Ash and Abhi's Wedding Snaps.. Quick Overview

Ash in a Quick Overview

Nick Name : Ash, Aishu, Gullu

Title : Miss World 1994

Star Sign : Scorpio

DOB : November 01, 1973

Place of Birth : Mangalore, Karnataka

Height : 5 ' 7 "

Eyes : Blue-green

Family : Father, Mother Brinda, Brother Aditya

Marital status: Married to Abhishek Bachan

Languages : English, Hindi, Kannada,

Address : 402, Ramlaxmi Niwas, 16th Road (Near Khar Gym), Mumbai 400054, INDIA

Identification Marks: Mole on left hand above elbow

Nationality: Indian

Profession: Model, Actress (in Indian languages movies, mostly Hindi and Tamil)

Favourite Actresses: Madhubala, Madhuri Dixit

Father's Occupation: Merchant Navy Officer

Schooling: Arya Vidya Mandir, Santacruz, Bombay, India

Academic Record: Excellent Intermediate College DG Ruparel College, Matunga, Bombay, India. (Considered as the #1 science college in the city)

Career Selected After HSC: Architecture course at Raheja College, Bandra.

First modelling Assignment: When she was at 9th grade, Modelled for Camlin Industries, Pamolive, Casio pager, Pepsi, Philips Television, Sheetal Diva

Biography of Ash

Born on November 1, 1973 in Manglore, India, Aishwarya Rai was born into a well-educated family and raised by her mother, who held a teaching degree, and her father, a marine engineer.

At age 4 Aishwarya, along with her older brother, moved with their parents to Bombay where she would eventually major in architecture at the Rachana Institute. With natural beauty, charm and intelligence, Rai also modeled professionally - which led to her entering beauty contests and, ultimately, winning the title of Miss World in 1994. A series of modeling assignments followed when Bollywood inevitably beckoned. Rai soon landed her first film role in the critically acclaimed Iruvar in 1997.

From Miss World to Bollywood
Pronounced Ush-war-ya Rye (or Ash as she is popularly known), Aishwarya Rai has been a major international star ever since her role in Rahul Rawail's Aur Paar Ho Gaya won her the Best Female Debutante Award.

She also has been awarded Best Actress by FilmFare and Zee Cine for her work in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and nominated for performances in Mohabbatein and Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai.

Worldwide acclaim finally came in 2002 with her appearance opposite Shahrukh Khan in Devdas, the first Bollywood picture to receive a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival, which later broke box-office records in India and the United States.

Today, Aishwarya Rai is the actress that Julia Roberts calls "the most beautiful woman in the world." Rai has graced the covers of magazines worldwide, including the India edition of TIME Magazine as well as appearances in publications ranging from The Rolling Stone to the UK's Hello! Magazine.

From Bollywood to Hollywood
Abhishek Bachchan &Aishwarya Rai in "Guru"Rai's inevitable
debut in Hollywood came with a starring role appearance in Bride and Prejudice, a re-working of the Jane Austin novel directed by Bend It Like Beckham director, Gurinder Chadha, which had its U.S. release in Feburary, 2005.

In her claim to Tinsel Town stardom, Rai appeared on American TV in a nationally televised interview on '60 Minutes' and on The Late Show with David Letterman.

In 2005, the actress was followed everywhere by paparazzi when she made a surprise appearance at the opening of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, and was a major focus of attention on the Oprah Winfrey June 2005 special, Women Across the Globe.

Meanwhile, Rai has wrapped up filming on her biggest Hollywood film to date playing a Byzantine warrior princess in The Last Legion, co-starring with Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley.Another recent film, Provoked, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and was being readied for worldwide release.

One Scandal... and a Wedding
Back in Bollywood in 2007, the actress was at the center of controversy when a kissing scene in "Dhoom 2" so outraged lawyer Shalendra Dwivedi that he filed a criminal case against the actress and co-star Hrithik Roshan for public lewdness and obscenity.

However, that news was quickly eclipsed by wedding plans to actor Abhishek Bachchan with whom Rai co-stars in Guru.

The official wedding day finally arrived on April 20 when a quiet, private ceremony was attended by close friends and family. The wedding was preceded by a tradtional Sangeet (music) celebration and a mehendi (henna) ceremony.

