Latest news with #AishwaryaRai
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
When Miss India 2002 Shruti Sharma said ‘beauty queens shouldn't opt for something like Bollywood' and gave this reason
After winning the coveted beauty pageant title, the path a winner takes next is closely followed. These pageant titles open up new roads, often seen as a stepping stone to fame and opportunities. Especially in India, for many Miss India winners, Bollywood becomes the natural next step. Bollywood has seen many beauty pageant winners turn to acting over the past few decades, including Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Manushi Chhillar. Let's take a look back at one of the standout answers at a beauty pageant that challenged this narrative. Shruti Sharma, who was crowned Miss India World 2002, shared how Bollywood should not be the first option after winning such pageants. The Instagram handle of The Great Pageant Community shared a snippet of her answer from the competition on April 8, when a judge on the panel asked Shruti whether pursuing Bollywood after winning a beauty title was 'a step forward or backwards'. A post shared by The Great Pageant Community ® (@tgpc_official) Designer Anand Jon Alexander asked Shruti, 'It seems that for a lot of Indian winners, Bollywood seems to be the final frontier. Is that moving backward or forward? I mean, you are in a very powerful position. What do you feel about this?' Shruti then said, 'I feel that after getting a prestigious title like Miss Universe or Miss World, beauties should not opt for something like Bollywood. I think they are moving backwards because they have a lot of scope to go abroad, be an international model and make us proud.' Shruti challenged the notion that acting should be the default route after winning a beauty pageant in India. According to her, it limits global opportunities, making Bollywood a 'step backwards'. When confined to the film industry, beauty pageant titleholders miss out on their international potential and the opportunity to represent India on more global platforms, according to her. The comments on the Instagram post, however, were divided, with some agreeing with her perspective and highlighting how a pageant title amplifies the potential to represent India on global platforms, and others expressing a different opinion. One Instagram user commented, 'Agreed! Pageantry is not just about beauty— it's about representing your country with purpose. It's a platform to travel, connect internationally, and create positive change. We don't have to limit our path to just ending up in cinema. We can carve our own journey—building global bonds, inspiring others, and expanding our impact beyond the spotlight." Some couldn't help but relate Shruti's answer to the current state of Bollywood, with one person noting, 'Her answer is perfect for today's bollywood condition nepo being showstopper, so it is better to explore outside.' Another Instagram user took a balanced view and wrote, 'I think it's all about perspective – whether you see it as moving 'forward' or 'backward'. Miss World like Aishwarya Rai, despite entering bollywood continued to work on her project and others like Smile train, successfully balancing both and being awarded 'Lifetime beauty with a purpose award'. In my perspective, she has only moved forward.' While another commented, 'I think it is a personal choice.' While others were not impressed, and one wrote, 'Terrible answer. Don't discount or put down Bollywood or previous winners who went on to become Bollywood actresses. It's not about moving forward or backward when stepping into Bollywood. It's about perspective, the individual's interests, where their strengths lie, and what they do with the path they choose to take. In Bollywood, you can make a difference with the types of movies and roles you select, something that can bring an important issue up for awareness (bring a good example of a movie that does this). Or, you can take a different path completely by playing to your strengths to make a difference in the world.' Another Instagram user pointed out the irony, as Shruti did star in a Bollywood movie in 2005, and added, 'And then she did a Bollywood movie Tezaab – The Acid Of Love.' ALSO READ: Miss World 2025 British contestant Milla Magee quits 'outdated' show hosted in India, says she felt 'like a prostitute'
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Aishwarya Rai 'Knows How To Play With You', Says Zayed Khan: 'Had Her Picture In Locker Room'
Zayed Khan lauded Aishwarya Rai for her professionalism and also praised her 'porcelain' skin. Aishwarya Rai captured the hearts of millions across the globe when she became Miss World. Zayed Khan was no exception. The actor used to have Aishwarya's posters in his locker room. As such, when he got the opportunity to work with her in Shabd, Zayed quickly agreed. In a recent chat with Siddharth Kannan, Zayed Khan opened up about working with Aishwarya Rai. Zayed Khan said, 'Shabd was the film that showed a married woman falling in love with a young man. Strangely, all the films that I had chosen were ahead of their time. Shabd had a good story. It was a slice of life told at a time when people weren't ready for it." He added, 'I was a fan of Aishwarya when she became Miss World. I used to have her picture in the locker room. When I heard the script of the film and learned that Aishwarya is in the film, I quickly asked, 'Where do I sign on?' I had a wonderful experience working with her." Zayed explained, 'She really knows how to play with you. There are actors who take time to come on set, and there is drama, and actual work is suffering; that's the worst situation to be in. But with Aishwarya, I thought it would be tough to break my fan moment, but she so naturally just said 'hi' and asked me if I wanted to do rehearsals first. She is so beautiful, it's like porcelain, it's not possible. Today, people do filters and all, but she had a natural filter." About Shabd Shabd (2005), directed by Leena Yadav, is a psychological drama that delves into the blurred lines between reality and fiction. The film stars Aishwarya Rai as Antara, a college lecturer, and Zayed Khan as Yash Agnihotri, a young admirer who becomes entangled in a complex narrative orchestrated by Antara's husband, Shaukat Vashisht, portrayed by Sanjay Dutt. The story unfolds as Shaukat, a celebrated author, grapples with writer's block. In a desperate bid for inspiration, he manipulates his wife's emotions by encouraging her to engage with Yash, hoping to fuel his creative process. This psychological experiment spirals out of control, leading to unforeseen consequences for all involved.
