Aishwarya Rai was born on November 1, 1973, in Mangalore, Karnataka, India, to Krishnaraj Rai, a marine biologist with the Indian Army, and Brindya Rai, a homemaker with a background in writing. Raised in a traditional Hindu household, Aishwarya has consistently upheld her spiritual beliefs. She spent the majority of her childhood in Mumbai and completed her schooling at Arya Vidya Mandir High School.
Her interest in modeling emerged early. While still in the ninth grade, she participated in a commercial photo shoot for Camlin pencils. After high school, she briefly attended Jai Hind College before transferring to DG Ruparel College in Matunga, where she excelled academically, especially in zoology. During this time, an English professor with a passion for photography took her portraits, which were later published in a fashion magazine. These photographs caught the attention of advertising agencies, leading to features in popular TV commercials and launching her modeling career.
Aishwarya Rai quickly rose to prominence in the modeling industry, admired for her striking beauty and poise. In 1991, she won the Ford Supermodel Contest, which led to a feature in the American edition of Vogue. Her profile reached new heights in 1994 when she was named first runner-up at the Femina Miss India pageant. Later that year, she represented India at the Miss World contest held in South Africa and emerged victorious, becoming Miss World 1994. This achievement not only elevated her status internationally but also signaled her potential in the entertainment industry.
Following her pageant success, Aishwarya transitioned from modeling to acting. She made her film debut in 1997 with the Tamil-language political drama Iruvar, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The film was well-received for its storytelling and performances, highlighting her potential as a serious actress. In the same year, she appeared in her first Bollywood film, Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya. Though the film was not a commercial success and reviews of her performance were mixed, she persisted in building her film career.
A career breakthrough came in 1998 with the release of Jeans, directed by S. Shankar. The film was praised for its visual appeal and Aishwarya's performance, bolstering her credibility as an actress beyond her beauty. Thereafter, she appeared in films of various genres and languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, and English. Her dedication and adaptability earned her both critical and commercial acclaim over the years.
| Birth Date: | 1 Nov, 1973 |
| Age: | 46 yrs |
| Occupations: | Film actor Model Beauty pageant contestant |
| Citizenship: | India |
| Birth Place: | Mangalore |
| residence: | Mumbai |
| Education: | University of Mumbai |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | Indian actress |
| Twitter Id: | AishwaryaRaiWeb |
| Spouse: | Abhishek Bachchan [M. 2007] |
| Net Worth 2021: | 100 million |
