Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gives birth to 'the cutest baby girl'

By Emily Sheridan

Last updated at 12:21 PM on 16th November 2011

Bollywood actress and model Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has given birth to her first child.

The L'Oreal spokesmodel, 38, and her actor husband Abhishek Bachchan, 35, welcomed a baby girl in a Mumbai hospital this morning.

Abhishek broke the news on Twitter, exclaiming: 'It's a girl :-).'

Baby joy: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, pictured at the Oscars in February, has given birth to her first child

Her father-in-law, actor Amitabh Bachchan, 69, also took to the micro-blogging site to share his delight at becoming a grandfather.

Using a Hindi expression to denote paternal grandfather, he said: 'I am Dada to the cutest baby girl... ecstatic!'

The former Miss World, one of the few Indian actresses to gain worldwide fame outside the Bollywood world, gave birth at the private Seven Hills hospital.

Excitement: A heavily pregnant Rai with her husband Abhishek Bachchan at a Mumbai party last week

Already a huge star internationally, Rai married into the Bachchan acting dynasty in 2007.

Prior to her romance with Bachchan, Rai had a high-profile romance with Bollywood bad boy Salman Khan.

Her father-in-law Amitabh is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in Bollywood and has hosted the Indian versions of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and Big Brother.

Rai, once described as the most beautiful woman in the world, started her career as a model in the mid-90s, appearing in advertisements for Pepsi and gracing the cover of Vogue.

I'm a father! Abhishek took to Twitter to announce he had becoming a father

Proud grandfather: Rai's father-in-law, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was thrilled

In 1994, while studying for a degree in architecture, she won the Miss World pageant, leading her to abandon her studies and spend a year in London.

In 1997, she made her acting debut in political film Iruvar, which kicked off her busy film career.

Although prominently a Bollywood actress, Rai made the crossover to Western films starring alongside Martin Henderson in Bride & Prejudice - inspired by Jane Austen's classic novel Pride & Prejudice - in 2004.

Two years ago, she starred alongside Steve Martin in Pink Panther 2.

Crossover star: Rai with Martin Henderson in Bride And Prejudice in 2004

Bollywood 'super couple' Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan expecting first baby

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 1:00 AM on 22nd June 2011

Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai, famous for her role in hit film Bride & Prejudice, is pregnant.

It will be the first child for the 37-year-old actress and her actor husband Abhishek Bachchan, 35, who married back in 2007.

The news was broken by Abhishek's father, actor and producer Amitabh Bachchan, who tweeted today: 'NEWS NEWS NEWS!! I am going to become a grandfather. Aishwarya expecting... So happy and thrilled!!!'

Super couple: Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan appeared at this year's Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood

Amitabh later wrote that the news had only just been confirmed.

Aishwarya and her husband, who attended this year's Oscar ceremony in Hollywood, are known as a 'super couple' in their native India, having both starred in a number of hit Bollywood films.

The actress has won two Filmfare Awards (the Hindi equivalent of the Oscars) and crossed over into English-speaking cinema, appearing in 2004 hit Bride & Prejudice and The Pink Panther 2 alongside Steve Martin in 2009.

Proud: Actor Amitabh Bachchan, father-in-law of Aishwarya Rai, announced the pregnancy news today

She also won the Miss World Beauty pageant back in 1994 and was once dubbed by People magazine as one of the 'world's most beautiful women.'

But despite her worldwide success, she has previously ruled out a more permanent move to try her luck in Hollywood.

'I'd be happy to stay in my country,' she once told David Letterman. 'But we are gypsies in this industry. You go where work takes you.'