Aishwarya Rai Bachchan birthday: From Iruvar to Ponniyin Selvan, a look at her powerhouse performances in South Indian films

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is widely recognised as a top Bollywood actress, but it's Down South where she truly bloomed. Not many are aware that she made her acting debut with Mani Ratnam-directed Iruvar in 1997. When it was comeback time, the actor again chose Kollywood, arguably delivering her career-best performance with Ponniyin Selvan. Ahead of her 51st birthday, let's explore her work in the South Indian film industry.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in South

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan shares a strong bond with the South Indian film industry, where she also marked her humble beginnings before cementing her position as a global superstar. Born in Mangalore, Karnataka, she was raised in a Tulu-speaking family. Despite her international success, the actor remains deeply connected to her roots.

From Iruvar to Ponniyin Selvan, a look at Aish's South Indian films:

Iruvar (1997)

Credit: IMDb

The Mani Ratnam directorial explored Tamil Nadu politics and friendship. Aishwarya Rai debuted in a dual role as Pushpavalli and Kalpana, alongside Mohanlal and Prakash Raj.

Jeans (1998)

Credit: IMDb

Aishwarya Rai's performance as twin sisters showcased her versatility as an actress in this comedy-drama directed by S. Shankar. Hailed for its stunning cinematography, Jeans was India's official entry for the 71st Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film).

Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)

Credit: IMDb

Aishwarya Rai starred as Meenakshi, a sensible and reserved young woman, who falls for Captain Bala (Ajith Kumar) in this adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility.

Raavanan (2010)

Credit: IMDb

In Mani Ratnam's modern take on Ramayana, Aishwarya starred as Sita, the wife of police officer Dev Prakash (Abhishek Bachchan) and the object of Veera's (Vikram) obsession.

Enthiran (2010)

Credit: IMDb

Entiharan, popularly known as Robot, featured Aishwarya as a robotics engineer and love interest of Dr. Vaseegaran (Rajinikanth). The film, credited for bridging the gap between North and South, explores the creation of a humanoid robot, Chitti (Rajinikanth), and its consequences.

Ponniyin Selvan: I and II (2022, 2023)

Credit: IMDb

Ponniyin Selvan marked Aishwarya's recent screen outing and starred as Princess Nandini in Mani Ratnam's epic set during the Chola dynasty. Aishwarya won the Best Actress (Critics) award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) for her role in Ponniyin Selvan: II.