“Being a mother is a full time job”: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Cannes regular Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is fast becoming a poster girl for hands-on mothering. But the former Miss World, who’s the face of the cosmetic giant L’Oreal Paris, tells tabloid! that playing a real-life mother isn’t as easy as it looks.

“Being a mother is a full time job on its own. To be able to juggle more than one thing at a time takes a lot of planning and family support,” said Rai Bachchan in an e-mail interview from Cannes.

It’s her 13th time at the world’s most prestigious film showcase. Since she became a mother, her 17-month-old daughter, Aaradhya, accompanies her on all her long-distance travels.

“I have a wonderful family including my in-laws that are involved in Aaradhya’s life. I love them all dearly, truly they complete me,” said Rai Bachchan. She’s married into one of Bollywood’s film dynastoes; her father-in-law is the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Her top tip to mothers?

“Enjoy your motherhood years no matter how consuming it might be. You must always remember that having a child is a blessing. Plan well and give everything its sweet time,” said Rai Bachchan. Perhaps it’s this attitude that helped her weather the brutal scrutiny that she was subjected to when she was unable to get into shape following her pregnancy.

When asked if she has an army working behind her red-carpet looks, she said: “I wouldn’t call it an army, but I do have a wonderful team behind the look. The designers understand me very well so they know what I always look for in a dress. Elegance and comfort are my two most important factors,” said Rai Bachchan.

“My hair and makeup is decided upon by the L’Oreal Paris makeup artists based on the dress I am wearing for the night. They always do a fantastic job and make sure I look fabulous on the red carpet,” she adds.

It’s no secret that Rai Bachchan doesn’t take fashion too seriously. Therefore, her Cannes red carpet choices have always been a mixed bag.

Take this year for instance, she sweeps us off her feet with a glorious Elie Saab creation one day and then picks a prudish Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla anarkali, demolishing any signs of fashion progress. However, she is unfazed by the scrutiny and claims that she’s never nervous before her red carpet roll call.

“On the contrary, I feel like I’m at home. I’ve been coming here for years now. I’ve made such wonderful friends,” said Bachchan.

Want to know how she got her look? Rai Bachchan used L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil to keep her locks glowing, and L’Oreal Color Riche Smoky eyeshadow in Rose topped off with L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara.