It was written in the stars all the time. Aishwarya Rai was bound for glory. Even before she skyrocketed into the big league with her Miss World title in 1995, she was already a familiar face in Indian households as Aamir Khan's stunning new neighbor in the Pepsi commercial, not to mention countless other advertisement campaigns.

Shes Got The Look!

Thanks to her hypnotizing grey-green eyes, that sexy pout and dynamo flat stomach, Aishwarya Rai never really had to ever look for work in the ad world, which began as a casual modeling assignment for her college professor who used to co-ordinate fashion features for certain newspapers and magazines. More modeling offers simply kept piling on, including Garden and Pepsi. Suddenly she was smiling at you from everywhere, newspapers, billboards, television

Bollywood Beckons

It had to happen sometime. When you got a looker like Aishwarya, trust the film industry to drive in droves just to get her sign the dotted line. Would you believe that top notch filmmakers like Yash Chopra and Rajiv Rai approached her to act in their films. But she was only 19, still studying, and not quite ready yet. Nonetheless, Ash candidly admits that she nearly succumbed to temptation when Dharmesh Darshan asked her to play the heroine in Raja Hindustani!

Post Miss World

The whole nation was celebrating when Aishwarya returned triumphant as Miss World from Sun City, South Africa in 1995. It was now only a matter of time before she joined the film bandwagon. But despite the lure of Bollywood, Ash surprised all and sundry when she chose a Tamil film, directed by Mani Ratnam, to make her debut (incidentally she played a double role in the film!). Unfortunately, despite its visual brilliance, Iruvar, with its political backdrop, flopped.

When It Rains It Pours

Every time it rains, it pours, so go the lines of an old song. As luck would have it, Aishwarya's Hindi film debut turned out to be even more disastrous. Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya didnt just flop; it collapsed like the houses in Bhuj. It was slammed by critics, and worst still, the reviews labeled her as the ultimate non-actress. When the much touted RK film Aa Ab Laut Chalen and Jeans in its dubbed Hindi avatar met with the same result, nobody envisioned that Aishwarya had it in her to turn it around.

Turning Point

Then Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam happened. The film simply knocked the critics flat, as Aishwarya came off with both a Filmfare and a Screen Award that year for her brilliant performance. Says the actress, You might say it was the turning point of my career. We really worked hard on the film. I started discussing the character, thinking of the look, the mannerisms, traits, clothes. I even went and sat through the editing. We worked as a team. It was a beautiful experience. I really started enjoying my work.

Number One, & No Two Ways About It!

Though no one could have envisioned it a couple of years ago, Aishwarya Rai is the reigning Queen of Bollywood today, and the undisputed number one actress. Apart from just a solitary dud, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Aishwarya has consolidated her position in the last two years with a plethora of hits including Taal, Josh, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai and Mohabbatein Nobody dares question her acting prowess today.

The Final Word

Said Aishwarya in a recent interview, Films are my life right now. I never thought I'd come this way, but I'm glad life turned me in this direction and brought me into this wonderful world of films. It's magical and addictive. I don't come from a film family, but now that life has brought me here, I'm comfortable. I feel at home. I guess this is where I was meant to be.