Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on how Miss World crown changed her life and why insecurity doesn't drive her life calls

Dubai: “All you beautiful people, Salam Alaikum, Namaste,” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan greeted the audience, waving as fans and photographers swarmed her at the fifth Red Sea International Film Festival.

The room erupted in claps and selfie requests, a rare public glimpse of the actress reflecting on her decades-long career and early pageant days.

Yet while Rai Bachchan’s charm was undeniable, the session itself felt carefully orchestrated—polished questions, no curveballs, a perfectly managed environment almost vanilla in its execution. It was an ideal setting for the actress to share her perspective without the unpredictable sparks of a more probing conversation.

Reflecting on her early career, Rai Bachchan recalled how her path to Miss World was far from scripted.

“Being a part of Miss World contest was incidental ... I didn’t perceive it as a beauty pageant or a title. I interestingly looked upon it as an opportunity to possibly represent the Indian woman internationally… Interestingly it amazed me how less informed a large part of the world was about Indian people or the Indian woman at the time… Many even thought we were a land of tigers and snake charmers! That’s what I gave to the title about representing us as a people overseas!"

Even as she embraced the visibility of the crown, Rai Bachchan spoke candidly about the pressures of public life and the role of insecurity. “No, I think that’s a very, very, very real aspect of who I am. Insecurities have never been a driving force, which a lot of the voices around can try and get in your head and can sometimes propel choices. And that’s something that has never been real… I remember Maniratnam telling me, you know what, it’s not really a launch film. It’s a movie. It’s a story. It’s not about launching Aishwarya. And I was like, wow, that’s the movie I want to do.”

Her choice of roles has consistently reflected this approach. Even after the critical acclaim of films such as Devdas, she has prioritised the story over public expectation.

“I did Choker Bali after reaching a crescendo with Devdas with Ritupurno Ghosh. I was like, wow, what a beautiful story. That’s the movie I want to do. So that sense, it isn’t the predictability… I have all your love. I have all your support. I have the industry of talents… and be willing to accept a no from me when a script doesn’t.”

Rai Bachchan’s approach extends to social media. She maintains a minimal presence, carefully curating when and how she engages. “So evidently, to those who have visited my one and only social media engagement platform, it’s almost been quite shy, like and basic… I’m quite a quiet rebel there. And I was like, no, I’m certainly not going to follow the expected… I kind of wanted to set an example, but make a statement of telling people to liberate yourself from fooling yourself into believing that this is what you need to feel validated.”

Throughout the conversation, Rai Bachchan reflected on her career and public persona with understated elegance. She balances visibility with privacy, ambition with perspective, and remains approachable to those who admire her work. Yet the tightly curated session also underscored that even a star of her stature operates within carefully managed spaces.

"Insecurity does not drive me," she added.

Red Sea International Film Festival runs until December 13 and Gulf News is on the ground to capture all the action.