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The gorgeous lady enters her 39th year tomorrow on November 1. With a healthy Bollywood graph and beauty to die for, Aishwarya Rai has mesmerised millions over the years. We identify the graceful lady for her remarkable films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas, Dhoom:2, Guru, Provoked, Chokher Bali, Raincoat and innumerable others. But the former Miss World and Padma Shri awardee is much more then you actually know. So Koimoi presents to you, some lesser known facts of the green eyed beauty on the occasion of her birthday.
1) Aishwarya’s first commercial was for Camlin pencils when she was only in the Ninth grade.
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2) In 2005, she had Tulips named after her in the Netherlands, at the Keukenhof Gardens.
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3) She had been the brand ambassador for Indian Eye Bank and has pledged to donate her eyes, which she considers her biggest asset.
4) She has been approached by immense number of Hollywood films like Hitch (2005), Helen’s role in Troy (2004), Myth, Rush Hour 3 and was the first choice for Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
5) In 2005, Mattel had released a limited edition collection of dolls, inspired by Aishwarya Rai in Britain. It had been sold out within minutes it hit the shelves.
6) Aishwarya was the first Indian to feature in The Oprah Winfrey show, on Apri 25, 2005.
7) She has puppy named Sunshine.
8) Rekha was the first movie star whom Aishwarya met at a very young age. Ash was still modeling at that time. Rekha recognized her from her commercials and complimented on her good looks and wished her a great future.
9) She was the Coca Cola girl for the Middle-east and South Asia. Ash and Aamir Khan are the only ones to star in both Coca Cola and Pepsi advertisements.
10) Before facing the limelight, Ash tried unsuccessfully dubbing for a television serial.
11) Richard Steinmetz, the host of the Miss World (1994) asked Aishwarya out, after she won the title, to which she politely refused.
12) A bright student which she was, her favourite was Zoology. She wanted to study Medicine but settled for Architecture.
13) She is the only Indian to have graced the maximum covers of International magazines. She was the first Indian celebrity to feature in the Rolling Stones magazine cover.
14) Aishwarya is a Bunt, a South Indian community who speak Tulu. Shilpa Shetty and Sunil Shetty also belong to the same group.
15) She was approached to host the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005 but she declined, as she was busy shooting for The Mistress of Spices.
16) Aishwarya shuns the bling, she doesn’t like wearing jewellery. She even detests wearing wigs for any role.
17) She is the most photographed celebrity and has over 17,000 fan made websites dedicated to her.
18) Aishwarya was the first Indian actress to be made a jury member in the Cannes Film Festival.
19) Ash was offered the female lead in Munnabhai MBBS, which she turned down to make way for Gracy Singh. She also turned down Rani Mukerji’s role in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Chalte Chalte.
20) Her love for watch collection might be another reason she endorses the Longines watches since 1999.
21) She had been voted the Most Beautiful Actress by Hello Magazine beating the likes of Gawneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2003. And even placed 12th in the Vh1’s Sexiest Actress of the last 20 years (2005). She was listed amongst the Top 100 Most Influential People by Time in 2004.
22) Such is Aishwarya’s popularity that her second statue was erected by Madame Tussauds placed in the Blackpool. Her Cannes look in Ellie Saab gown was inspiration for the second statue, the previous one being in a sari in London. The London Statue was even flown to the New York Museum, making it the first for any Indian Actress.
The epitome of beauty and presently, a happy mother is one of the most prominent faces of Bollywood, who has made her international mark very successfully. Of late, many have criticised the dame for her weight issues. But, sidling them she has moved on to become the UNAIDS ambassador and cherishes to do her part of spreading awareness and is working to achieve the UN targets.
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