November 1, 2013. Copyright 2013, Graphic News. All rights reserved

The Jewel of Bollywood
By Liam Bolton

LONDON, November 1, Graphic News:  Indian film actress and model Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 40 next month. She is one of the foremost Bollywood actresses of her generation.

Contemporary Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan celebrates her 40th birthday on November 1. A key player in the rise of Indian cinema in the West, she has won two Filmfare Awards, the Hindi film industry's version of the Oscars. Aishwarya is one of South Asia's most famous public figures, using her status to take on the role of brand ambassador for charities.

Born in Mangalore and brought up in Mumbai, her striking beauty led to an early career in modelling and she won the Miss World tournament in 1994. After receiving numerous offers from filmmakers she broke into Bollywood, starring in a series of successful films. However, Aishwarya is distinguished by roles that transcend Indian cinema. Her first excursion into international films was Bride and Prejudice (2004), a Bollywood-style musical version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that proved highly popular with western audiences. Her wedding into the Indian film industry's hugely influential Bachchan family, plus regular appearances on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, only added to her stratospheric status. Despite some obvious comparisons with Hollywood her role should be judged on its own merits alongside Bollywood's growing popularity worldwide.
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