INDIA: Bollywood's hottest couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai get engaged in a private ceremony in India's film capital Mumbai

Record ID: 1377443

  • Title: INDIA: Bollywood's hottest couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai get engaged in a private ceremony in India's film capital Mumbai
  • Date: 17th January 2007
  • Summary: (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF AISHWARYA ATOP A CHARIOT AFTER WINNING THE MISS WORLD CROWN IN 1994
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2007 14:52
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA1RVL8STDN7SIKQKFWCW0JKZM2
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Two of India's biggest cinema stars -- Abhishek Bachchan and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai -- got engaged at a private ceremony, ending fevered speculation about their relationship, their families said on Monday (January 15).
    The hush-hush romance of Rai and Bachchan, the son of legendary Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, had transfixed the Mumbai-based Hindi film industry, Bollywood -- since both previously denied sharing anything more than a platonic friendship.
    On Sunday evening -- one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar -- they were engaged after a small ceremony in which Bachchan reportedly placed a diamond ring on the actress' finger.
    As news of the engagement spread, large crowds of people gathered outside the actor's house in a northern Mumbai suburb and they sang and danced through Sunday night.
    "Since my childhood, I have been a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan. I have never missed any of his movies. Today, I have come here to give blessings to Abhishek and Aishwarya for a long life," said Rani Kapoor, a middle-aged fan of the Bachchan family, as she jostled with others eager to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars.
    Several Bollywood actors, top industrialists and politicians arrived at Bachchan's home to congratulate the couple in the early hours of Monday.
    Rai, 33, and Bachchan, 30, have worked together on at least five films, and both have been in the past romantically linked to other Bollywood stars.
    Bachchan was even engaged to Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor in 2002, but the marriage was called off.
    Speculation of a romance gained ground after their families visited several temples over the past few months to pray for the two lovers whose stars were reportedly not in harmony, a key ingredient to any engagement in astrology-mad India.
    Hours after they made their relationship official, astrologers started predicting a smooth run for the couple.
    "This wedding is bound to take place quickly because both sides are (astrologically) not in a position to delay it much. All steps leading to the main event (wedding) have already been attended to by them. The "Mangal Dosh" (malefic effects of Mars) has been rectified. They have completed the ritual of engagement and it is before the society also. The only thing remaining now is the wedding that is to be scheduled for an auspicious occasion and that will take place soon. I feel that the wedding could be slated anywhere around the auspicious occasions that have begun from Basant Panchmi (Spring festival) and which will go on till mid-March. The date of the wedding looks possible anywhere around the first week of February, 19-20th February, or it could also be in January. There are a large number of auspicious dates now," said Rameshwar Upadhyaya, a reputed astrologer based in Varanasi -- a holy city dotted with Hindu temples where the actors recently prayed.
    "This wedding will be successful in every way and there is no question of it being unsuccessful. We always pray for the well-being of our devotees. There is no reason for it being unsuccessful as everything is being done strictly according to religious customs," said Sri Kant Tripathi, Chief Priest of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
    Sources close to the Bachchan family said they were keen to see the marriage take place soon as Abhishek's octogenarian grandmother was not in good health.
    Bachchan's father also told reporters that his son proposed to Rai in New York last week after the world premiere of their latest film "Guru", a rags-to-riches story of an Indian villager.
    Rai, who has acted in over 40 films, was crowned Miss World in 1994. Bachchan too has acted in about 40 films.
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