Besides being hailed as the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Bachchan has always been synonymous to God's eternal answer to beauty, grace and gorgeousness. After having been crowned as Miss World, Ash (as she is fondly called), has now been announced as the first Goodwill Ambassador for Smile Train, the world's largest cleft charity.

As a part of this Ambassadorship, Ash will partner with Smile Train, in association with her own charity (Aishwarya Rai Foundation), in numerous ways to spread awareness and garner recourses to help the worldwide movement.

Aishwarya will work with Smile Train to achieve an ambitious new goal in helping change the lives of over one million children worldwide who suffer from shame and isolation because of cleft lip and cleft palate. As the Goodwill Ambassador, Aishwarya will actively work to help Smile Train to provide free cleft surgery to children in 78 developing countries around the world, including India. This initiative will help raise awareness in India and around the world to the plight of children born with cleft.

Talking about this association, the ever-so-gorgeous Aishwarya said, “God has given me plenty of reasons to smile and I feel it's time to spread it around. There are a lot of children out there who so desperately need help, but can't receive timely care because their families cannot afford this surgery or are ill-educated about this condition. Working with Smile Train, if I can make a difference in their lives, it will certainly make me feel honored and blessed.”

With Aishwarya coming on board, Brian Mullaney, President - Smile Train, said, “Aishwarya's universal appeal and star power will be a priceless asset to our organization, and we consider it a great privilege to have her represent our organization, which does such important work in every corner of the globe,” said. “I look forward to working with her. Her poise, intelligence and dedication to our mission will catapult the work that we do to new and exciting heights.”

Aishwarya Bachchan must be working hard to maintain her stunning figure, as pregnancy rumours hits the headlines every time she puts on weight. Rumourmongers seem to be very eager to see her baby bump. But the former beauty queen is well aware that it is a private matter.

Aishwarya said that people assume that she is with child every time there is even a bump. She knows that pregnancy is something that one can’t hide. She added that she would let the world know when she is pregnant.

She recently sparked up pregnancy rumours once again by saying that she is looking forward to motherhood. She married Abhishek Bachchan, son of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, a couple of years ago.

Well, it seems her fans just can’t wait to hear the happy news!

"When I joined the industry, people initially used to say they have difficulty in pronouncing my name, so they started calling me 'Ash'. But now, it has been years and I guess, everyone can pronounce it properly," Aishwarya told reporters.

"So I would appreciate, if you people address me by my name - Aishwarya," she added.

The model-turned-actress walked the ramp for designer Manish Malhotra at the ongoing HDIL-India Couture Week and thanked her husband Abhishek for bringing the name issue in the forefront.

It is believed that Abhishek had recently requested some journalists to refer to her by her full name.

October 13, 2010 : Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan are soon going to be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Guzaarish', where the two are linked up under very unusual circumstances, as Hrithik plays a magician, who gets infected with a disease and becomes paraplegic, with some parts of his lower half stop functioning, due to lack of co-ordination with the brain.

Aishwarya ,who plays a nurse, is made to take charge of Hrithik's character, and as Ash's character slowly gets emotionally attached to the patient, played by Hrithik, reports are that the film tends to get very emotionally charged up!

The director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has worked with Ash in his great projects like 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and Devdas, has managed to convince Ash to do something quite different in this film- Amazingly, he has managed to make her do a highly romance smitten scene with Hrithik in this flick, which is something unique as far as Ash is concerned!

Aishwarya has never been seen doing such a romantic scene on screen and this is certainly will be one of the highest USP'S of 'Guzaarish'.

However, reports suggest that the intense romantic scene has been shot with very few people on the sets.

It was a very personal scene and required a lot of real emotions from both the actors, Vis a Vis, Ash and Hrithik, to come out of their inhibitions in front of the camera, and if reports are anything to go by, the scene has surpassed all expectations!

So, if you are a Hrithik or an Aishwarya fan, and want to enjoy the charm of their romantic scene, just wait for the flick to release, and rush to the theater!

The actress has been dillydallying with Sanjay Dutt's offer to essay Hema Malini's role in the remake of Satte Pe Satta

Posted On Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 04:39:12 AM

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been keeping Sanjay Dutt on hold for a long time. The actress was offered to play Hema Malini's role in the remake of Satte Pe Satta, which will be produced by Dutt and directed by Soham Shah.

However, it has been about two months since and she is yet to come back with a definite answer.

A source told us, "Soham has given her a two-and-half hour narration of the script. She seemed interested and promised to get back. But after that, she has still not given a confirmed response."

The source added, "It's time that Aishwarya clearly tells Sanjay and Soham if she is interested in doing the film or not.

Only then can they arrange the dates of every other actor in the film. Sanjay and Soham are very much keen to have her on board." Reportedly, Dutt is in a fix, as he doesn't want to offend Mrs Rai Bachchan by approaching any other heroine unless and until she declines the offer.

Aishwarya and her publicist remained unavailable for comment.

Most actresses want to turn producers (Lara Dutta, Ameesha Patel, Sushmita Sen), or start a restaurant (Katrina Kaif, Bipasha Basu, Shilpa Shetty), at some point in their lives, when they feel the need to explore a new business opportunity. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan does things differently. She wants to launch her signature fashion line.

An informer reveals to TOI, "A few years ago, Ash was approached by some fashion houses abroad to be the face of their brand, or be associated with them at some level, but she had declined. Now, some big names from Europe are looking at a partnership with her. However, it is unclear if Ash will go for a joint venture or launch her own fashion line. She is keen to launch her exclusive fashion line that will travel globally. Whether it will it be prêt or haute couture, or Indian or Western is still up in the air."

Ash confirms, "I have plans. I have a multiple connected idea and it's something I will definitely get into. I've wanted to do this for a decade, but I had put my plans on a backburner, and now I better get my act together. I always want to give my hundred per cent and more to everything that I do. There was so much happening around me that I had kept it on hold."

Highly placed sources close to the actress say that Ash has been approached by as many as 15 top international designers from London, New York and Italy. Ash by flaunting her saris and gowns on grand Western events and with her insistence on minimalistic makeup and accessories in Bollywood, is considered to be quite a trend starter. This has been noticed by the world over.