Bollywood Prepares For Glamorous Wedding
Aishwarya Rai will wear a traditional hand-embroidered sari with intricate goldwork on her wedding day, the actress' favorite designer said Tuesday.
Rai, a former Miss World, will marry actor Abhishek Bachchan on Friday. Bachchan, 31, comes from a famous Bollywood family — his father, Amitabh, and mother, Jaya, are among India's best known actors.
A red-and-blue air-conditioned tent with huge mirrors was being readied in a garden adjoining the Bachchan's suburban family home for what is billed as India's "wedding of the year."
Bachchan and Rai, 33, became engaged in a private ceremony in January. Family friends have asked the media to respect the families' wish for privacy..
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Designer Neeta Lulla said she created the sari and a red-and-gold embroidered flowing skirt and cropped blouse for Rai to wear at a mehendi ceremony Wednesday. In Indian weddings, mehendi, or henna, is applied in elaborate tattoos on the bride's hands and legs.Photos: She's A Beauty
Lulla told Mumbai-based DNA newspaper that while she has designed some of Rai's outfits, the actress would also wear a sari created by famous Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.
Both Rai and Bachchan have been practicing a dance routine they plan to perform before a group of relatives and friends during a musical ceremony Thursday, the daily newspaper said. Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan is expected to entertain guests.
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In India, it is common for the couple and their families to perform choreographed dance routines during pre-wedding ceremonies.
Bachchan and Rai have appeared together in several films.
In their latest hit movie, "Guru," Rai plays the supporting wife to Bachchan, who portrays a man from a small Indian village who strives to become a top industrialist. The film is based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance Industries, one of India's top conglomerates.