Aishwarya Rai

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee carried an unusual gift for Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani when he visited Pakistan last week - a box full of Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai’s movies.

The 55-year-old Pakistani premier lists Aishwarya and Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan as his favourite film stars. He said it was a “pleasant surprise” when he unwrapped the gift and found it contained a number of DVDs of his favourite actress’ films.

During an appearance on ARY Oneworld TV channel’s morning show, Gillani said that Mukherjee’s aides must have found out about his fondness for Indian films and specially Aishwarya Rai’s movies since he had written in his book Chah-e-Yousaf Say Sada that watching her films on the laptop was one of his favourite pastimes when he was imprisoned by Pervez Musharraf regime 2001-06.