Aishwarya and Abhishek set to wed this friday - 20th April 07

Aishwarya Rai will wear a traditional hand-embroidered sari with intricate goldwork on her wedding day, the actress' favorite designer said Tuesday.


Rai, a former Miss World, will marry actor Abhishek Bachchan on Friday. Bachchan, 31, comes from a famous Bollywood family his father, Amitabh, and mother, Jaya, are among India's best known actors.
A red-and-blue air-conditioned tent with huge mirrors was being readied in a garden adjoining the Bachchan's suburban family home for what is billed as India's "wedding of the year."

Bachchan and Rai, 33, became engaged in a private ceremony in January. Family friends have asked the media to respect the families' wish for privacy.


Designer Neeta Lulla said she created the sari and a red-and-gold embroidered flowing skirt and cropped blouse for Rai to wear at a mehendi ceremony Wednesday. In Indian weddings, mehendi, or henna, is applied in elaborate tattoos on the bride's hands and legs.


Lulla told Mumbai-based DNA newspaper that while she has designed some of Rai's outfits, the actress would also wear a sari created by famous Indian designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla.


Both Rai and Bachchan have been practicing a dance routine they plan to perform before a group of relatives and friends during a musical ceremony Thursday, the daily newspaper said. Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan is expected to entertain guests.


In India, it is common for the couple and their families to perform choreographed dance routines during pre-wedding ceremonies.


Bachchan and Rai have appeared together in several films.

In their latest hit movie, "Guru," Rai plays the supporting wife to Bachchan, who portrays a man from a small Indian village who strives to become a top industrialist. The film is based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance Industries, one of India's top conglomerates.