Did you know Aishwarya Rai went makeup-free in 1999 blockbuster Taal?

Bollywood icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has long been admired for her ethereal beauty and acting prowess. While it has been a while since we have seen her on the big screen in recent years, her past performances continue to leave her fans spellbound.
One such film was the 1999 Subhash Ghai directorial Taal, in which Ash starred alongside Akshaye Khanna and Anil Kapoor. What makes the movie even more special, was the fact that the actress did the movie, completely 'make-up free'.
Filmmaker Subhash Ghai shocked fans when he revealed that Aishwarya did not wear makeup for most of the film. Appearing on a reality show, Ghai explained his creative decision, saying, “I always request my heroines to limit their use of makeup as it brings out real emotions. The first time Aishwarya applied makeup in Taal was during the shoot of the song Kahin Aag Lage Lag Jaaye. When I cast Aishwarya for the role, I wanted to portray the life of a simple and divine girl who was naturally beautiful.”
He added that even though makeup artist Mickey Contractor was hired for the film, he was instructed not to use makeup on Aishwarya.
Surprised with this tid-bit from the film, fans took to the comments ection to share their awe and admiration for Ash's 'natural beauty'. One user wrote, “Every woman is beautiful without makeup,” while another stated, “There is only one girl who looks stunning without makeup.”
Taal, was both a critical and commercial success. The romantic musical drama explores love, heartbreak, and redemption. The film follows a young woman whose lover's family disapproves of her, resorting to humiliate her and her father. With the support of Anil Kapoor’s character, she rises to fame as a celebrated artist. However, she is once again faced with the decision to choose between love and ambition.