull item number to rest.

While Aishwarya Rai was indeed approached to appear in the song, sources say she has turned the offer down, allegedly due to the link the song has with her father-in-law. She is also currently busy with a filming schedule including Guzaarish, Action Replay and Endhiran. Had Aish agreed, it would have been only her third item number appearance, following ‘Ishq Kamina’ (with Shahrukh Khan in the film Shakti – The Power) and ‘Kajra Re’ (with Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan in the film Bunty Aur Babli).

Aishwarya’s loss is Sushmita’s gain. Sush will appear alongside Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Arjun Rampal in a dance number choreographed by Farah Khan. The music will be remixed by Shankar Ehsaan and Loy, to add today’s flavour while retaining a classic feel.

A survey by a popular research agency has revealed that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is among the most persuasive and likeable celebrities in India. She has also garnered over 98.8 per cent of recognition as well as recall value which is at par with father-in-law Big B and Sachin Tendulkar. The Bachchan bahu reportedly takes home Rs 4 crore per endorsement.

Katrina Kaif not only stole a jewellery endorsement deal from Ash but also became the face of Barbie, overstepping Mrs Bachchan junior. Sources claim that Katrina may be the new face of a soap brand, Ash is now endorsing. Katrina is endorsing as many as 12 brands and charges Rs 4.5 crore per endorsement. Recently, the lady replaced Priyanka in a telecom ad and became the face of a shampoo brand which Sushmita Sen used to endorse. Navin Shah says that Katrina is “growing bigger and bigger” and is even toppling Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra.Kareena Kapoor’s high profile endorsement are reportedly worth Rs 5 crore. Priyanka Chopra’s endorsement fee is close to Rs 3.5 crore per deal as her portfolio cuts across brands.

Looks like all beauty queens believe Tamil Cinema is the best place to kickstart their film career! Almost every Miss India in the recent past has made her presence felt down South before embarking on her Bollywood journey.

Aishwarya Rai debuted in Iruvar and continued to appear in Tamil films on and off (Jeans, Kandukondein Kandukondein). Now she will be seen after several years in Shankar’s Rajinikanth starrer Enthiran.

Sushmita Sen too tried her luck in South Indian films. She appeared opposite Nagarjuna in Rakshagan. Priyanka Chopra too made her cine debut with the Tamil film Tamizhan opposite Ilayathalapathy Vijay and Lara Dutta appeared with Action King Arjun in Aarasatchi.

The trend still continues, not only with beauty queens, but even Bollywood actresses doing more than shaking a leg or two in South Indian films. We have seen Kajol, Tabu, Sameera Reddy, Bipasha Basu, Kangna Ranaut, Tanisha, Riya Sen, Neetu Chandra and of course Mallika Sherawat in Kollywood. And then we have Genelia and Tamannaah who debuted in Hindi but found name and fame in Telugu and Tamil.

And now, we have Tanushree Dutta and Sarah Jane Dias all set to debut in Tamil with Theeratha Vilayatu Pillai. The movie stars Vishal in the lead role. Neetu Chandra completes the glamour trio.

Bipasha Basu, the husky dusky sexy bombshell of bollywood who oozes oomph with every twist and turn, has been selected to play the character of Abhishek Bachchan’s wife in upcoming mega- budget flick ‘Raavana’.

Bipasha Basu will play the part of Mandodari, who was ‘Raavana’s most loved queen and had the authority to advise him on any state matter without inviting wrath of the demon king. Sources close to director Mani Rathnam say that Bipasha will play a full-fledged role in the flick, and she is going to start shooting in right earnest from the middle of September. The highlight of Bipasha Basu’s character in ‘Raavana’ will be a sizzling hot item number, which is likely to be in the same genre as that of ‘Omkara’s ‘Bidi jalai le….’

In all, Bipasha will have around forty minutes of footage in Mani Rathnam’s magnum opus, which is likely to take around twenty days of her shooting time. Aishwarya Rai plays the part of Sita (not Abhi’s wife as was the case in Mani’s earlier flick ‘Guru’), while Vikram essays the part of Rama in the flick.

