Aishwarya Rai

The much awaited colorful wedding ceremony of Indian cine-star Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai is scheduled to be held on this Friday. Bachchan residence Prateeksha (await) is all set to host the wedding of Bollywood’s most eligible bachelor and the most beautiful woman in the world – Aishwarya Rai.

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s home here resembles a fortress ahead of the Aishwarya-Abhishek wedding. However, the family wants it to be a private affair with every visitor being given a thorough once-over and curious passers-by promptly shooed away by security guards.

During her wedding ceremony, Aishwarya Rai will wear a traditional hand-embroidered sari with intricate gold work on her wedding day, said the actor’s favorite designer in an interview published on Tuesday.

Rai, a former Miss World, is to wed well-known actor Abhishek Bachchan on Friday.

Neeta Lulla said, she designed the sari and a red and gold embroidered flowing skirt and cropped blouse for the actor to wear at a “mehendi'’ ceremony on Wednesday. In Indian weddings, mehendi, or henna, is applied in elaborate tattoos on the bride’s hands and legs.

Lulla told Mumbai-based DNA newspaper that while she had designed some of Rai’s outfits, the actor would also wear a sari created by famous Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.

Both Rai and Bachchan have been practicing a dance routine they plan to perform before a selected group of relatives and friends during a musical ceremony on Thursday, the daily said. Bachchan’s friend and Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan is also expected to entertain guests.

In movie-and music-mad India, it is common for the couple and their family to perform choreographed dance routines during pre-wedding ceremonies.

A red and blue air-conditioned tent with huge mirrors is being readied in a garden adjoining the Bachchan’s suburban family home for what is billed as India’s “wedding of the year.'’

Bachchan and Rai were engaged to be married in a private ceremony in January. Family friends have told the media to respect the family’s wish for privacy.

Bachchan, 31, and Rai, 33, have worked together in several movies.

In their latest hit movie “Guru,'’ Rai played the supporting wife to Bachchan who portrays a man from a small Indian village who strives to become a top industrialist. The film is based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance Industries, one of India’s top conglomerates.

A former Miss World, Rai has acted in more than 30 movies and is known overseas after having starred in several commercials for cosmetic companies.

Bachchan comes from a famous Bollywood movie family his father, Amitabh, and mother, Jaya, is among India’s best known actors.