Saka

Approximate extent of East Iranian languages the 1st century BC is shown in orange.
Total population
Unknown
Regions with significant populations
Central Asia Northern India
Languages
Scythian language Sakan language
Religion
Scythian religion
Related ethnic groups
Indo-Iranians

The Saka (Old Persian Sakā, Latinized Sacae; Greek Σάκαι; Sanskrit शक [śaka]; Chinese 塞; Old Chinese *sək) were a Scythian tribe or group of tribes of Iranian origin.^[1]

Greek and Latin texts suggest that the term Scythians referred to a much more widespread grouping of Central Asian peoples.^[2][3]

Classical accounts[link]

Gold artifacts of the Saka in Bactria, at the site of Tillia tepe.

Accounts^[which?] of the Indo-Scythian wars often assume that the Scythian protagonists were a single tribe called the Saka (Sakai or Sakas).^{[original research?]} But in earlier Greek and Latin texts the term Scythians referred to a much more widespread grouping of Central Asian peoples.

"Scythia" was a generic term loosely applied to a vast area of Central Asia spanning numerous groups and diverse ethnicities. Ptolemy writes that Skuthia was not only "within the Imaos" (the Himalayas) and "beyond the Imaos" (north of the Himalayas), but also speaks of a separate "land of the Sakais" within Scythia.^{[4][original research?]} He also notes that the Komedes inhabited "the entire mountainous land of the Sakas".^{[citation needed]}

The Romans recognized both Saceans (Sacae) and Scyths (Scythae).^{[citation needed]}

Isidorus of Charax used the term "Saka" in his work "Parthian stations". They were known to the Chinese as the Sai, as in the Chinese Imperial reports by general Ban Chao. Stephanus of Byzantium referred to the Sakas in Ethnica as Saka sena, or Sakaraucae. He records how the Sakasena, originally Scythians, were pushed west and displaced by the Asii who themselves became known as Scythians as they conquered Sakastan.

Bronze statuette of a man with Scythian characteristics, Ordos culture at the doorstep of China, 3-1st century BC. British Museum.

To Herodotus (484-425 BC), the Sakai were the 'Amurgioi Skuthai' (i.e. Amyrgians).^{[5][original research?]} Strabo suggests that the term Skuthais (Scythians) referred to the Sakai and several other tribes. According to him Bactria was taken by nomads like "the Asioi and the Pasianoi, and the Tacharoi and the Sakaraukai, who originally came from the other side of the Iaxartou river (Syr Darya) that adjoins that of the Sakai and the Sogdoanou and was occupied by the Saki."^{[6][original research?]} Arrian^[7] refers to the Sakai as Skuthon (a Scythian people) or the Skuthai (the Scythians) who inhabit Asia.^[8] The Prologus XLI of Historiae Philippicae also refers to the Scythian invasion of the Greek kingdom of Bactria and Sogdia. The invaders are described as "Sarauceans" (Saraucae) and "Asians" (Asiani).^{[citation needed]}

B. N. Mukerjee has said that it is clear the Greek and Latin scholars cited here believed, all Sakai were Scythians, but not all Scythians were Sakai.^[9]

Persian sources[link]

Modern confusion about the identity of the Saka is partly due to the Persians. According to Herodotus, the Persians called all Scythians by the name Sakas.^[10] Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus, AD 23–79) provides a more detailed explanation, stating that the Persians gave the name Sakai to the Scythian tribes "nearest to them".^[11] The Scythians to the far north of Assyria were also called the Saka suni "Saka or Scythian sons" by the Persians. The Assyrians of the time of Esarhaddon record campaigning against a people they called in the Akkadian the Ashkuza or Ishhuza.^[12] Hugo Winckler was the first to associate them with the Scyths which identification remains without serious question. They were closely associated with the Gimirrai,^[12] who were the Cimmerians known to the ancient Greeks. Confusion arose because they were known to the Persians as Saka, however they were known to the Babylonians as Gimirrai, and both expressions are used synonymously on the trilingual Behistun inscription, carved in 515 BC on the order of Darius the Great.^[13] These Scythians were mainly interested in settling in the kingdom of Urartu, which later became Armenia. The district of Shacusen, Uti Province, reflects their name.^[14] In ancient Hebrew texts, the Ashkuz (Ashkenaz) are considered to be a direct offshoot from the Gimirri (Gomer).^[15]

A cataphract-style parade armour of a Saka royal from the Issyk kurgan, Kazakhstan.

