Aishwarya Rai - Beyond Bollywood

Rai says that Indians worldwide fuel Bollywood's success

In a Hardtalk Extra interview broadcast on Friday 21st October, Tom Brook talks to one of India's best known personalities, Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai.

Aishwarya Rai has been dubbed the "Queen of Bollywood" and is India's biggest star.

She's one of a handful of Indian actresses to be feted by Hollywood and has been the only one to sit on the Grand Jury at Cannes.

Her intention was to become an architect but an early modelling contract and a Miss World crown soon put paid to that.

Having starred in over 30 films she enjoys iconic status across Asia.

She speaks five languages, receives two movie offers a day and is one of Time magazine's most influential people in the world.

HARDtalk Extra can be seen on Fridays on BBC World at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 18:30 GMT and 23:30 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30