By Hollywood standards, the nuptials were successfully guarded from an anticipated media
circus, dramatically punctuated by one bizarre incident in which a fledgling actress - claiming to be groom's secret lover - publicly slit her wrists in protest.Abhishek Bachchan, son of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, was at one time engaged to former actress Karisma Kapoor.

It is the first marriage for both Bollywood stars.

In February, Ash's fortunes continued to rise when she won the Star of the Year Award (female) at the Max Stardust Awards held in Mumbai for her performance in Dhoom 2, the same role in which she was nominated as Best Actress at the annual FilmFare Awards.

Meanwhile, her next U.S. flim release, "Provoked", opened the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles on April 9.

Oops Who's Uninvited Ash

After the innumerable speculations and predictions about the Abhi-Ash wedding date and preparations, the talks rounds is the ‘guest list’ – who all were invited, and more importantly, who weren’t Only recently it was reported that only a select few celebrities have made it to the guest list.

The Bachchans may have claimed that the wedding is a close knit family affair. However, it comes as a surprise when industry insiders inform that even Abhi’s childhood friend Hrithik Roshan hasn’t been invited. And Rani Mukherjee, whom many believe that Abhi shares the best online chemistry with, and claims is a very good friend, hasn’t received a wedding card, yet.Apparently, Hrithik Roshan, Rani Mukherjee, Shah Rukh Khan, JP Dutta, Bipasha Basu, John Abraham have also not been invited by the Bachchans, in spite of their close affiliation with the family, especially with Abhishek.

If rumours are to be believed, only eleven film families – Kirron-Sikander Kher, Goldie Behl-Sonali Bendre, Rohan Sippy, Ajay Devgan-Kajol, Riteish Deshmukh, Karan Johar and mom Heeru, the Chopras – Yash Chopra, Aditya and Uday, Sunil and Mana Shetty are the only ones to have made it to the wedding list so far.Leave alone our dear industrywalas, even some members of Fourth Estate, known for their loyalty and affinity towards the Bachchans have been conveniently ignored.

So, has the limited number of invitees to the supposedly biggest film shaadi led to many-an-ego-breakdown? Because some of the uninvited still pretend to be up on the priority list of the B’s. But sadly won’t be able to make it to the mandap to bless the dahling couple as they will be “out of town”, or so they say, or because they’re still awaiting the multi-paged wedding invitation which is certainly not on its way. However, the simple truth is that they just haven’t been invited.

We can well understand why the Bachchans may have avoided inviting Salman Khan and Viveik Oberoi for the Abhiash wedding. After all, the ‘No ex-lovers please’ mantra is well justified. And so, the avoidance of the Kapoors (Karisma & Kareena Kapoor) from the sacrosanct union is also understandable, but what isn’t is the exclusion of the rest of the film fraternity – the so-called ‘close friends’ of the jodi.

Worse Wedding Gifts for Ash

Buying the right wedding present is a tedious task. It’s something we’d rather not rack our brains with. But with the much-trumpeted occasion of the Abhi-Ash wedding just around the corner, celebs on and off the guest list will be on a gift-hunting frenzy. Now, you can’t just gift money or kitchen sets to Abhishek and Aishwarya – I mean this is the union of the hottest celebrity.

So well-wishers will have to start getting imaginative, otherwise they risk being labeled ‘dull’ by the Bachchans. And this is one tag anyone will find hard living down however big a shot he or she is. So now, secretaries will be sought and consultants consulted for the perfect gift. But there will always be some independent thinkers who will choose to make their own decisions. Of course, some of these free spirits will purchase disastrous presents for the divine duo in their unchecked moment of enthusiasm. Indiatimes Movies speculates what some of these well-intentioned but unfortunate presents could be.

Blow Dryer from Viveik Oberoi

Ash’s former flame Viveik Oberoi would gift Abhishek a mobile battery operated blow dryer – No this won’t be for his long black tresses, but they’re meant to thaw out Ash whenever she becomes the ice maiden. Poor boy Viveik felt the chill when he and Ash were the hot (cold?) couple. But now that his ice age is over, we’re sure some warmth has returned to his heart to gift such a present. His accompanying card would read, “Dear Abhi, if Ash drops the temperatures too low, then you can use the dryer on yourself.”

