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The October 27th issue of Time had none other than Aishwarya Rai on its cover. A momentous honour to a woman who always held the world spell bound by her beauty.

Success and Aishwarya are not strangers. They have been walking hand in hand ever since she was crowned Ms. World in 1994. But for her to be featured on the cover of Time and to be called "Queen of Bollywood" speaks volumes of how the Indian woman has now acquired global recognition. The feature is not just a tribute to her beauty; it also waxes lyrical about her talents and her intelligence. It is also to her credit that at last the world is willing to recognise the talents of the Indian movie industry and `Bollywood` in particular.

It makes Indian women proud when women like Aishwarya Rai are called "the most beautiful woman in the world" by none other than Hollywood super star Julia Roberts.

The article goes on to talk about Aishwarya`s unchallenged position in the industry and the desire on her part to always do different and challenging roles, whether a `Devdas or a `Bride and Prejudice.`

With `Bride and Prejudice`, Aishwarya as well as Bollywood have gone truly global. Her fan following is not restricted to India alone. She has attracted the attention of many, the world over. In her, we have the Indian ambassador of the modern Indian woman. The size of her celebrity is measured by the number of websites in her name.

Although Aishwarya Rai is a true representative of the new face of Bollywood, what fascinates people is not so much the glamorous side of her as an actress but that she is the embodiment of the Indian middle class in person. A modern girl with traditional values. No wonder her Bride and Perjudice co-star Martin Henderson says that it is sensibility and refinement more than her sensuality and mystery that gives her the winning edge over most people.

With such a renowned magazine like `Time` doing a full feature on her, Aishwarya Rai can certainly be justified in feeling proud of what she has achieved. And it is equally justified for every Indian to feel proud that a fellow Indian has been bestowed this great honour.

To be captured by `Time` is a tribute to Aishwarya`s timeless beauty. And an even greater tribute to the rise of the Indian woman.