Thus the Behistun inscription mentions four divisions of Scythians,

• the Sakā paradraya "Saka beyond the sea" of Sarmatia,
• the Sakā tigraxaudā "Saka with pointy hats/caps",
• the Sakā haumavargā "haoma-drinking Saka" ^[16] (Amyrgians) of the Pamir and
• the Sakā para Sugdam "Saka beyond Sugda (Sogdiana)" at the Jaxartes.

Of these, the Sakā tigraxaudā were the Saka proper. The Sakā paradraya were the western Scythians or Sarmatians, the Sakā haumavargā and Sakā para Sugdam were likely Scythian tribes associated with or split-of from the original Saka.

Saka in South Asian history[link]

Pliny also mentions Aseni and Asoi clans south of the Hindukush.^[17] Bucephala was the capital of the Aseni which stood on the Hydaspes (the Jhelum River).^[18] The Sarauceans and Aseni are the Sacarauls and Asioi of Strabo.^{[19][clarification needed]}

The term Asio (or Asii) possibly refers to Horse People^{[citation needed]} and may refer to the Kambojas of the Parama Kamboja domain whose Aswas or horses have been glorified in the Mahabharata^{[citation needed]} as being of excellent quality. Asio, Asi/Asii, Asva/Aswa, Ari-aspi, Aspasios, Aspasii (or Hippasii) are possibly variant names the classical writers have given to the horse-clans of the Kambojas.^[20] The Old-Persian words for horse, "asa" and "aspa, have most likely been derived from this."^[21]

In the Mahabharata the Rishikas were closely affiliated with the Parama-Kambojas.^{[22][dubious – discuss]} Similarly, the Pasianois were another Scythian tribe from Central Asia. Saraucae or Sakarauloi obviously refers to the Saka proper from Issyk-kul.^{[citation needed]}

If one accepts this connection,^{[original research?]} then the Tukharas (= Rishikas = Yuezhi) controlled the eastern parts of Bactria (Chinese Ta-hia) while the combined forces of the Sakarauloi, Asio (horse people = Parama Kambojas) and Pasinoi of Strabo occupied its western parts after being displaced from their original home in the Fergana valley by the Yuezhi. Ta-hia (Daxia) is then taken to mean the Tushara Kingdom which also included Badakshan, Chitral, Kafirstan and Wakhan^[23] According to other scholars, it were the Saka hordes alone who had put an end to the Greek kingdom of Bactria.^[24]

History[link]

Artifacts found the tombs 2 and 4 of Tillia Tepe and reconstitution of their use on the man and woman found in these tombs

Researchers^[who?] broadly consider as Saka part of the Scythian culture in Siberia, in particular that of Tasmola and the Upper-Irtysh group. Unlike the Scythians of Europe, Saka remains are wide scattered from Central Asia to Chinese Turkestan and define a set of cultures close to each other but not identical:

• The Zhetysu area of East-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ferghana represents Saka culture in the strict sense.^{[citation needed]}
• The Aral-Caspian area relates to the cultures of the Massagetae and Dahae.^{[citation needed]}
• A final Saka area is located in the Tajik and Chinese Pamir.^{[citation needed]}

Recently, bronzes found in Yunnan, China have been tentatively attributed to the Saka.^{[citation needed]}

Migrations of the 2nd and 1st c. BC have left traces in Sogdiana and Bactria, but they cannot firmly be attributed to the Saka, similarly with the sites of Sirkap and Taxila in Pakistan. The rich graves at Tillya Tepe in Afghanistan are seen as part of a population affected by the Saka.^[25]

Pazyryk culture[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Horseman, Pazyryk felt artifact, ca. 300 BC.

Some of the first Bronze Age Scythian burials documented by modern archaeologists include the kurgans at Pazyryk in the Ulagan district of the Altai Republic, south of Novosibirsk in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The burial mounds concealed chambers of larch-logs covered over with large cairns of boulders and stones.