A book on dancing from Rakhi Sawant

We all know what an authority figure Rakhi Sawant is on item dances. That’s why we think she can pen a guide book on seductive item dances just for Ash. The dance book will have all the super-secret super-sexy dance moves to keep AB Baby ogling. Rakhi could write in her typical style, “You master meri book and tera mard won’t sing Kabhi Kabhi, but always Abhi Abhi.” - We only worry about the effect Rakhi’s literary skills will have on poor Ashu’s mind. *sigh*

An exotic holiday package from Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan could gift the lovebirds with an exotic holiday package for two. The King Khan would want Abhishek and Aishwarya to be someplace that gives them their privacy. Thus he could charter them a trip to Antarctica (the coldest and harshest place on Earth). Of course, he knows the cold will give those two a chance to huddle up which we think is so romantic and thoughtful. And Ash will just feel so much at home there – she’s the ice-maiden, remember?

Self-made music DVD from Salman Khan

Bad boy Salman would give Ash a DVD compilation of all the scenes where he’s been bare-chested, this is either where he’s been dancing, working out or just sitting idle. Of course a CD would be much too small to showcase any of this. The song playing throughout this testosterone-filled display of brawn would be ‘Oasis – Don’t Look Back in Anger’. The DVD would be a reminder of the things Ash saw in Sallu.

Shoes from Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt could give both Abhi and Ash a pair of lead shoes. This is so that massive attention at their union won’t let them and their inflated egos soar into space. “Remain on the ground Bachchans,” cautions the wise old Mr. Bhatt.

A Gown from Celina Jaitley

Celina can gift Ash a beautiful and costly black shimmery metallic Valentino gown. The dress is very pretty, but it’s also embarrassingly low-cut. We all know Celina’s motto is ‘Assets are meant to be flaunted’!

Paparazzi stun gun from Sanjay Dutt

Sanjay Dutt believes that every celebrity should have the right to protect himself, which is why he can gift the soon-to-be-newly-weds with the best in electroshock weaponry - an M-26 Taser gun! Now the pesky paparazzi and intrusive fans will have the shock of their lives when they try to invade their privacy.

A self-help book from Shilpa Shetty

This one’s another book for the newlyweds. It’s called ‘Avoid controversies and remain unnoticed’. We really think that controversy is a good thing for anyone’s career whether it is Ash, Abhi or Shilpa!

Someone Was Busy on Ash's Wedding

for Shah Rukh, Salman, Hrithik, Viveik, Rani and Karisma; these stars are busy doing their own thing today All roads lead to Prateeksha in JVPD today for the Abhiash wedding, but only for those select guests from Bollywood, politics and the corporate world whom the Bachchans have thought it fit to have for the celebrations. The others who haven’t been invited, friends and celebrities included, don’t consider themselves underprivileged; in fact, most of them aren’t even sulking, but are going about life and work as usual today. BT runs a red pencil down the checklist of people the Bachchans have declared persona non grata today to see who is doing what even as Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai take the saat pheras.

Salman Khan, Viveik Oberoi, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, and Hrithik Roshan among others are either shooting or holidaying today. Hrithik, who categorically stated that he wasn’t invited by the Bachchans for the wedding (though he stays a few metres away from Prateeksha) is busy shooting for Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodha Akbar in Karjat today. There are rumours that the Bachchans were upset with Ash’s liplock with Hrithik in Dhoom 2 and that’s why the hunk didn’t get the coveted gold invite. But those are only rumours. Ash’s former good friend Viveik Oberoi, who’s still nursing a broken heart after he realised that his so-called relationship with the doe-eyed beauty wasn’t progressing to the altar, is out of town. He is in his maternal grandparents’ house in a village near Chennai.

Viveik’s grandma passed away recently and the entire Oberoi khandaan is there completing the post-cremation rituals. “It’s also Viveik’s mother Yashodhara’s birthday. So the family will celebrate it there. They are on an extended holiday and are expected back after the 22nd,” said a friend of Viveik’s. Ash’s former boyfriend Salman Khan, who’s moved on in life and found love again in Katrina Kaif, is in Dubai with his girlfriend. She is shooting there for a film. “Salman is expected back either on 21st or 22nd. He and Katrina are having another holiday after their Malaysian break recently,” said somebody close to Sallu.

