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Femina magazine is celebrating its 51st anniversary with India’s most beautiful woman, Aishwarya Rai. The cover page is also an unusual one; you will get to see two Aishwaryas. The younger, inexperienced Ash is leaning on the shoulder of elder, much matured Ash.
The mag also carries a letter written by Ash to her younger self as she reveals the biggest challenges in life that are yet to come and how she has to face it. The letter is no less than an eye opener about the Raavan actress, and her many facets. Any young girl today can also learn a lot from it.
Here is the letter:
Go beyond the role
I went global with Miss World, representing my people from the country and everywhere. I was aware that I was the brand ambassador for my country. But I tried to go beyond the beauty queen. There is a special place people have given me in their hearts and its important to reciprocate.
Stay open
The competition is more intense since the time Sushmita and I participated. But there were two things that winning changed for me. It gave me the confidence to be a public speaker. (Abhishek rolls his eyes when I say this, but I was too shy to speak on stage.) And secondly, it was a great way for a young person to be introduced to social work.
Make the time for family
“You cannot even begin to fathom the nurturing you receive from your family. I had the comfort of knowing that there are these people who were always there at the other, ready to give a tug when I needed it.”
Your silence will be heard
“I have often felt misrepresented; people took advantage of my silence and coloured their own reality. At these times, my family reassured me that there's dignity in silence. I never did develop a rhino hide even after these years, I still hurt easily.”
Finding love
“You'll just know when you truly experience it. Abhishek and I have known each other for the longest time. He was scouting locations in Switzerland when I met him on sets of Aur Pyar Ho Gaya, in 1997. But it was only in 2006 that we got together, and we married within a year. We both recognised an emotion of this intensity needed to be nurtured.”
“I had this notion of tapering off work just before the wedding, slowing down, getting into the preparations, going off on a long honeymoon, and then sort of easing into married life. Instead, I got married in the middle of a big film and had to pack 48 hours in 24 to make it all work. I wouldn't have it any other way!”
