‘Enthiran’, ‘Jeans’ & ‘PS-1’: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Tamil blockbusters that shattered BO records

Lavish sets, evocative performances, and stories that bring out the essence of life - Tamil cinema through the decades has been characterised by guts, glory and grandeur. From the first Tamil film ‘Kalidas’ in 1931 to 2022's blockuster ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’, magic and mystique have defined on-screen storytelling.
And much of the cinematic magic has been made possible due to the strong presence of the leading ladies of Tamil cinema. From Savithri, Sowcar Janaki, Lakshmi, Sujatha to Srividya, Sridevi and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Tamil heroines have stood their stead and carved a niche for themselves with stellar acting, measured histrionics and graceful dance moves.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who began her filmy career with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Iruvar’ in 1997, has an enviable legion of fans. In one of her old interviews, the 49-year-old revealed that the first time Ratnam narrated the film to her, she felt that it was the perfect time and project to begin her career with as an actress.

The actress, who is celebrating her 49th birthday on November 1, has been part of a handful of Tamil cinema ever since her debut. Regardless of the number, Bachchan commands a sizeable fan following among Tamil moviegoers. On her birthday, here’s a look at her Tamil films that ruled the box-office.
‘Iruvar’
It was a dream debut for the beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 1994. In her first film, Bachchan was cast in a double role opposite Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. Bachchan played Pushpavali and Kalpana in the critically acclaimed political drama. She essayed the role with finesse and her captivating presence almost made viewers forget that it was her first film. Her role Kalpana was a fictionalised take on the late actress J Jayalalithaa. ‘Iruvar’, which was noted for its technical brilliance, saw Ratnam bringing out Bachchan’s beauty in a gamut of frames and lights.
‘Jeans’
In 1998, Bachchan appeared as the lead actress opposite actor Prashanth in S Shankar’s romantic comedy ‘Jeans’. The film which had music by AR Rahman was produced by noted Hollywood producer Ashok Amritraj. The film which had songs shot across the world was reportedly the most expensive film that was made in the early 90s. Bachchan not only aced her comic timing but also showcased her classical dance skills in the film.
‘Kandukondain Kandukondain’
After appearing in a handful of Hindi films including blockbusters 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ and ‘Taal’, Bachchan returned to Tamil cinema with film-maker Rajiv Menon’s romantic drama ‘Kandukondain Kandukondain’ in 2000. Bachchan played the role of Meenakshi in the film based on Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. The beauty queen shared the screen with Mammootty, Tabu, Ajith Kumar, Abbas and Srividya. Bachchan’s restrained performance won her critical praise.

In 2010, Bachchan appeared in two Tamil films - Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavanan’ and S Shankar’s sci-fi action film ‘Enthiran’.
‘Raavanan’
Bachchan starred opposite Chiyaan Vikram and Prithviraj Sukumaran in the 2010 action-drama ‘Raavanan’ helmed by film-maker Mani Ratnam. The film which follows the storyline of ‘Ramayana’ saw Bachchan playing the role of Ragini Subramaniam. The film emerged successful at the box-office with both audiences and critics praising Bachchan’s performance.
‘Enthiran’
The pan-India actress reunited with maverick film-maker S Shankar in 2010. Bachchan starred opposite superstar Rajinikanth in the blockbuster ‘Enthiran’. The film which was made on a budget of Rs 150 crore went on to gross close to Rs 300 crore worldwide. ‘Enthiran’ chronicles the story of scientist K Vaseegaran who invents a robot - Chitti. All hell breaks loose after Chitti falls in love with Vaseegaran’s girlfriend Sana (played by Bachchan). Upon its release, the film went on to garner praise from international audiences.
‘Ponniyin Selvan -1’
Nearly two decades after her debut in ‘Iruvar’, Bachchan appeared in her fourth film with Mani Ratnam. Bachchan played Pazhavoor Queen Nandini in Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan - 1’. During his interviews in the run-up to the release of the film, Ratnam asserted multiple times that he could only see Bachchan as Nandini. The film based on the eponymous novel by late Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy went on to gross over Rs 400 crore at the box office. Bachchan’s role garnered critical praise and now fans are eagerly waiting for the sequel of the film which is slated for a summer 2023 release.