Aishwarya Rai

Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has denied reports he attempted to exorcise a curse from his soon to be daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai.

Indian press coverage in November alleged the Bachchan family performed Hindu religious rituals to lift bad luck from the 33-year-old former Miss World - who announced her engagement to Abishek Bachchan in January this year - at a sacred site in India.

But Amitabh says, “Nothing like this ever took place”, adding the media had been “intrusive and insensitive” over the family’s visit to a temple in Varanasi, where the exorcism was reported to have occurred.

Rai is known in her native India as being under a “manglik” - a curse determined by her horoscope. According to astrologers, Abhishek could risk a premature death if he weds Rai before the unlucky burden is removed.

Astrologers have suggested the actress could be forced to marry a tree or an idol of Hindu god Vishnu to remove her “unlucky” status.