Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's birthday: Times she collaborated with Mani Ratnam
Every time Mani Ratnam chose Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the leading lady for his films, the result of their collaboration has been nothing less than magic. The critically acclaimed filmmaker isn't only her first director, but also her favorite. As the eternally beautiful actor turned 50 on Wednesday (November 1), we bring you the times she collaborated with Ratnam.
'Ponniyin Selvan' franchise (2022, 2023)
Her most recent collaboration with Ratnam was for the Tamil periodical drama, Ponniyin Selvan: I and Ponniyin Selvan: II. The first part of the film was released in September 2022 while the second installment hit cinema halls in April. Also starring Vikram, Trisha Krishnan, Karthi, and many others in the ensemble cast, the Ponniyin Selvan franchise featured her in a double role.
'Raavan'
Much before Ponniyin Selvan, Rai Bachchan collaborated with Vikram for the 2010 movie Raavan. The epic-adventure film, which also starred her actor-husband Abhishek Bachchan, is inspired by the epic of Ramayana and shows Ravana's perspective with a modern approach. A Tamil version of the film, titled Raavanan, was also released with Prithviraj Sukumaran replacing Bachchan. The Tamil version performed better than the Hindi film.
'Guru'
The real-life Bachchan couple has acted together in many films including Umrao Jaan, the Sarkar film series, Kuch Naa Kaho, and many others. But it is Ratnam's Guru that is considered one of their best films together over the years. The 2007 movie, Guru, was a commercial success as well as gained recognition for many factors including performances and direction.
'Iruvar'
The credit for launching Rai Bachchan as an actor goes to Ratnam. It was him who discovered her acting talent, and cast her for the 1997 Tamil movie. She was cast in a double role alongside a brilliant cast comprising Mohanlal, Revathi, Prakash Raj, Tabu, Nassar, and Gautami. Following the release of Iruvar, she made her Hindi debut in the same year.