Archaeologists have extrapolated the Pazyryk culture from these finds: five large burial mounds and several smaller ones between 1925 and 1949, one opened in 1947 by Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko. The Pazyryk culture flourished between the 7th and 3rd century BC in the area associated with the Saka. Burials at Pazyryk in the Altay Mountains have included some spectacularly preserved remains of the "Pazyryk culture" — including the Ice Maiden of the 5th century BC. Women dressed in much the same fashion as men. A Pazyryk burial found in the 1990s contained the skeletons of a man and a woman, each with weapons, arrowheads, and an axe.

Ordinary Pazyryk graves contain only common utensils, but in one, among other treasures, archaeologists found the famous Pazyryk Carpet, the oldest surviving wool-pile oriental rug. Another striking find, a 3-metre-high four-wheel funerary chariot, survived superbly preserved from the 5th century BC.

Indo-Scythians[link]

Kingdom of Khotan[link]

Language[link]

The language of the original Saka tribes is unknown. The only record from their early history is the Issyk inscription, a short fragment on a silver cup found in the Issyk kurgan.^{[citation needed]}

The inscription is in a variant of the Kharoṣṭhī script, and is probably in a Saka dialect, constituting one of very few autochthonous epigraphic traces of that language. Harmatta (1999)^{[Full citation needed]} identifies the language as Khotanese Saka, tentatively translating "The vessel should hold wine of grapes, added cooked food, so much, to the mortal, then added cooked fresh butter on".

What is nowadays called the Saka language is the language of the kingdom of Khotan which was ruled by the Saka. This was gradually conquered and acculturated by the Turkic expansion to Central Asia beginning in the 4th century. The only known remnants of the Khotanese Saka language come from Xinjiang, China, but the language there is widely divergent from the rest of Iranian and accordingly is called eastern or northeastern Iranian. It also is divided into two divergent dialects.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Bailey, H. W. 1958. "Languages of the Saka." Handbuch der Orientalistik, I. Abt., 4. Bd., I. Absch., Leiden-Köln. 1958.
• Bailey, H. W. (1979). Dictionary of Khotan Saka. Cambridge University Press. 1979. 1st Paperback edition 2010. ISBN 978-0-521-14250-2.
• Davis-Kimball, Jeannine. 2002. Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines. Warner Books, New York. 1st Trade printing, 2003. ISBN 0-446-67983-6 (pbk).
• Bulletin of the Asia Institute: The Archaeology and Art of Central Asia. Studies From the Former Soviet Union. New Series. Edited by B. A. Litvinskii and Carol Altman Bromberg. Translation directed by Mary Fleming Zirin. Vol. 8, (1994), pp. 37–46.
• Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. John E. Hill. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4392-2134-1.
• Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation.
• Lebedynsky, Iaroslav. (2006). Les Saces: Les <<Scythes>> d'Asie, VIII^e av. J.-C.-IV^e siècle apr. J.-C. Editions Errance, Paris. ISBN 2-87772-337-2 (in French).
• Pulleyblank, Edwin G. 1970. "The Wu-sun and Sakas and the Yüeh-chih Migration." Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 33 (1970), pp. 154–160.
• Puri, B. N. 1994. "The Sakas and Indo-Parthians." In: History of civilizations of Central Asia, Volume II. The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B.C. to A.D. 250. Harmatta, János, ed., 1994. Paris: UNESCO Publishing, pp. 191–207.
• Thomas, F. W. 1906. "Sakastana." Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (1906), pp. 181–216.
• Yu, Taishan. 1998. A Study of Saka History. Sino-Platonic Papers No. 80. July, 1998. Dept. of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Pennsylvania.
• Yu, Taishan. 2000. A Hypothesis about the Source of the Sai Tribes. Sino-Platonic Papers No. 106. September, 2000. Dept. of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Pennsylvania.

