Aishwarya Rai

Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek get engaged

Mumbai, Jan. 15 (PTI): Bollywood hearthrob, Aishwarya Rai, and actor Abhishek Bachchan ob Sunday night got engaged to each other at a quiet ceremony here, setting the stage for the marriage of the film industry's most talked-about couple. The engagement between Abhishek who turns 31 on February 5 next, and 33-year-old Aishwarya Rai, was held at the residence of the Bachchans in suburban Juhu, the actress' Secretary Hari Singh said. The event, attended by family members and close friends of the Bachchan and Rai families, took place between 8.30 p.m. and 9 p.m, hours after Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek returned here from New York from the prommo of their just-released film 'Guru' directed by Mani Ratnam. Sources said Abhishek put a ring on the finger of Aishwarya Rai to mark the engagement, but no date has been set for the wedding between the two of Bollywood's hottest stars. The engagement came against the backdrop of rave reviews of 'Guru', giving a major boost to the careers of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek. Among those present at the ceremony were Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya Bachchan, their close friend and Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh, the parents of Aishwarya Rai, industrialist Anil Ambani and his actress-wife, Tina. The engagement came nearly one-and-half months after Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Rai, accompanied by Amitabh and Jaya, offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi on November 26, heightening speculation about a marriage between the younger Bachchan and the actress. There had been considerable speculation in the media about marriage between Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai, but neither family had confirmed it before the engagement ceremony last evening. Amitabh had said in London in November 9 last year that he wanted Abhishek to settle with a "good girl" of his choice. Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai have starred together in Hindi films like Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, Kuch Na Kaho and Umrao Jaan. After the unimpressive viewers' response to Umrao Jaan, a re-make of Muzaffar Ali's highly-acclaimed movie of the same name in early 1980s, the critical appreciation of 'Guru' has boosted the careers of Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai, Bollywood analysts say.

Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai to wed this year, manager says

Aishwarya Rai arrives for the gala premiere of 'Guru' in Toronto. (CP PHOTO/Aaron Harris)
MUMBAI, India (AP) - Bollywood movie stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are engaged and
will marry later this year, the former Miss World's manager confirmed Monday, ending months of
speculation about their relationship.
Rai and Bachchan exchanged engagement rings in a small ceremony before a small group of relatives
and friends late Sunday, Hari Singh told The Associated Press. "Yes, it is true. Abhishek and Aishwarya
are engaged," Singh said. "The wedding will definitely take place this year."
The couple was in Toronto last week for the splashy premiere of their film "Guru," and there had been
speculation they might announce their engagement while visiting the city.
There has been talk for several months about the love lives of the two actors, and news of their
engagement was the top story in several Indian newspapers. The Times of India newspaper reported the
wedding would take place in February or March.
"The children (Abhishek and Aishwarya) have decided (to marry)," Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood
legend and Abhishek's father, told The Times of India. "We are very happy."
Abhishek Bachchan, 31, and Rai, 33, have worked together in several movies.
In "Guru," Bachchan plays a man from a small Indian village who works his way to becoming a top
industrialist and Rai plays his supportive wife.
The two also starred in a period drama "Umrao Jaan," "Kuch Na Kaho" or "Say No More" and "Dhaai
Akshar Prem Ke" or "Two and A Half Words of Love."
Rai has acted in more than 30 movies.
Bachchan comes from a famous Bollywood movie family - his father, Amitabh, and mother, Jaya, are
among India's best known actors.

Aishwarya Rai to marry Abhishek Bachchan

BY: Actress Archives | Monday, January 15, 2007 ADVERTISEMENT

Two of the biggest stars in Bollywood, the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of their particular movie scene, are going to tie the knot. Sometimes called the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai will marry her fellow Indian movie star Abhishek Bachchan. The couple announced their engagement yesterday after weeks of speculation.

Aishwarya Rai was Miss World and has been on the cover of Time Magazine. Abhishek Bachchan is less well-known worldwide, but is huge in the Indian community. He is the son of Amitabh Bachchan, a living legend in the world of Bollywood cinema. Abhishek is 30 and Aishwarya is 33. According to the Telegraph, Bachchan and Rai were engaged in a private ceremony on Sunday at the Bachchan residence in Bombay after astrologers declared that the day was auspicious. Amitabh told CNN IBN, "I was the first person he called once the engagement had been made. I am really happy and delighted for them."

Word leaked out about the ceremony and, according to reports from the Telegraph, thousands of fans and well-wishers started to crowd around the gates of the Bachchan residence, dancing, singing, and weeping through out the night. A fan told the BBC, "Their engagement happened late but it is great that they have decided to get married. Nothing can be better than this for them both."

Another fan spoke to the BBC, "One is a former Miss World, while Abhishek is Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan's son, so both are high profile and suited for each other."

Not everyone is ecstatic. A young female fan also spoke to the BBC about her feelings on losing the single status of the Bollywood icon, "I don't like Aishwarya Rai and I don't like their pairing. Abhishek is so good, he should remain a bachelor for sometime as his career is just taking off. I also think he should marry someone younger, he can get a more beautiful woman than Aishwarya!"

Komal Nahta, a Bollywood expert told the BBC that he doesn't think the marriage will be the end of Aishwarya Rai's acting career, although it's worth noting that she has signed fewer contracts for films in recent months and doesn't have many new releases waiting to come out. "I don't think she will give up acting, she will continue to pursue her career as Aishwarya Bachchan."