Ash’s best friend in the past and the Bachchans’s one-time favourite, Rani Mukherjee, who fell out with Ash after she replaced her in Shah Rukh Khan’s home production Chalte Chalte, may have buried the hatchet with the bride but they will never renew their friendship again. Rani, who has been shooting for Pradeep Sarkar’s Laagi Chunri Mein Daag, has been working nonstop on various locations in the city. Today also the actor will be shooting. “Even though the schedule is supposed to get over by 8 pm, it stretches to midnight sometime. We don’t know her correct schedule, but for sure, Rani will be shooting today,” said Papa Ram Mukherjee.

As for Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan, whose noninclusion in the guest list is most noticeable, he is shooting today for Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om. “But his night plans have still not been revealed to anyone,” said a source from Mannat. Karisma Kapur was in Delhi till last night. Today, she’s flying to Mumbai to celebrate mom Babita’s birthday along with sister Kareena and father Randhir Kapoor.

Ash's Mehndi Ceremony

Just as the dhamakedaar sangeet ceremony of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai brought down the roofs of Prateeksha on Wednesday night, yesterday afternoon was more of a chilled out affair at the Bachchan’s bungalow for the mehendi ceremony. All the guests who partook in the revellery previous night in the sangeet kicked off the henna ceremony with the same enthusiasm. Rinkie Khanna, Shweta Bachchan Nanda and Nima (Romesh Sharma’s daughter) were seen enjoying themselves after they coloured their hands with henna.

On the sangeet night also, the trio sparkled with a scintillating dance performance. The sangeet night with loads of naach gaana, emotions and drama thrown in, was surely memorable for everyone.

On Wednesday evening, the bride and her friends got ready at Bachchan’s other bungalow Jalsa before they came to Prateeksha for the merry making night.

The function started with a performance from Ash’s family side. According to a source, her sister in law Srima, brother Aditya, mother Brinda and father, took to the dance floor amidst applause.

But when the Bachchan parivaar and their friends hit the floor, sangeet took a new meaning altogether. Jaya’s mother and two sisters too danced at the joyous occasion.

Rajendra Singh Masterji was the official choreographer for the Abhiash sangeet, and Karan Johar choreographed the grand finale with the popular title track of Salaam-E-Ishq.

Guests started pouring in before the scheduled time, to avoid the mad traffic jam outside Prateeksha. Kajol and Ajay Devgan, Sonali Bendre and Goldie Behl, Abhishek’s childhood friends Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan from Delhi, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, Neeta Lulla, Dimple Kapadia and daughter Rinkie, Suniel and Mana Shetty, Preity Zinta, Amar Singh and family, Anil and Tina Ambani, Subroto Roy and wife Sapna made up the illustrious guest list.

There were food stalls spread across the venue, with different cuisines. The party continued till the wee hours of morning, and nobody was willing to take off their dancing shoes!

Dress Circle Both Abhishek and Ash were dressed up in Abu-Sandeep creations for the sangeet. Ash wore an aqua blue lehenga and Abhishek a matching aqua blue sherwani. Jaya and Amitabh also wore Abu-Sandeep outfits for the sangeet. While Amitabh wore a mehendi green sherwani, Jaya was dressed in a mango and off-white lehenga with green work, matching again! Shweta Bachchan’s pretty pink lehenga got her a lot of praise. For the mehndi , both Abhi and Ash wore Abu Sandeep’s chikan work outfits — she wore an off-white chikan lehenga while he wore an off-white chikan sherwani.

Ash's Luxurious "Doli"