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
'There was love in the air' for Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai, says Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam director Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring the beloved Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan, is a classic romance tale that every cinephile must have watched. Today (June 18), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam completes 26 years since its release. On this special day, SLB recalled shooting this romantic saga, which touched the hearts of a million people. The filmmaker even mentioned how there was love on the sets while they were filming Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and even commented on its remake. Sanjay Leela Bhansali talks about Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai's chemistry In a conversation with ETimes, Sanjay Leela Bhansali recalled filming Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. When asked about the off-screen chemistry between the lead actors during the film's shoot, the filmmaker confirmed that indeed a chemistry was present on set. He said, "Yes, there was love in the air. But not just between them; there was a lot of affection among all of us. Zohra Sehgalji, Helen Aunty, Salman, Aishwarya, Vikram Gokhale, Smita Jayekar, we were like one big family. I don't think I've had such a fulfilling experience shooting any other film." Will Sanjay Leela Bhansali remake Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam? Further, Bhansali was asked if he would ever remake the iconic romantic tale Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. He stated that he would never remake any of his films, except for Khamoshi. Revealing why he wanted to remake Khamoshi, SLB shared that he wished to alter the ending of this movie. The filmmaker also expressed his working experience with Aishwarya Rai and shared how she was perfect as Nandini, as she matched his 'vision' of the character. Speaking about Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the film that was released in 1999, showcases a love triangle that is hit by unexpected twists at every turn. The surprising yet satisfying ending of the film, which was beautifully showcased by director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, remains a fan favorite climax in everyone's heart. Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam featured Salman Khan as Sameer, whereas Aishwarya played Nandini. The movie also starred Ajay Devgn, Vikram Gokhale, Smita Jaykar, and more in pivotal roles.
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
How Was Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai's Chemistry On Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Sets? 'Love Was In The Air'
Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai's De Chuke Sanam was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film hit theatres in 1999. When Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai worked together on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 1999 movie Hum…Dil De Chuke Sanam, their on-screen chemistry impressed everyone. But do you know what their equation like behind the camera? In a recent interview, Bhansali opened up about the same and revealed that 'love was in the air' when they all were shooting for his iconic film. 'Yes, there was love in the air. But not just between them; there was a lot of affection among all of us. Zohra Sehgalji, Helen Aunty, Salman, Aishwarya, Vikram Gokhale, Smita Jayekar—we were like one big family. I don't think I've had such a fulfilling experience shooting any other film," the filmmaker told ETimes. Bhansali further remarked that he does not see such equations between actors now. 'Today, it's purely professional. And honestly, I'm fine with that. Times have changed," he added. Interestingly, Salman was dating Somy Ali during that time. Last year, Sony was speaking to Times Now, when she claimed that the closeness between Salman and Aishwarya grew while they were shooting for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. 'The shoot (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam) was going on when I called up Salman but he didn't pick up. Then I called Sanjay Leela Bhansali and he said, 'He can't speak to you right now because he's in a shot'. I was like 'If he's in a shot, why aren't you directing it? Why are you picking up my phone call?' The logic defied me. He was cornered by me and didn't know what to say," she said. 'Later, Aish started coming to Salman's gym where we were living. Salman and I used to live on the ground floor of Galaxy where we had a gym also," Somy continued and then added, 'Aishwarya and Salman fell in love during the shooting of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. I was getting information from the servants inside who favoured me. I knew in my heart that their relationship was something that's gonna blossom. I knew it was time for me to leave." Reportedly, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai broke up in 2002 and did not work together again after that. In a 2012 interview with Simi Garewal, Aishwarya addressed her tumultuous break-up with Salman and said, 'I think I have quite shut it out. I think I wouldn't want to get into looking at it any which way and especially on a public platform. I really wouldn't want to." Aishwarya Rai married Abhishek Bachchan in April 2007. They welcomed their daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, in 2011. First Published:
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Zayed Khan recalls working with the 'really gorgeous' Aishwarya Rai in Shabd: ' I used to have a picture of her in my locker room'
recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane as he opened up about working with in the 2005 film Shabd. The actor revealed his long-time admiration for the former Miss World and how sharing screen space with her was a dream come true. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From being starstruck to cherishing their on-screen chemistry, Zayed's reflections offered a heartfelt look into one of his most cherished professional experiences. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Zayed reflected on his career choices, admitting he was drawn to unconventional roles, which often led him to films that were ahead of their time. Citing Shabd as an example, he described it as a powerful slice-of-life story that didn't resonate widely upon release but now leaves viewers saying, 'Oh my God, that's scary.' The actor opened up about working with Aishwarya Rai in Shabd, calling it a dream come true. He revealed he had been a fan since her Miss World days, even keeping her photo in his locker. 'She was such a professional and beautiful lady,' he said, adding that sharing screen space with her was a truly special experience. He fondly recalled working with Aishwarya Rai in Shabd, describing her as graceful, professional, and easy to work with. Having admired her since her Miss World win, he admitted to being starstruck initially but appreciated how effortlessly she helped him feel comfortable on set, making the experience truly memorable. Shabd, directed by Leena Yadav and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, featured , Aishwarya Rai, and Zayed Khan in lead roles. The film followed a reclusive writer who draws inspiration from his wife's real-life interactions with another man for his novel, leading to a blurred line between fiction and reality. While the film was lauded for its unconventional narrative and strong performances—particularly Aishwarya's nuanced act—it struggled to find commercial success at the box office.
