First it was the modelling industry, then the world glamour business, and now our very own Bollywood who has laid out the red carpet for Aishwarya Rai.

With her scintillating performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the former Miss World has finally established herself as a star actress. "She had fire in her eyes when I first met her. After being written off as a 'non-actress', she desperately wanted to prove herself," said Sanjay Leela Bhansali, director of film at its release function.

Ash, as she is commonly called, has indeed managed to make her mark. Recently, she won the best actress award for her role in the much-acclaimed film at the International Indian Films Award ceremony in London.

With the award, Ash has come a long way since here days as Sanjana in the Pepsi ad, when she hadn't the faintest idea that she would be a star one day. Acting as a career option emerged only after she won the Miss World title in 1994. A flood of offers from no less than Yash Chopra and Rahul Rawail set the ace model thinking about an entry into filmdom.

Mani Ratnam introduced her on the silver screen in hisTamil film, Iruvar, opposite southern actor Mohan Lal. Based on the life of a film star-turned-politician, the movie failed to create any impression at the box-office. This was followed by her debacle in Rahul Rawail's Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya and Jeans. Soon, Aishwarya earned the label of a non-actress, and would've faded into oblivion but for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, followed by an equally great performance in Subhash Ghai's Taal.

Now, as Shirley in Josh, Ash has only confirmed that belief. The green-eyed actress has proved that she is here to stay. Today, the Mangalorean beauty is as successful in the north as she is in the south. Recently, she has also acted in a hit Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain, along with Tabu.

Her forthcoming films include Tips Films' Albela with Jackie and Govinda, K.Shashilal Nair's Hum Panchchi Ek Daal Ke opposite Sunil Shetty and Feroz Khan's Qurbaan Tujhpe Meri Jaan with Ajay Devgan and Fardeen Khan.

Surely, this enviable portfolio throws most of her contemporaries far behind even as countless producers and directors still queue up outside her gates for `yes' on on their projects as well.

So, what do the Bollywood doyens think about this doe-eyed actress?