External links[link]

• Scythians/Sacae: Article by Jona Lendering
• Article by Kivisild et al. on genetic heritage of early Indian settlers
• Indian, Japanese and Chinese Emperors

v t e Provinces of the Achaemenid Empire (Behistun, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rustam, Susa, Susa foundation charter, and Daiva inscriptions) Across the sea Akaufaka Arabia Arachosia Aria Armenia Assyria Babylonia Bactria Cappadocia Caria Chorasmia Dahae Drangiana 1t Egyptian Satrapy / 2nd Egyptian Satrapy Eber-Nari Elam Gandhara Gedrosia Hyrcania Ionia Indus Libya Maka Media Parthia Persia Quadia Saka Sardis Sattagydia Skudra Sogdia Yehud See also Districts of the Achaemenid Empire according to Herodotus

Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai in Cannes film festival 2012
Born	Aishwarya Rai (1973-11-01) 1 November 1973 (age 38)[1] Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India[2]
Other names	Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Occupation	actor, model
Years active	1991–present
Spouse	Abhishek Bachchan (2007–present)
Children	Aaradhya Bachchan
Signature	150px

Aishwarya Rai, known also as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after her marriage^[3] (Tulu pronunciation [əjɕʋərjaː rəj]; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994. Rai has featured in films in various languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.

Often cited by the media as the "most beautiful woman in the world",^[4][5][6] Rai made her acting debut with Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Iruvar (1997), and had her first commercial success in Jeans (1998). She found success in Bollywood with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002) and eventually won two Filmfare Awards in the Best Actress category.

After a series of unsuccessful films during 2003–2005, she appeared in the blockbuster action thriller Dhoom 2 (2006) and subsequently featured in such films as Guru (2007), Jodhaa Akbar (2008), and Enthiran (2010). She gained critical acclaim for her performances in offbeat, independent films such as Chokher Bali (2003), Raincoat (2004), and Provoked (2007).^[7][8] Rai has thus established herself as one of the leading contemporary actresses of Indian cinema.^[9][10]

Rai's off-screen roles include duties as brand ambassador for various charity organisations and campaigns. She is married to fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan, son of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan. In 2009 she was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award given by the Government of India.

Early life and background[link]

Rai was born into an ethnic Bunt^[11] family in Mangalore, Karnataka.^[12] Her father, Krishnaraj, was a marine biologist, while her mother, Brindya, is a housewife.^[1] She has one elder brother, Aditya Rai, who is an engineer in the merchant navy. He co-produced one of her movies, Dil Ka Rishta (2003).^[13]

The family moved to Mumbai, where Rai attended the Arya Vidya Mandir High School.^[1] Rai did her intermediate schooling at Jai Hind College for a year,^[14] and then joined DG Ruparel College^[15] in Matunga, securing 90 percent in the HSC exams.^[1][16] She trained in classical dance and music for five years during her teens.^[16] Her favourite subject was zoology, so she initially considered a career in medicine.^[16] With plans to become an architect, she enrolled at Raheja College, but later gave up her education to pursue a career in modelling.^[14]

Modelling career[link]

One of her earliest modelling assignment was, when she was in the ninth grade, for Camlin Pencils.^[16] One of her professors at Jai Hind College took pictures of her which were published in a fashion magazine.^[17] In 1991 Rai took part in the Ford Supermodel Contest and also appeared in Vogue Magazine.^[15] She has been on the cover of Vogue three times.^[18]

Rai became popular after appearing in a Pepsi commercial with actor Aamir Khan.^[16] She modelled for Longines watches, Coca-Cola,^[19] Lakmé Cosmetics, Casio pager, Philips, Palmolive,^[17] Lux, and Fuji films.^[20] She continued to model while pursuing her studies in architecture.^[1][17] She was named the official brand ambassador for De Beers diamonds in India.^[20]

In the 1994 Miss India contest, she won second place, behind Sushmita Sen, and was crowned Miss India World.^[21] She went on to win the Miss World^[22] title the same year, where she also won the Miss Photogenic award.^[23] After winning the pageant, she gave up her studies and spent one year reigning as Miss World in London.^[21] Rai continued to pursue a career as a model until she became an actress.^[24]

Acting career[link]

Early work (1997–98)[link]

Rai made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil biopic film Iruvar (1997), where she worked alongside Mohanlal.^[25] The film was a critical success and won many awards, including Best Film award at the Belgrade International Film Festival,^[26] and two National Film Awards.^[26] Rai appeared in dual roles, one of which was a depiction of political leader and former actress J. Jayalalithaa.^[27] Rai made her Bollywood debut in the film in Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, opposite Bobby Deol, which released the same year; the film was unsuccessful at the box office.^[28] Her third project, Jeans (1998), a high-budget Tamil film directed by S. Shankar, was a commercial success. The film included the song "Poovukkul", written by Vairamuthu, in which Rai's character is compared to the seven wonders of the world and described as the eighth.^[29][30] The film was India's official entry to the Academy Awards in that year.^[31]

