Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 47: A pictorial tribute to the ‘world’s most beautiful woman’

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan celebrates her 47th birthday today. The actor was born in Mangalore on November 1, 1973. She started her career as a model and became a globally known name after she won the Miss World pageant in 1994. She has been working in the film industry for over two decades now. Let's take a look at her life and career through some of her rare pictures. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya debuted with Mani Ratnam's Iruvar, a Tamil film, in 1997. Her Hindi film debut came in the same year, with Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, in which she starred opposite Bobby Deol. Here, Aish can be seen with anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela during the Miss World pageant. (Photo: Express archive)

After setbacks like Aa Ab Laut Chalen, Aishwarya delivered a string of hits like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal, Josh and so on. Here she is seen with Salman Khan, her co-star in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya's other notable films include Devdas, Mohabbatein, Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na, Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2, among others. Here, she can be seen with her Mohabbatein co-star Shah Rukh Khan. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya also starred opposite Rajinikanth in Enthiran in 2010. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan, the son of megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The two have been together since 2007. They also have a daughter named Aaradhya. (Photo: Express archive)

Apart from Bollywood projects, Aishwarya has also been a part of foreign productions like Bride & Prejudice, Provoked, The Last Legion and The Pink Panther 2. Here, she is seen sitting beside husband Abhishek Bachchan during the 26/11 Stories of Strength event organised by The Indian Express. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya is a Padma Shri awardee, having been bestowed with the honour by the Indian government in 2009. She also holds the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government. (Photo: Express archive)

Aishwarya was last seen in the 2018 movie Fanney Khan. The actor will soon be seen in Mani Ratnam's epic Tamil drama Ponniyin Selvan. (Photo: Express archive)