Ash's bidaaiceremony will be held on April 21 at La Mer, after which Ash will leave for Pratiksha on her red doli. (The dolicosts Rs 75,000 and took 22 days to put together) Okay, so the big day is here. The most talked-about wedding of the decade is all set to take place this evening at around 5.30 pm, according to the mahurat fixed by Amitabh Bachchan's pundits, who have specially been flown down from Benares. We got hold of an exclusive picture of the biggest wedding accessory of them all: the doli. "No one knows that the actual bidaai ceremony will take place on April 21. The procession will go from La Mer to Abhishek's house, Pratiksha. The Bachchan doli is silver which will be used after the wedding. However, Aishwarya will travel on 21st morning in a red doli. The doli costs around Rs 75,000 and it took around 22 days to construct. The design was finalised by the Rais a long time back but they wanted some changes, especially in the seating area. They also wanted the handle to have metallic sticks with golden wires. The doli looks stunning now," says our source. The mehendi ceremony happened yesterday afternoon at Ash's La Mer apartments in Bandra. The catering for the same is being done by ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton. Our source, an insider at La Mer, says, "The decorations are being done by National Decorators from Vile Parle. For the mehendi, a huge air-conditioned banquet hall has been constructed in the compound where the guests can dine. A special tunnel-like entrance has been designed to keep the paparazzi from peeping in. The banquet hall will be in use for at least three days after the wedding, since guests have been flown in from all over." A special table was constructed after its design was passed by Aishwarya's brother Aditya. "Every single thing has had to been 'passed' by the entire family from the decoration tapestries to sitting arrangements, down to the cutlery on the tables," says our source.

Aishwarya Rai: A manipulative daughter-in-law

Aishwarya Rai will play the brain behind Abhishek Bachchan in Sarkar 2.

After marriage, Aishwarya Rai will face the camera for Ram Gopal Varma's ambitious sequel Sarkar 2. If sources are to be believed, the actress will be playing the pivotal role of a manipulative daughter-in-law of the Nagre family. The plot: By now Abhishek has assumed the position of the patriarch; an aged and feeble Amitabh Bachchan keeps himself to the house. The filmmaker who is adept at making underworld-related films now shifts the focus to the daughter-in-law who eventually, evolves as the matriarch in the family.

Apparently, the plot has Aishwarya masterminding strategies to retain the family's monopoly in different underworld businesses. Abhishek will be shown falling back on his wife in times of crises. A source from the production house says, "Aishwarya's character holds a lot of importance in the sequel. Amitabh Bachchan will be reduced to being a helpless old man who has only his experiences to share with his son, the new godfather. Abhishek, along with his wife, will run the business and sort out problems of the people. Aishwarya will be seen as a shrewd woman."

Another source adds, "She is not an out-and-out negative character. She strikes a balance between her household work and the family business. She loves her family, at the same time she can be ruthless when it comes to dealing with wayward characters."

Reportedly, Ash will sport minimal make-up in the film. Another source close to the actress says, "She is quite excited about the film. The plot is quite close to real life. She will play bahu to the family." The film is supposed to hit the floors in June.

Ash In Hollywood Again

Aishwarya Rai to Star In More Hollywood Films
Aishwarya Rai, the reigning queen of Bollywood, is about to take Hollywood by storm with several more U.S. film projects underway.
Rai will play opposite Meryl Streep in "Chaos", directed by Coline Serreau. The film is an English language remake of the director's critically-acclaimed French drama. Rai will play the part of the young woman who is helped out of recovery by Streep's character, after being badly beaten by street thugs.
It will be the second English-language film for Bollywood superstar Rai, who's currently appearing in Bride & Prejudice with co-star Martin Henderson ("The Ring"), for director Gurinder Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckham"). Rai is also signed to star in the IMAX presentation Taj Mahal for release in 2005. Rai will portray the role of Mumtaz, for whom the Taj Mahal was constructed.
It has also been announced that the actress will also executive produce and star in a major motion picture tentatively titled Windfall, the film will be produced by Zachary Coffin and is scheduled to begin filming in Fall 2005.
The fiction feature film, a mystery inspired by true events, is set mostly in present day America, with flashbacks to Bhopal. The movie tells the story of a young woman’s search for her father, a plant manager on duty the night of the historic disaster. Ms. Rai plays the lead role, Jasmine Singh, an Indian-American debutante born in Bhopal but raised in Beverly Hills.
“The story of the disaster in Bhopal is all too tragic,” said Ms. Rai. “But this film will be inspiring. The story of a young woman’s search for her father, the love story with her American fiancé and the issues she goes through as a survivor of the disaster – I simply had to be involved. And I hope the films’ success will draw attention to the need of victims in Bhopal, and to those everywhere who’ve suffered from injustice.”
“This is a heroic role, like Erin Brockovich, but on an epic scale – The Insider meets Titanic,” said producer Zachary Coffin. “Aishwarya was our first, last and only choice to play the lead, and I truly believe this will be the most inspiring performance of her career yet.”