Honestly, if you grew up watching Bollywood in the late 90s or early 2000s, you know that Aishwarya Rai wasn’t just another actress. She was an event. Every time a new set of hindi movies with aishwarya rai was announced, the conversation wasn't just about the plot; it was about how she’d look, how she’d dance, and whether she’d finally silence the critics who kept calling her "plastic."
It’s kinda wild to look back now, in 2026, and see how her filmography holds up. Some of those big-budget spectacles feel a bit dated, sure, but her best work? It’s timeless. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just someone curious about why she’s considered a global icon, there’s a lot more to her career than just being "the most beautiful woman in the world."
The "Big Three" That Defined Her Career
When people search for hindi movies with aishwarya rai, they usually start with the heavy hitters directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. There’s a reason for that. Bhansali knew how to use her eyes to tell a story better than anyone else.
1. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)
This was the turning point. Before this, she had a few hits in the South and some forgettable stuff in Hindi, but Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam made her a superstar. She played Nandini, a girl caught between her first love (Salman Khan) and her husband (Ajay Devgn). The "Nimbooda" dance is still legendary, but it’s the second half of the movie—where she realizes the depth of her husband’s sacrifice—that showed she could actually act.
💡 You might also like: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
2. Devdas (2002)
You can't talk about Bollywood without mentioning Devdas. Aishwarya as Paro was basically peak opulence. The jewelry, the heavy sarees, the "Dola Re Dola" face-off with Madhuri Dixit—it was all very "extra," but it worked. It took her to Cannes for the first time, and basically put Indian cinema back on the global map for a new generation.
3. Jodhaa Akbar (2008)
Ash and Hrithik Roshan have this weirdly perfect chemistry. In Jodhaa Akbar, she played a Rajput princess married to a Mughal emperor. It was subtle. It was regal. Most importantly, it proved she could hold her own in a massive historical epic without being overshadowed by the scale of the production.
The Roles That Critics Actually Liked (For a Change)
For a long time, the "ice queen" label followed her around. People thought she was too pretty to be "real." But if you dig into her filmography, you’ll find these smaller, grittier films where she actually got to do some heavy lifting.
📖 Related: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
- Raincoat (2004): Basically the opposite of Devdas. No makeup, just two former lovers talking in a damp room on a rainy afternoon. It’s quiet, depressing, and arguably her best performance.
- Chokher Bali (2003): This was a Bengali film (later dubbed), but it’s essential viewing. She played a widow, Binodini, and it was the first time many people realized she had some serious range.
- Guru (2007): Working with Mani Ratnam always brings out the best in her. As Sujata, the wife of a business tycoon (played by her real-life husband Abhishek Bachchan), she was the emotional anchor of the whole movie.
Why Her Later Movies Felt Different
After her break, she came back with films like Jazbaa and Sarbjit. These were... divisive. In Sarbjit, she went full-on "shouting actress" mode, which some people loved and others found way too over the top. Then came Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in 2016. She wasn’t even the lead, but her role as Saba—a sophisticated poet—stole the entire movie. It reminded everyone that she doesn’t need 3 hours of screen time to make an impact.
A Quick Look at the Numbers
If you're curious about which hindi movies with aishwarya rai actually made the most money at the box office, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Dhoom 2 was a massive blockbuster and remains one of her biggest commercial hits. Mohabbatein was another huge success, though she was technically a "ghost" in that one. Then you have the Ponniyin Selvan films (the Hindi dubbed versions), which did incredible business globally in the early 2020s.
Is She Still Doing Movies?
As of early 2026, the industry is constantly buzzing about her next move. While she's become way more selective, the "Aishwarya effect" is still real. Younger actresses often cite her as the blueprint for how to handle a global career while staying rooted in Indian cinema.
👉 See also: Jack Blocker American Idol Journey: What Most People Get Wrong
Basically, her legacy isn't just about the hits; it’s about how she navigated an industry that was often ready to write her off as just a pretty face. She stayed, she evolved, and she’s still the standard for a certain kind of Indian stardom.
What to Watch Next
If you want to start a marathon, don't just stick to the hits. Try this order:
- Start with "Taal" to see her early charm and incredible dancing.
- Move to "Guru" for a more grounded, mature performance.
- Finish with "Raincoat" if you want to see her truly stripped of the "superstar" layers.
Most of these are currently streaming on platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, or even YouTube for the older classics. It's worth the time just to see how much Bollywood has changed since she first stepped onto the screen.