Success (1999–2002)[link]

In 1999 Rai starred in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, opposite Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan.^[32] The film had Rai playing Nandini, who is forced to marry Devgan despite being in love with another man (Khan). Her husband tries to help her locate her previous love, and his caring attention eventually wins her over. Rai's portrayal won her critical acclaim, with a review on Rediff.com stating, "Aishwarya looks beautiful as usual ... This film will most likely draw her accolades from all over, may be even get her recognised as an actress the way Manisha Koirala did in Khamoshi. In many scenes, there is no trace of makeup and she looks very fresh".^[33] The film was her first box office success in Bollywood, and earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award.^[34]

In the same year she appeared in Subhash Ghai's Taal,^[35] in which she played Mansi, a young village woman who becomes a big pop star after being hurt by her lover, played by Akshay Khanna. The film was an average grosser in India but was a big success outside India, especially in the United States, where it became the first Indian film in the top 20 on Variety's box office list.^[36] Her performance was praised, with a reviewer from Rediff.com writing, "After being praised for her looks and acting talent in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Aishwarya has excelled in Taal. She looks ethereal and unlike the former film, has a very sober and soft role. Though she looks pained and tragic in most of the film, she does a good job of a woman who is very protective of her father and one who doesn't think twice before rejecting a lover who has insulted her father."^[37] She received another Best Actress nomination from the Filmfare Awards for her work in the film.^[38]

In 2000 she appeared in Mansoor Khan's Josh alongside Shahrukh Khan and Chandrachur Singh, in which she plays a Catholic named Shirley who falls in love with the sibling of her brother's enemy.^[39] The film was a commercial success.^[40] Later that year she appeared in Satish Kaushik's Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, opposite Anil Kapoor. It was a moderate success, and her performance earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award nomination.^[41] Later that year she played a supporting role in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan. The second-highest grosser of the year, the film was a major commercial success, and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award nomination.^[41][42] Later that year, she starred in the Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain, alongside Mammooty, Ajith Kumar, and Tabu. Rai plays Tabu's younger sibling, a dreamer at heart, whose hopes come crashing down when she discovers she's been cheated by her lover.^[43] Directed by Rajiv Menon, the movie was a successful venture commercially.^[7][44]

In 2002 Rai appeared alongside Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, an adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name.^[45] She played the role of Paro (Parvati), the love interest of the protagonist, played by Khan. The film received a special screening at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.^[46] It became the highest-grossing film of the year in India and overseas, earning a revenue of Rs 390 million domestically.^[47][48] Devdas won numerous awards, including 10 Filmfare Awards, and Rai received her second Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance.^[49]

Professional setback (2003–05)[link]

In 2003 she acted in Rituparno Ghosh's Bengali film Chokher Bali, an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's novel of the same name.^[50] She portrays the character of a young woman called Binodini,^[51] who is left on her own when her sickly husband dies soon after they are married.^[52] Rai's performance in the film was well-received by critics, with "Derek Elley" from Variety writing, "Rai dominates the film with her delicately sensual presence and physical grace".^[53] The film was critically acclaimed and did well at the box office,^[54][55] That year she appeared in the Bollywood film Dil Ka Rishta, with Arjun Rampal, and Rohan Sippy's Kuch Na Kaho, alongside Abhishek Bachchan,^[56] neither of which fared well at the box office.^[56][57]

In 2004 she appeared alongside Martin Henderson in Bride and Prejudice, Gurinder Chadha's Bollywood-style English adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She played Lalita Bakshi, the film's version of Austen's character Elizabeth Bennet. Based on 131 reviews, the film has a rating of 64 percent at the review website Rotten Tomatoes.^[58] She played a negative role for the first time in Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee, which also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, and Jayapradha. The film was a box office success.^[59] In the same year she worked with director Rituparno Ghosh for the second time, in Raincoat, where she starred alongside Ajay Devgan. The film was highly acclaimed by critics, with Rai receiving rave reviews for her performance.^[60] The Hindu commented "Raincoat can easily be Aishwarya Rai's best performance, and as Neerja, the former beauty queen appears to have shed her inhibitions about looking unglamorous. What is more, she seems to have made an earnest effort to emote, using less of her body and limbs and more of her face, and eyes in particular".^[61]

