Today we celebrate the birthday of one of Bollywood’s most pre-eminent leading ladies: the beautiful and exotic Aishwarya Rai! Before she moved into acting, Rai was an architecture student who went into professional modelling. After spending a few years on the modelling circuit, netting herself the title of Miss World, she made the transition into acting with early roles in the films Iruvar, Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya (her Bollywood debut) and Jeans – directed by S. Shankar, with whom she would later collaborate in the movie Endhiran (Robot). Dhoom 2 was one of her earliest commercial smash hits, and ever since its release, Rai’s fame in Bollywood has skyrocketed, and she’s begun taking roles in English language movies as well, including The Last Legion and The Pink Panther 2. She’s gorgeous, she has a great smile, and a voice that will knock your socks off. I think it’s safe to say that Aishwarya Rai is destined to be successful for many years to come. She turns 38 today.