SRK: “I think I look very sexy!”

Shah Rukh Khan has always been confident about his projects, be it films, TV shows or the IPL. So naturally, he wasn’t the least nervous before the first telecast of his latest quiz show, Paanchvi Pass. “I love quizzing and often quiz my kids and friends,” says SRK. “Actually, of all the 200-300 people involved in this project, I’m the most relaxed right now!”

We hear he’s been given a rather stylish and interesting look in the show. “The look is very cool,” agrees SRK with a smile. “It’s the kind of look that might have people saying ‘teachers don’t look like this’. But as far as I remember, all my teachers looked as handsome!”

King Khan quickly returned to his humble self upon being asked for his opinion on the recent Anurag Basu-Big B controversy. Basu had suggested that Amitabh Bachchan, SRK’s supposed rival, should retire. “Saying that Amitabh Bachchan should retire is like saying Sachin Tendulkar should retire,” he says. “These are not only legends, but people who make our country. None of us can dare tell Amitabh Bachchan what to do. He is beyond acting; he is an institution. You don’t tell an institution what to do.” Top marks for that answer, huh?

Bollywood focus: Aishwarya Rai

One of the biggest female names in Bollywood is that of Aishwarya Rai, the lady won the title of Miss World in the year 1994, after which there was no looking back and she took to acting in film

One of the biggest female names in Bollywood is that of Aishwarya Rai, the lady won the title of Miss World in the year 1994, after which there was no looking back and she took to acting in films. Aishwarya fondly referred to as Ash is known to one and all.

Ash was born in Manglore in Karnataka on the 1st of November 1973, the younger of the two siblings by 3 years. When she was 4 her family decided to move to Bombay and settled here for good. Her farther was an officer in the Merchant Navy.

Ash did her schooling in Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz. She was a bright student and excelled in her studies because of which she was elected as the head girl of the school. After school she went in for science at the D G Ruparel College. Ash wanted to pursue medicine but it was not to be and so she took Architecture instead. Even when in college she had been approached by ad firms to be a model in their advertisements. It was this attention that got her to try modeling and she was soon the hot favorite for ad makers. . Besides ads she also appeared on the covers of some of the most prestigious magazines like Vogue, TIME and others. Ash was an instant star with her good looks and her Miss World title.

Her stunning beauty and quick witted intelligence helped her win the much coveted crown of Miss World ’94, on returning she was immediately approached by top producers and directors to star in their upcoming movies. This was her entry ticket into the film industry. Her first film was with Mani Rathnam's 'Iruvar' (1997), for this movie she received critical acclaim from distinguished film personalities and also the critics. The movie Aur Paar Ho Gaya' (1997) directed by Rahul Rawail helped her win the award for the best female debutant award. Later on in 2000 she won the award from Film Fare and Zee Cine for the best actress in the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, followed by the best supporting actress award in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein (2000), and again in 2001 she was nominated for the best actress award for Satish Kaushik's "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai".

Not looking back Ash continued to forge forward and make a place for herself in the Indian film industry and on the international front. In 2002 Ash did Devdas which was honoured with a special screening at the Cannes film festival. The next year was more exciting as she was chosen to be on the jury for the Cannes Film festival. Besides this she was also chosen as a member of the elite L’Oreal Dream Team.

In 2004 Ash was selected for the lead role in Gurinder Chadha’s "Bride & Prejudice", her first English language film. Ash was also the first Indian woman to have a wax replica of her installed in Madam Tussad’s Museum in London. The actress has a big fan following in well known with over 17,000 sited dedicated to her she then finally decided to launch her own site named www.Aishwaryaworld.com.

A bit more on her personal life is that she was once dating Salman khan but unfortunately the two decided to part ways, but it was not smooth sailing with constant rows erupting between them. On the 14th of January ‘07 it was announced that Ash was engaged to Abhishek and on the 20th of April ’07 ash married Abhishek Bachchan. Now we just have to wait and see where she goes from this milestone in her life.