In 2005 she appeared in Shabd, a film based on a love triangle, alongside Sanjay Dutt and Zayed Khan. The film was unsuccessful at the box office; it received average reviews from critics.^[62] Her next release was Paul Mayeda Berges's The Mistress of Spices, based on the novel of the same name by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni,^[63] in which she starred alongside Dylan McDermott.^[64] The film received negative reviews from critics,^[65] and was a commercial failure.^[66] The same year she made a special appearance in a hugely popular seven-minute dance sequence for the song "Kajra Re", with Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, in Shaad Ali's Bunty Aur Babli.^[67]

Recent work (2006–present)[link]

In 2006 Rai portrayed the title role in J P Dutta's Umrao Jaan, the story of a courtesan and poetess from 19th-century Lucknow. The movie is the second adaptation of the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada (1905), by Mirza Hadi Ruswa. Rai's work received mixed reviews, and the film was a critical and commercial failure. Critics particularly felt the new version is poor when compared to the acclaimed 1981 version by Muzaffar Ali, which starred Rekha in the title role. BBC critic Poonam Joshi wrote, "While only Aishwarya could emulate the grace and poise of Rekha, she doesn't quite capture the intensity of Umrao's abiding melancholy", commenting that "her incandescent beauty and artistry... does indeed keep the audience watching, though not necessarily emotionally engaged."^[68] Later that year she appeared as a master thief, Sunheri, in the Yash Raj Films production of Dhoom 2, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi. The ensemble cast included Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, and Uday Chopra. The movie was a blockbuster, and became the highest grossing film of the year in India, earning revenues of over Rs 770 million domestically.^[69] A controversy arose regarding a scene containing a kiss between her and Hrithik Roshan.^[70] Rai's performance received mostly negative reviews, with a reviewer on Rediff.com writing, "Ash's character too is all gloss and no depth. You seldom feel any tension in her behaviour and expressions as she accompanies the master thief on potentially dangerous missions. Sunehri enters the film nearly 50 minutes after its opening in a disguise. In no time, she is wearing the flimsiest of clothes. Once she opens her mouth—and she does it two minutes after appearing in the film—she spoils the image. There is no sensuality any more, and half an hour later, one wonders what made the master thief fall for her."^[71] Nonetheless, her performance earned her a sixth nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award.

In 2007 she appeared in Mani Ratnam's Guru as Sujata. Speculated to be based on the life of Indian businessman Dhirubhai Ambani, it is a rag to riches story about an ambitious small-town man who ends up as the owner of the biggest corporation in India. The film premièred at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Canada, the first Indian film to have a mainstream international premiere in that country.^[72][73] The film was critically acclaimed, and performed well at the box office.^[74] Critical reception for Rai was mixed. While Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India wrote that she is "just okay, and fails to register the growth in her character", Rediff.com's Raja Sen described it as "arguably her finest performance, visible especially when she takes over the film's climax."^[75][76] Rai received her seventh Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance. In the same year she starred alongside Naveen Andrews and Miranda Richardson in Jag Mundhra's British film Provoked, as Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an Non-resident Indian woman who kills her abusive husband after facing severe domestic violence. Rai received mostly positive reviews for her portrayal. It was screened in the Marché du Film Cannes Film Market during the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Ahluwalia sat next to Rai during the screening, reportedly holding her hand and sobbing during the most violent scenes.^[77] In the same year Rai appeared as a warrior from Kerala named Mira in Doug Lefler's epic film The Last Legion, alongside Sir Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth, and Thomas Sangster. The film was a critical failure.^[78]

In 2008 Rai starred alongside Hrithik Roshan in Ashutosh Gowariker's historical drama Jodhaa Akbar. The story is a partly fictionalised account of the life of Muslim Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, played by Roshan, and his Hindu wife Jodha Bai, played by Rai. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning revenues of over Rs 590 million domestically. Rai's performance in the film was praised by critics, with Rajeev Masand writing, "Aishwarya Rai is wonderfully restrained and uses her eyes expertly to communicate so much, making this one of her finest outings on screen".^[79] She earned her eighth nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards for her performance. Later that year she co-starred with husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Verma's Sarkar Raj, a sequel to his previous film, Sarkar.^[80] She plays the CEO of a major power company that is proposing a new power plant in rural Maharashtra. The film was a critical and commercial success.^[81][82]

