Aishwarya Rai made her film debut at 24 with the Tamil political drama Iruvar (1997), starring opposite Mohanlal and directed by Mani Ratnam. She played a double role inspired by Jayalalithaa, while Prakash Raj portrayed a character based on M. Karunanidhi. Initially a box office flop, Iruvar later became a cult classic, marking the start of Aishwarya's illustrious career.