When Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was first approached to star in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Iruvar’, she couldn’t believe the offer. An admirer of Ratnam’s artistry, she initially brushed it off as a ridiculous proposition. Little did she know, this seemingly absurd moment was the beginning of a legendary collaboration that would define her career and leave a lasting impact on Indian cinema.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mani Ratnam have shared one of the most celebrated actor-director collaborations in Indian cinema, spanning films like Iruvar (1997), Guru (2007), Raavan (2010), and the recent epic saga Ponniyin Selvan: I and II. But the beginning of this artistic partnership, Aishwarya recalls, happened quite unexpectedly and with a lot of disbelief on her part.“When I got called for Iruvar, which wasn’t even directly, it was through Rajiv Menon. So, he was like, go, go, you are a favourite” Aishwarya shares in her conversation with ETimes. “Rajiv and I were very close, because we had done advertising work together. He was already part of the family, it was him who introduced Roja’s music to me, then the movie.” Rajiv Menon is an acclaimed cinematographer and director who has collaborated with Mani Ratnam on Bombay and Guru.
The actor admits she was already in awe of Mani Ratnam’s work long before meeting him. “So, I was already an avid fan of Mani Garu’s work. And then when Rajiv said, go. And I didn’t believe him. He said, go, go. You’re being called to Chennai. I was like, what nonsense? What rubbish? No way.”That moment of disbelief turned out to be a turning point in Aishwarya’s career. Her debut in Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar marked the beginning of a creative bond that continues to thrive decades later – one built on trust, admiration, and a shared cinematic vision.Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 52 years old today and over the years she has delivered some of the biggest hits of Indian cinema be it Guru or Devdas or Dhoom 2 or Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam or Devdas or Jodha Akbar or Taal