In 2009 she appeared in Harald Zwart's spy comedy film The Pink Panther 2, playing the role of criminology expert Sonia Solandres. Like its predecessor, the sequel received negative reviews from critics,^[83] and did a moderate business of $34,590,360 at the U.S box office.^[84] In 2010 she collaborated with Mani Ratnam for a bilingual project, two films featuring Rai portraying a character based on the goddess Sita. The films were shot simultaneously, with Rai's role being one of the only roles which were played by the same performer in both versions. Upon release, the project received mixed reviews. Though both her portrayals of Ragini were praised, the Hindi version—Raavan, alongside Abhishek Bachchan—failed commercially, whilst the Tamil version—Raavanan—was successful. The Hindi version of the film got decent reviews in various US media, including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, with the former saying, "Raavan has Bollywood glamour aplenty, with the lovely if occasionally dramatically challenged Aishwarya Rai Bachchan", and the latter describing Rai as a scene-stealer.^[85]

Rai paired with Rajinikanth in the science fiction Tamil film Enthiran (2010), directed by S. Shankar.^[86] The film—the most expensive ever made in India—was released worldwide in 2010, and is the highest-grossing Indian film when all its versions are totalled.^[87][88][89] She appeared in Vipul Shah's Action Replayy opposite Akshay Kumar, which received mixed reviews from critics. Rai's final release in 2010 was Guzaarish, her third collaboration with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Hrithik Roshan. The film tells the story of Ethan Mascarenhas (Roshan), a former magician who has been quadriplegic for twelve years; after years of struggle he files an appeal to the court for euthanasia. Rai played Ethan's strict, devoted, and supportive nurse Sophie D'Souza. The film opened to positive reviews, and Rai's portrayal was praised. According to Nikhat Kazmi, "Aishwarya is a stunning picture of fire and grace, walking away with certain scenes by her sheer vitality."^[90][91] In 2011 she received her ninth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. As of May 2011, she is set to appear in Rajkumar Santoshi's next film, Ladies and Gentlemen, along with Abhishek Bachchan,^[92] and in Madhur Bhandarkar's next directorial venture, Heroine.^[93] The shooting of both films was postponed, due to Rai's pregnancy.^[94][95] She will not appear in Heroine, which is going forward with Kareena Kapoor.^[96]

Social work[link]

In 1999 Rai participated in a world tour called the Magnificent Five, along with Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Akshaye Khanna, and Twinkle Khanna.^[97] In the same year, she was appointed as Longines Ambassador of Elegance.^[98] In 2003 she became the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival.^[99] In 2003 she became a global brand ambassador of L'Oréal, alongside Andie MacDowell, Eva Longoria, and Penélope Cruz.^[100][101] Rai is the brand ambassador for The Eye Bank Association of India's nationwide campaign to promote eye donation in India.^[102] In 2005 she became a brand ambassador for Pulse Polio, a campaign established by the Government of India in 1994 to eradicate polio in India.^[103] In the same year, Rai was appointed spokesperson for the International Year of Microcredit, raising awareness of the main goals and priorities of the United Nations' poverty alleviation efforts.^[104][105]

In February 2005 Rai performed alongside other Bollywood stars at the HELP! Telethon Concert, an event to raise money for the victims of the 2004 tsunami earthquake.^[106] Along with other members of the Bachchan family, she laid the foundation of a special school for underprivileged girls in Daulatpur village in Uttar Pradesh in 2008. Construction is being funded by the Bachchan family, and the school will be named after Rai.^[107] She appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The performance showcased Indian culture as a lead-up to India hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games.^[108]

In 2009 Rai was appointed as the first Goodwill Ambassador of Smile Train, an international charity that provides free Cleft lip and palate surgery to children in need. Her work with Smile Train will focus not only on India, but on 76 different developing countries around the world.^[109][110]

Personal life[link]

In 1999 Aishwarya began dating Bollywood actor Salman Khan; their relationship was often reported in the media until the couple separated in 2001. Rai cited "abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), infidelity and indignity" on the part of Khan as reasons for ending the relationship.^[111] In a 2009 Times of India article, Khan denied ever beating her: "It's not true that I hit a woman."^[112]

