The North News
Chandigarh, June 16
Nearly two decades ago, long before international streaming deals and global red carpets became routine for Indian stars, a conversation brewed on Indian television about Aishwarya Rai’s potential in Hollywood. It happened on Koffee With Karan, the glitzy celebrity talk show that debuted in 2004 and quickly became a pop-culture phenomenon.
Now, a clip from its very first season has resurfaced, reigniting interest in what Bollywood’s biggest names thought of Aishwarya Rai’s global future.
A Roundtable of Opinions — and Some Unexpected Ones
In episode four of the show’s maiden season, host Karan Johar welcomed Aishwarya Rai alongside filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. During their chat, Karan played a video montage featuring various industry peers offering their thoughts on whether Aishwarya would break into Hollywood in a big way.
Among the first to appear was Abhishek Bachchan, who was effusive in his praise: “Yes, she is very talented, a wonderful professional and a great person to work with.” His father, Amitabh Bachchan, also weighed in—though his tone was more measured. “She’ll go a distance,” he said, pausing thoughtfully before adding, “but I don’t know how far.”
Other voices chimed in with mixed views. Sanjay Dutt offered a blunt take: “I hope she does, but I don’t think so.” Meanwhile, Bipasha Basu acknowledged Rai’s early steps towards international fame, and Zayed Khan backed her universal appeal. Ektaa Kapoor added a personal touch to her support, saying she hoped for Rai’s success since her own first industry experience was with the former Miss World.
A Time Capsule of Stardom and Ambition
Looking back, the clip feels like a time capsule from a pre-streaming era, when Hollywood recognition was a rarefied dream for Indian actors. Today, Aishwarya Rai has walked the Cannes red carpet multiple times, acted in international films and remains one of India’s most globally recognized faces.
But back then, even with a Miss World crown and Bollywood blockbusters behind her, questions about her place in Hollywood were still up for debate.
