Aishwarya was struggling in Bollywood due to SRK sabotaging her career by replacing her in all biggies one after another by Rani Mukherjee. Aishwarya then went to Aditya Chopra for a significant role. He suggested her to make an image make over. He then verbally discussed the role of Sunehri in Dhoom 2. She immediately agreed. SRK was in Chopra camp, so was Rani. It was not easy for Ash to get cast in YRF film again. Aditya Chopra then gave her the popular song Kajra Re in BnB. It was a special 7 minute song. Aishwarya did it only as a thank you gesture to Adi.
Kajra Re proved to be a major turning point in her career after a long time. Ironically Aishwarya's iconic dance number was major reason why the film became a superhit. The heroine of the film was Rani who harmed Ash's career in 2003-2004 period. Kajra Re was similar to Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai craze that time.
Yash Chopra tried to cast her earlier in Veer Zaara but SRK refused to work with her. So Yash Chopra cast Preity Zinta and did an image make over to her. Yash Chopra then offered Aish the lawyer's role. Again due to SRK she couldn't do it. Also it was a supporting role.
Now its time for Aishwarya to do an image make over.
Dhoom 2 was YRF's most special project and they wanted a fresh pairing and a surprise. So, Aditya Chopra cast Hrithik and Aishwarya first time after several directors wanted to sign them first. Rakesh Roshan wanted to cast them together in Koi Mil Gaya then Tanuja Chandra in a war love story film where Hrithik was a wounded soldier and Aishwarya his nurse but didn't happen. Later Rakesh Roshan again tried to cast her in Krrish. Again it didn't happen.
Aditya Chopra cast them together finally in his production Dhoom 2 finally. Aishwarya was re-launched in Bollywood again. After this film became blockbuster she did Mani Ratnam's Guru which became a super hit. Then she did Ashutosh Gowariker's epic Jodhaa Akbar with Hrithik which became Hit in India but blockbuster overseas. She then did Mani Ratnam's Ravaanan with Vikram, Shankar's Robot (Endhiran) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guuzaarish with Hrithik again. Endhiran became a blockbuster, Ravaanan became average, the hindi version Raavan was a flop, Guzaarish also became a flop but critically acclaimed.
Aishwarya is going to be seen again in her first blockbuster after Endhiran in Mani Ratnam's magnum opus pan India historical film Ponniyin Selvan where she plays the main villain Nandhini Devi. Its going to be Raj Mata Shivagami type role but negative.
In the meantime the woman who tried to ruin her career Rani Mukerji's Bunty aur Bubly 2 became a disaster both box office wise and critically also. All were missing the original queen Aishwarya's Kajra Re song.
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