Aishwarya Rai's rise to stardom

Bollywood blockbuster Sarkar Raj, which opens in UK cinemas this weekend, is something of a family affair.

Former Miss World 1994, she has modelled for Pepsi and Coca-Cola, and was the face of L'Oreal, Rai is the Queen of Bollywood

The drama stars celebrated husband and wife team Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan alongside Abhishek's father, legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan.

Often hailed as the "queen of Bollywood", Rai, 34, married Bachchan last year, forging the ultimate Bollywood dynasty.

Born into a middle-class South Indian family, the elegant Rai first charmed the nation at just 21, winning Miss World in 1994.

Rai joined stars including Eva Longoria at this year's Cannes Film Festival

Her acting career began three years later in the Tamil film Iruvar, but was branded a disaster, with one critic describing her as "wooden" and another calling her an "ice-maiden".

Two years on, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, a love triangle starring Rai opposite her then-boyfriend, Salman Khan, marked a turning point winning her the Filmfare best actress award.

The film's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali went on to cast her alongside Bollywood hunk Shahrukh Khan in the lead role of Devdas in 2002.

The movie had a special screening at the Cannes Film Festival and marked Rai's arrival on the international film scene.

One year on, the 30-year-old became the first Indian actress to sit on the Cannes jury. Also in 2003, she appeared on the cover of Time magazine as the global face of Indian cinema.

Elusive hit

A wax figure of Rai went on display in London's Madame Tussaud's in October 2004, cementing her worldwide fame.

The same month, her first foreign film, Bride and Prejudice - directed by Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha - was released. Soon she could be seen stepping out on red carpets all over the world.

The glamorous actress has become a favourite on the red carpet

In 2005, Rai embarked on a charm offensive in the United States - featuring on the Late Show with David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey and CBS's 60 Minutes.

But a major international hit continues to elude her.

The Mistress of Spices, co-authored by Chadha, and The Last Legion starring Ben Kingsley disappeared without trace.

Provoked, based on the true story of a British woman who killed her abusive husband, won praise for Rai's acting skills but failed to draw large audiences.

Fairytale marriage

Last year, after being linked to several co-stars, Rai tied the knot with the most eligible bachelor in the Indian film industry, Abhishek Bachchan - bolstering her star wattage.

Rai has starred in six movies with her husband Abhishek Bachchan

Together, Rai and her husband have become an advertising powerhouse.

And the success of her first post-marriage release, Jodha-Akbar, has made her one of the highest earners in Indian cinema.

For the future, the actress has several major international projects in the pipeline, including next year's Pink Panther sequel starring Steve Martin and Andy Garcia.

Hollywood will be watching.

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Elsa Pataky, nude

Elsa Pataky

With the global warming problem, the ELLE magazine has published an edition where the Spanish actress Elsa Pataky appear nude on the first specimen echo-blue dedicated to the water.

She is Adrien Brody's girlfriend.

An impressive image of Elsa Pataky is on the cover of the special number of ELLE July 2008.

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Shiloh Jolie-Pitt on OK! Magazine cover

Such wood, such chip... The truth is that the little Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt has inherited the genes of her famous parents- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt- and got the beauty from both. She is waiting her twins sisters and got her own OK! Magazine cover.

TAGS:Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie
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Charlize Theron on the cover of GQ magazine -July 2008

Charlize Theron looks absolutely WONDERFUL in these pictures.The Oscar-winning beauty recently enjoyed a roam-antic getaway in Central America with her lover. But here she dons some naughty silk numbers to show off her curves.Charlize, 32—who met director fiancé Stuart Townsend, 35, on the set of Trapped—dazzled in the saucy shoot for GQ magazine. As for those slinky outfits...well one minute Theron, the next they're off!

In real life the Hollywood hotshot avoids glitzy celeb parties. She explains: "I'd rather get drunk on red wine and talk with people I love. Friends come over and we cook, take long walks and hang out on the beach."

And she is hungry to become a mum with her backpacking partner.

"I want a family," she insists. "I want to enjoy every moment."

That's exactly what the chaps with a wandering eye are doing right now, Charl!

More photos in GQ magazine

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Mariah Carey, gorgeous for her new video

MARIAH CAREY has stripped off on the shoot for her new video – with the help of some nerve-calming booze.

The pop diva wore nothing but a bikini and a pair of platform heels on the rocky shores of Oahu, Hawaii.

Evidently Mariah’s new hubby isn’t getting all precious and possessive over his wife’s much lusted-after body – and for that, NICK CANNON, I applaud you.

But Mariah did require a glass or two of bubbly to get in the mood for strutting her stuff semi-starkers in front of the cameras.

The promo is for the singer’s upcoming single Loving You Long Time.

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Angelina Jolie wary about revealing due date

Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt are determined not to reveal the due date of their twins, for they are wary about the media frenzy it would create.

She tells Vanity Fair magazine in a new interview just why she doesn’t want to make the due date public knowledge, even though actor Dustin Hoffman has hinted it could be August 19, reports Contactmusic. "I don't want to say. If I do say, people will start stressing on our due date," she tells the mag.

And, the A-list Hollywood

But the birth is not the only thing that has the world’s press eagerly anticipating. The bidding war for the first photographs of the couple’s twins is already reaching a high, with magazines offering as much as 15 million dollars for exclusive rights.

In 2006, the couple offered the first pictures of daughter Shiloh through distributor Getty Images while People magazine paid more than 4.1 million dollars for the North American rights. British magazine Hello! obtained the international rights for 3.5 million dollars.

However, Angelina and partner Brad Pitt donated all the profits to an undisclosed charity.

couple certainly has something to worry about, for the media went wild last month when it was falsely reported that Angelina had given birth months before she was due.

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