This is a new series of articles focusing on the movie roles of an actor/actress that are often overlooked.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Hi MissMalini Readers,

So Aishwarya Rai is back on the scene (much to the rejoice of AshArmy fans).  But with a few red carpet appearances here and there, she has not signed any feature films and seems in no rush to do so. Taking a look back at her filmi resume, highlights include Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and Dhoom 2, but what are my personal favourites? Check them out below:

1) Khakee

Khakee Movie Poster (source: fabulous-aishwarya.com)
Khakee Movie Poster (source: fabulous-aishwarya.com)

How awesome was this movie? Everything from the action to the on-screen chemistry amongst the leads, Bollywood does not make multi-starrers like this anymore! Aishwarya Rai was paired opposite Akshay Kumar for the first time, and I think they made a very good pair (I’d like to think Action Replayy never happened). More noteworthy was her performance in a (*spoiler alert*) negative role. While her role in Dhoom 2 definitely got more press, her character was annoying and the film pales in comparison to Khakee. Now I have Dil Dooba stuck in my head.

2) Shabd

Zayed Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Sanjay Dutt (source: santabanta.com)

This was a unique role for Aishwarya as she played a woman, not a girl in love, but a wife who balances a job as a professor and her increasingly turbulent personal life.  She also, surprisingly, had hot chemistry with both Sanjay Dutt as her author husband (who never looked better onscreen) and Zayed Khan who plays an infatuated student.

3) Provoked

Provoked
Provoked

Aishwarya Rai’s international roles, Bride and Prejudice, Pink Panther 2 and The Last Legion, were very hyped, despite the fact she had very minimal/weak roles in each.  But, she got her chance to shine opposite Naveen Andrews in Provoked, as a battered wife who fights back.  This movie was really hard to watch, in part due to Aishwarya‘s intense performance.
So MissMalini readers, agree with my choices? Did you see these movies?