Born on November 2, 1975, in Mangalore, Karnataka, Aishwarya Rai began her career as a model, winning the Miss India World 1994 title. Her stunning looks and charming personality caught the attention of filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who offered her a role in the Tamil film Iruvar (1997). This marked the beginning of her acting career, which would soon take her to the heights of Bollywood stardom.