Aishwarya Rai (Tulu-Kannada: ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯ ರೈ, Devanāgarī: ऐश्वर्या राय, IPA: [æʃvərjɑː rɑːj]) (born November 1, 1973), is a three-time Filmfare Award-winning Indian actress. She was Miss World in 1994 and has acted in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali and English films. Rai is married to Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan and is daughter-in-law to Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan.
Aishwarya Rai was born in Mangalore, in the South Indian state of Karnataka, to Krishnaraj Rai, a marine engineer, and Vrinda Rai, a writer on 1 November 1973. Her ancestors are from the Bunt community of Mangalore. Her family later relocated to Mumbai (Bombay). Rai has one elder brother, Aditya Rai who is a film producer.
Rai attended the Arya Vidya Mandir at Santacruz, Mumbai, then entered Jai Hind College, Churchgate, Mumbai for one year and then moved to Ruparel College, Matunga, Mumbai to finish her HSC. She was an A student and was on track to become an architect. Her mother tongue is Tulu. She also speaks Hindi, English, Kannada, Marathi and Tamil.
Rai began modeling on the side while pursuing for studies in Architecture, which did not materialise. In the 1994 Miss India contest, she was controversially placed second behind Sushmita Sen, and went on to win the Miss World title that same year and the Miss Photogenic award. After the one year reign as Miss World in London, she then worked as a professional model, in advertising and Indian fashion magazines and later got into Indian film industry.
After much speculation concerning their relationship, her engagement to Abhishek Bachchan was announced on January 14, 2007. [1] The event was heavily covered by the media. They married on April 20, 2007 in a private ceremony held at the Bachchans' bungalow Prateeksha [2]