Rai is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan, they met in 1997.^[18] Their engagement was announced on 14 January 2007 and later confirmed by his father, Amitabh Bachchan.^[113] The couple married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the Bunt community, to which she belongs.^[114] Token North Indian and Bengali ceremonies were also performed. The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence, "Prateeksha", in Juhu, Mumbai.^[114] They have been described as a supercouple in the Indian media.^[115][116] Rai is very close to her family and lived with them in Bandra, Mumbai, until her marriage.^[117][118] Rai is Hindu and deeply religious.^[4]

Rai gave birth to a baby girl on 16 November 2011.^[119] Her daughter became quite popular by the name of "Beti B" which was christened by the fans and the media, since the couple took over four months to name their daughter. The baby girl was finally named as Aaradhya Bachchan in March 2012.^[120]

Awards and honours[link]

Aishwarya Rai is a two-time winner of the Filmfare Best Actress Award, and has been nominated for Filmfare Awards eleven times.^[41][121] She has won numerous times at the International Indian Film Academy Awards, Star Screen Awards, Zee Cine Awards, and others. In 2009 Rai was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian award, for her contributions to Indian cinema.^[122] In 2001 Forbes named Rai among the top five Indian movie stars.^[123] In a reader poll conducted by UK's Hello! magazine, she was voted "the most attractive woman of 2003".^[124] In the same year, Rai appeared in Rolling Stone magazine's annual "Hot List".^[125] In 2004 she was chosen by TIME magazine as one of the world's most influential people, and appeared on the cover of its 2003 Asia edition.^{[126][127][128]} In October 2004 a wax figure of Rai was put on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum.^[129] She was the sixth Indian and the second Bollywood personality—after her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan—to get this honour. In 2007 the same figure was displayed at Madame Tussaud's Museum in Times Square in New York.^[130]

Aishwarya Rai with her husband, Abhishek Bachchan, at the IIFA Awards (2007)

In 2005 she was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile on 2 January, which said that "at least according to thousands of Web sites, Internet polls and even Julia Roberts", she was "the world's most beautiful woman".^[4] The same year, a tulip in the Netherlands was named "Aishwarya Rai" after her.^[131] Also in 2005, Mattel released a limited edition of Barbie dolls of Aishwarya Rai in the United Kingdom.^[132] The British magazine Maxim ranked Rai first on their list of "Hottest Women of India".^[133]

Rai appeared on such shows as Late Show with David Letterman, and was the first Bollywood personality to appear on Oprah's "Women Across the Globe" segment. In 2005 Harpers and Queen's list of "Most Beautiful Women in The World" ranked her ninth.^[134] In May 2006 Aishwarya was featured in People Magazine as one of the "World's Most Beautiful People".^[135] The UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her third in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women" in 2006,^[136] and she was ranked eighth in 2009.^[137] In 2008 American television channel E!: Entertainment listed Aishwarya's eyes as the sexiest on their Sexiest Body Parts list.^[138] In 2009 she made appearances on Martha Stewart's show Martha and on the The Tyra Banks Show.^[139][140] In the same year Forbes listed Rai at 387th out of 1,411 actors on their list of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. She is the highest-ranked Indian actor on the list.^[141][142]

In 2009, Rai refused to accept the second-highest Order Of France, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as her father was suffering from a serious illness, and she wanted her whole family to attend the award ceremony.^[143] She is the fourth Indian actor—after Sivaji Ganesan, Nandita Das, and Shahrukh Khan—to be chosen for the award. Amitabh Bachchan was chosen for another Order Of France, the Legion of Honour.^[144] In June 2009 she was declared the Female Star of The Decade at the tenth International Indian Film Academy Awards, held in Macau.^[145] In December 2010 she was declared the "Actress of the Decade" at the BIG Star Entertainment Awards.^[146] In March 2011 Rai was honoured by Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa at World Kannada Meet (Vishwa Kannada Sammelana) for her contributions to the arts.^[147] Later that month she was presented with the "Decade of Global Achievement Honour" by FICCI.^[148] She attended the 83rd Academy Awards, along with her husband, Abhishek.^[149]

Filmography[link]

See also[link]

• List of Indian film actresses

References[link]