Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's birthday: 5 times Bollywood diva made India proud on a global stage

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who turned 49 on Tuesday, is a global star. From bagging the coveted Miss World title in 1994 to being heralded as the Cannes Queen, Aishwarya is a force to reckon with.

On her birthday, let's take a look back at the moments she proved to be a trailblazer.

Bringing the crown after a hiatus of 28 years

The first Indian woman to be crowned Miss World was Reita Faria in 1966 and after her, it took us 28 years to have another Indian beauty win it again. Aishwarya Rai ended that hiatus in the most graceful way after she brought the crown home.

Flaunting the post-pregnancy glow

After Aishwarya received massive backlash from all corners for putting on weight post-pregnancy, she walked the Cannes red carpet like a queen! She looked unfazed by all criticism and owned the look.

Her witty comebacks at The Oprah Winfrey Show

Aishwarya was the first Bollywood star to be invited to the show and she made sure to leave a mark with her appearance there! Aishwarya gave the most savage, witty answers, videos of which still circulate online.

Her ticket to Hollywood

Aishwarya has come a long way. Not just Bollywood films, she also did big Hollywood projects like 'Pink Panther 2' and 'The Last Legion' that shaped her career. She was one of the very few Indian actors to get significant, meaty roles in Hollywood projects.

Taking the India Saree to a global stage

In 2002, Aishwarya Rai made her Cannes debut for the world premiere of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film 'Devdas.' She picked a beautiful yellow saree for her appearance, leaving millions of fans stunned.

(ANI)

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