Aishwarya Rai Birthday Special: DYK Raja Hindustani Was Supposed To Be Her Debut Film? Here's Why It Did NOT Happen

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is unmatchable, untouchable and truly a generational talent and beauty! One of India’s most celebrated and admired icons, the actress continues to reign as the epitome of grace,

intelligence, and timeless beauty. From winning Miss World 1994 to becoming a global ambassador of Indian cinema, her journey is one for the history books. But did you know that Aishwarya was almost set to make her Bollywood debut in Raja Hindustani alongside Aamir Khan?

Aishwarya could have debuted with Raja Hindustani but...

In an old interview with Vogue India, the actress revealed that she had several film offers even before her pageant days. “Yes, that’s right. I’m often cited as the person who established the beauty pageant-to-films route, but that was not the case with me. I had at least four film offers [before the pageants]."Aish then revealed that she Aamir Khan's Raja Hindustani could have been her first Hindi film, but she had other plans. "In fact, I decided to participate in Miss India to step back from the film industry for a bit. If I hadn’t taken part in Miss India, Raja Hindustani [1996] would have been my first film," Aishwarya shared.It’s fascinating to imagine how Bollywood’s landscape might have looked if Aishwarya had starred opposite Aamir Khan in Raja Hindustani - a film that went on to become one of the biggest hits of the 1990s and cemented Karisma Kapoor’s stardom. But destiny had other plans and they turned out well for the global superstar.

Modelling, acting were NEVER Aishwarya's first choice

Aishwarya’s Miss India journey in 1994 changed everything. Despite being the frontrunner, she ended up as the first runner-up to Sushmita Sen, who went on to win Miss Universe. However, Aishwarya’s calm poise and radiant beauty took her to the global stage at Miss World later that year - where she brought home the crown. Her famous answer about the true qualities of a Miss World remains iconic till today.Post her Miss World victory, Aishwarya took her time before entering films. Her actual debut came with the Tamil film Iruvar (1997), directed by Mani Ratnam, in which she portrayed a dual role inspired by real-life personalities from Tamil Nadu politics. The same year, she made her Hindi film debut with Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya opposite Bobby Deol.Interestingly, acting and modelling were never part of her initial career plans. Aishwarya initially wanted to study medicine, with zoology being her favourite subject. Later, she shifted paths and enrolled at Mumbai’s Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture before fate took her toward the glamour world.Over the years, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has built an unparalleled career - from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas to Jodhaa Akbar and Ponniyin Selvan. Her journey from almost debuting in Raja Hindustani to becoming a global face of Indian cinema perfectly captures how destiny often has grander plans than we imagine. We, at Zoom, wish Aishwarya Rai a very happy 52nd birthday.