Sources close to Bipasha Basu say that Mani Rathnam had approached the sizzling hot bollywood diva for the role opposite Abhishek Bachchan around a month ago. Bipasha seized the opportunity and immediately said yes to the project. However, Mani had prevented her at that time from disclosing about it to anyone else, and so she kept mum till now.

But now when Bipasha Basu’s costumes are ready, she just can not hide her excitement about the project. Her look as Mandodari, ‘Raavana’s chief queen, is gorgeous, and sultry beauty has been waiting with bated breath to join the unit of ‘Raavana’ to shoot her sequences.

The buzz doing the rounds in the industry is that Mani Rathnam chose Bipasha Basu to play the part of Mandodari as she can project the right balance of oomph and intelligence in the scenes, which was a must for the character of Mandodari to come alive on the screen.

In fact, Mandodari was not only Raavan’s queen but is also credited with the invention of chess, which is purely a mind game. It is for this reason that whenever Mandodari would reprimand Raavana for abducting Sita, he would just laugh it off without being angry. In fact, Raavana had a deep respect for her intelligence and righteousness.

However, the grapevine has it that Bipasha Basu was not the first choice for Mandodari’s character and got the part only after Sushmita Sen rejected the offer. Insiders reveal that Sushmita Sen did not have any objection to the role, and in fact, wanted to enact the character but Aishwarya factor finally led her to opt out of the project.

It may be recalled that Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai have been bitter rivals from their initial days of Miss Universe and Miss World respectively. They never liked each other and have always tried to avoid as much as possible. So, there was no possibility of Sush forgetting all that for Mani Rathnam’s ‘Raavana’.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan might be all of 35 and is losing out on endorsement deals and positions to the likes of Kareena Kapoor and plastic actress gone lucky, Katrina Kaif, but she still is going strong in more ways that one.

Not just Ash, her contemporaries like Sushmita Sen, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Kajol too have been replaced by the likes of Kat, Bebo, Deepika Padukone, even Sonam Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza.

But Ash is doing better than her contemporaries.She may not be the face of Coca-Cola and Nakshatra diamond jewellery in India, but she still has successful and long-standing international endorsements.

She has completed nearly a decade of endorsing Swiss luxury watch brand Longines, international soap Lux and is the brand ambassador of global haircare brand L’Oreal since 2003. And unlike Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta who have moved.

On to businesses like IPL with rich boyfriends, Ash still has some good movies like Maniratnam’s ‘Raavan’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next with Hrithik Roshan, Vipul Shah’s ‘Action Replay’ with Akshay Kumar and a movie with Excel entertainment, probably one with Rajiv Menon as well. Hollywood top star Will Smith is still willing to work with her. That very well makes clear the fact that the dame is here to stay put in the glitzy world of showbiz for a few more years. The Kats, Bebos and Dipsys of the world be damned.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan might be all of 35 and is losing out on endorsement deals and positions to the likes of Kareena Kapoor and plastic actress gone lucky, Katrina Kaif, but she still is going strong in more ways that one.

Not just Ash, her contemporaries like Sushmita Sen, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Kajol too have been replaced by the likes of Kat, Bebo, Deepika Padukone, even Sonam Kapoor and Genelia D’Souza.

But Ash is doing better than her contemporaries. She may not be the face of Coca-Cola and Nakshatra diamond jewellery in India, but she still has successful and long-standing international endorsements.

She has completed nearly a decade of endorsing Swiss luxury watch brand Longines, international soap Lux and is the brand ambassador of global haircare brand L’Oreal since 2003. And unlike Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta who have moved on to businesses like IPL with rich boyfriends.

Ash still has some good movies like Maniratnam’s “Raavan’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next with Hrithik Roshan, Vipul Shah’s “Action Replay’ with Akshay Kumar and a movie with Excel entertainment, probably one with Rajiv Menon as well. Hollywood top star Will Smith is still willing to work with her. That very well makes clear the fact that the dame is here to stay put in the glitzy world of showbiz for a few more years.