Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: If I'm blessed with good looks, so be it (Throwback)

Ever since we have known her, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been a woman of glamour, elegance and panache. One of the most beautiful faces in the world, Aishwarya has always been a head-turner. Stories of comparisons, competitions, insecurities among contemporaries around Aishwarya Rai have always made headlines. Though the diva may choose not to speak on such issues now, there was a time when she did, and how!

Back in 1999, Aishwarya spoke at length about her beauty and the problems that come with it in an interview with Filmfare. As per a report in Cosmopolitan, when Aishwarya was asked if her beauty ever came in her way and didn't let her get the recognition she deserved as an actor, Aish had said, "Look, I can't fight the looks I've been born with. If I'm blessed with good looks, so be it. But for Pete's sake, don't knock my hard work, my professionalism. I'm only three-films-old. I haven't given any of my directors any reason to complain."

Aishwarya had further said, "Some of the actresses have a right to feel bad and say, 'So, here's this Jill-come-lately who thinks no end of herself just because she won the title of Miss World.' I don't mean to be condescending at all but the fact is that I was a known face even before I joined the movies. I have an International honour to my credit! I don't mean to be patronising, but the truth is that everyone will have to live with the fact that I am Aishwarya Rai. I'm not fighting my genes, my good fortune or my own achievements. Perhaps the fact that I got top projects... because top film-makers wanted to work with me... must have annoyed some of the leading actors."

Ouch! That must have hurt.