AISHWARYA RAI - INDIAN HELP FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Indian and Pakistani celebrities joined forces on Sunday (06FEB05) for Mumbai's HELP concert, which raised money for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

A telethon was broadcast simultaneously across 10 of the sub-continent's news channels, allowing viewers to call in and pledge donations in return for speaking to their favourite Bollywood stars.

Film stars also auctioned costumes they wore in recent projects to raise funds for rehabilitating the thousands of fishermen in India who lost their livelihoods.

Some of the items on offer included a watch from German racing driver MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, three of HRITHIK ROSHAN's famous jackets and a meal with BRIDE AND PREJUDICE beauty AISHWARYA RAI.

More than 60 stars took part in the concert and telethon - including AMITABH BACHCHAN, OMAR SHARIF, PREITY ZINTA and SANJAY DUTT - which is expected to raise more that $2 million (GBP1.1 million) for the Indian Prime Minister's Relief Fund.