At one point, Aishwarya was thrown out of Aziz Mirza’s Chalte Chalte, 2003’s first genuine hit, owing to the Salman Khan’s misdemeanour.

Salman or no Salman, bad day at Cannes notwithstanding, Aishwarya Rai continues to be Bollywood’s queen of hearts.

Besides Khakee and Bride and Prejudice, her forthcoming assignments include Rohan Sippy’s Kuch Naa Kaho (Abhishek Bachchan), Sameer Karnik’s Kyun Ho Gaya Naa? (Vivek Oberoi) and Rituparno Ghosh’s Choker Bali (Prasenjit Chaterjee).

Photo: FRANCOIS GUILLOT/AFP/Getty Images