Top Bollywood stars get engaged
(Reuters) Updated: 2007-01-15 16:00
Bollywood film stars Aishwarya Rai (L) and Abhishek Bachchan
arrive for the world premiere of their film "Guru" in Toronto in this
January 11, 2007 file photo. Two of India's biggest cinema stars, Bachchan
and former Miss World Rai, got engaged at a private ceremony, ending
fevered speculation about their relationship, their families said on
Monday. [Reuters]
| Mumbai - Two of India's biggest cinema stars, Abhishek
Bachchan and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, are finally engaged after months
of feverish speculation about their relationship, their families said on Monday.
The hush-hush romance of Rai and Bachchan, the son
of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, had transfixed the Mumbai-based Hindi film
industry, despite denials by the couple of sharing anything more than a healthy
friendship.
On Sunday evening -- one of the most
auspicious days in the Hindu calendar -- Bachchan and Rai were engaged in a
private ceremony in which Abhishek reportedly placed a diamond ring on his
girlfriend's finger.
"No date for marriage has been
fixed yet," the senior Bachchan told reporters, adding that his son had proposed
to Rai in New York last week after the world premiere of their latest film
entitled "Guru".
TV channels and newspapers,
however, said the marriage could take place as early as next month, with some
suggesting February 19 or March 7 as possible dates. The Bachchan family has
booked a top luxury hotel for these days, the reports said.
In The Stars As news of the engagement spread, large crowds sang and
danced through the night outside the Bachchan family home. Several Bollywood
actors, top industrialists and politicians also visited the couple into the
early hours of Monday to offer congratulations.
Rai
and Bachchan left Mumbai shortly afterwards for a film shoot in the western
state of Rajasthan. Members of the Bachchan family also left for the central
Indian city of Ujjain to offer prayers at a revered temple, Indian television
reports said.
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.
As soon as the engagement
was made official, television channels started airing positive predictions.
"This year is going to be very good and productive
for him in which new developments are seen," astrologer Arun Sharma told NDTV
channel. "Even for Aishwarya her stars are strong. But she will have to look
after her dietary habits."
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.
Rai, who has
acted in over 40 films, was crowned Miss World in 1994. Bachchan junior too has
acted in about 40 films.
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