One of Indian cinema’s most celebrated actresses, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns a year older on November 1. She started her career with the Miss India Beauty pageant in 1994 and went on to win Miss World. Her acting career began in 1997 with Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar. Aishwarya’s filmography is bejeweled with several popular films, many of which are blockbuster hits. However, she has also acted in some very rare and underrated films. An artist who likes to experiment with her craft, Aishwarya has given some critically acclaimed performances.
On her 48th birthday, let us look at some of Aishwarya’s best performances in her acting career:
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
In this Sanjay Leela Bhansali drama, Aishwarya plays Nandini, a carefree maiden who falls in love with a singer. However, after being forced to marry another man, she ventures out with her husband to reunite with her lover. In Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aishwarya captures the viewers’ attention from the very first frame she appears in. Despite being one of more commercial projects of her career, she aptly portrays every complex layer of her character.
Raincoat
A film that was forgotten at the box office but has over the years reclaimed much of its glory, this Rituparno Ghosh-directorial is another gem in Aishwarya’s filmography. It follows two lovers, who have been brought together after many years. Manoj (Ajay Devgn) knocks at his ex fiancee Neerja’s (Aishwarya) door under desperate circumstances. However he does not know that all is not hunky dory in her life. The interaction between the two lovers, with the longing and tension, is shown with a lot of compassion by Ghosh. Aishwarya’s performance in one of the best elements of the film.
Devdas
In Devdas, Aishwarya is a yearning Paro, who has to let her love go for the sake of her self-respect and family’s honour. She plays heartbreak and pride seamlessly, sometimes often at the same time. We see Paro go from a innocent and doe-eyed maiden to an aristocrat, battling obstacles and keeping her head high through it all. Many a times in the film, Aishwarya steals the spotlight from her co-stars Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. The climax of Devdas is a scene you cannot forget, no matter how long ago you watched it.
Chokher Bali
Rituparno Ghosh’s National Award-winning Bengali film Chokher Bali saw Aishwarya in one of her career-best performances. Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s work, the actress plays Bindondini, a young widow, who starts an affair with a married man out of loneliness. In this film that questions conventions for women, Aishwarya gives a strong yet vulnerable performance.
Sarbjit
In Omung Kumar’s Sarbjit, Aishwarya played Dalbir Kaur, who fought for years for the freedom of her brother Sarbjit Singh, who was imprisoned in Pakistan in suspicious of espionage and terrorism. Based on a real story, Aishwarya doled out a shockingly impactful role, fully emulating the pain and grief of a sister. While a memorable film in its own right, Aishwarya’s performance takes it to the next level.
Provoked
Provoked is easily considered Aishwarya’s top performance in her acting career. She played the real-life role of Karenjit Ahluwalia, who torched her husband. The actress played the trauma of a woman suffering from physical, sexual and mental abuse for a decade and how it all boils over. Aishwarya plays her part with a lot of precision, not letting it go in the direction of melodrama. Provoked is an underrated film that is solely carried by the actress.
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