Rai and Bachchan can actually be seen on screen together right now in Guru, a film that just opened in Toronto, a film that caused the Bollywood press to assume that marriage for the two was a foregone conclusion because their on-screen chemistry was so strong. They have actually starred in a few films together but none have been big box office hits. Last November, the couple visited a temple in the holy city of Varanasi to work out their astrological differences and the rumors of an impending engagement really heated up.

Bollywood's Aishwarya Rai to wed

By Monica Chadha
BBC News, Mumbai

Former Miss World and leading Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai and fellow star Abhishek Bachchan
are engaged to be married, it has been confirmed.
Ms Rai's secretary Hari Singh confirmed to the BBC a ceremony had taken place on Sunday evening at
her home in the city of Mumbai (Bombay).
The confirmation ends frenzied speculation in the Indian media about the couple.
Rumours were sparked when the stars visited a Hindu temple in November.
Time magazine
Mr Singh confirmed the families of both actors were present at the ceremony.

Abhishek Bachchan is the son of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
The families have been tight-lipped about the relationship. Even after the small engagement ceremony,
both parties were maintaining their silence.
Indian television channels showed pictures of crowds gathered outside Mr Bachchan's residence, waiting
to catch a glimpse of either of the stars.
Ms Rai is one of the top Bollywood actresses and has had several hit movies over the past few years.
She was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 2003 as Bollywood's leading lady and was
interviewed by Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman.
Abhishek Bachchan has starred in several successful films and was voted the sexiest Asian man by a
British newspaper last year.
The actors have starred together in several films.
In the past, Ms Rai has been linked to other Bollywood actors, including Salman Khan and Vivek
Oberoi.
Abhishek Bachchan was engaged to former actress Karisma Kapoor but the marriage was called off.

People: Aishwarya Rai, Johnny Depp, Beyoncé Knowles

Reuters, The Associated Press Published: January 15, 2007

Two of India's biggest movie stars, Abhishek Bachchan and the former Miss World Aishwarya Rai , are finally engaged after months of feverish speculation about their relationship, their families said. The Bollywood stars were engaged in a private ceremony in Mumbai. The hush-hush romance of Rai, 33, and Bachchan, 30, the son of the actor Amitabh Bachchan , had transfixed Bollywood, despite denials by the couple. "No date for marriage has been fixed yet," the senior Bachchan said, adding that his son had proposed to Rai in New York last week after the world premiere of their latest film, "Guru." News reports said the marriage could take place next month. (Reuters)

It was a golden weekend for Helen Mirren , and the glory's not over yet. First, the British actress, 61, got word that her film "The Queen" had topped the list of nominees for the British Academy Film Awards. Then the American Film Institute honored another Mirren movie, "Elizabeth I," as one of the year's 10 best television productions. Next, the Broadcast Film Critics Association named that film the best picture made for television, and Mirren was honored as best actress for "The Queen." The American Cinematheque then threw a sold-out tribute to her at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. And she was named best actress for "The Queen" by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Finally, she was a triple nominee for the Golden Globes to be awarded Monday night, for "The Queen" and "Elizabeth I," as well as the television film "Prime Suspect: The Final Act." (AP)

"Little Miss Sunshine," the heartwarming story about family dysfunction, and the musical "Dreamgirls" have led the winners at the Los Angeles 12th annual Critics' Choice Awards. Both films earned four awards, though "The Departed" took home top prizes for best picture and best director. "Little Miss Sunshine" won for best acting ensemble, best young actress for Abigail Breslin , best young actor for Paul Dano and best writer for Michael Arndt. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson of "Dreamgirls" earned honors in the best supporting actor/actress categories. The film also earned an award for best soundtrack, while Beyoncé Knowles won for best song for "Listen." Forest Whitaker won best actor for "The Last King of Scotland" alongside Mirren's best actress award.

Today in Culture

The soprano Renée Fleming has canceled her performance in "A Tribute to Toscanini" in New York because of illness and will be replaced by the bass René Pape in the two-hour event with the New York Philharmonic and Symphonica Toscanini. Pape will sing arias by Verdi and Mozart, and the orchestras will perform together and separately in the tribute to Arturo Toscanini on Tuesday, the 50th anniversary of his death at age 89. Lorin Maazel will conduct. (AP) Never mind 15 minutes of fame. It took a half-dozen years for Andy Warhol 's Long Island estate to sell. The pop art icon's 5.6-acre, or 2.2-hectare, property in Montauk, at the eastern tip of Long Island, New York, was bought by Millard Drexler , the chief executive of clothing retailer J. Crew, Newsday reported. Along with a three-car garage and a stable for four horses, the main house — one of five — has seven bedrooms, 4.5 baths and four fireplaces. The broker that sold the estate did not reveal the selling price. Warhol, who died in 1987, bought the estate with the filmmaker Paul Morrissey for $220,000 in the 1970s. Morrissey put the property on the market in 2001 for $50 million. (AP) Johnny Depp is planning a film about a former Russian security agent whose poisoning in London has touched off an international mystery, according to the trade magazine Variety — one of three possible Hollywood projects about the case. One of the other projects, involving the director Michael Mann , came after Columbia Pictures agreed to pay $1.5 million for the film rights to a book about the former Russian agent, Alexander Litvinenko , being co-written by his widow and a close friend, the report said. Warner Bros., which was outbid for that book, acquired the rights to a book by Alan Cowell , a New York Times reporter, which is expected to be published next year by Doubleday, Variety said. Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, will produce the film and the actor could star in it. (AP)

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