Aishwarya Rai

After months of will they won’t they, actor Aishwarya Rai is finally engaged to Abhishek Bachchan.The marriage is expected in February, so what will marriage mean for Ms Rai who has made a name for herself internationally with a few Hollywood and international films.

13 years since she was crowned Miss World, Aishwarya is now seen as the face of contemporary indian cinema abroad. “i want to act with Aishwarya Rai,” said actor Will Smith.

“She is great and understands stuff,” said actor Ben Kingsley.

And that’s only two members of the steadily growing Aishwarya Rai international fan club. From legends like Ben Kingsley to heartthrobs Colin Firth and Dylan Mc Dermot, Ash is still in flavour.

Global face

Time magazine dubbed Ash the global face of indian beauty and it’s not hard to see why.

But it wasn’t just the French Riveria, London’s eye was also firmly fixed on Ash. She followed in her now father-in-law’s footsteps with a wax work at Madame Tussauds and even a not so sophisticated red carpet wardrobe couldn’t stand in the way of the Ash effect!

Film roles followed thick and fast. From the desi Lizzi Bennet in Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice to the Mistress of Spices opposite Dylan Mc Dermott, the L’Oreal brand ambassador was just getting warmed up!

Her turn as the battered British Asian housewife in Jag Mohan Mundhra’s Provoked won her critical acclaim on the festival circuit.

And of course there’s the Last Legion coming up where she plays Maya. Next on the anvil is a film based on the Bhopal gas tragedy.

international success

So does she shout her international success from the rooftops? “i am an actor first,” said Ash.

And then to further prove her more than “budding” fanbase overseas and also that a rose by any other name is not always as sweet, Amsterdam decided to name a tulip after her.

in Dubai too she made her mark at the studio Halls of Fame and now at the world premiere of Guru in Toronto - a screaming audience made their message clear - who needs Tom Kat or even Brangelina if we can get this power pair.

As she soars up the international charts, she complements her father in law’s international appeal as well. So get set for the three AB’S to take on the world.