We don't know about Bollywood but Aishwarya Rai's fledgling Hollywood career is likely to receive a substantial boost with the release of the period drama The Last Legion on 19 Jan 2007.

The film produced by Dino De Laurentiis Productions stars Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, Peter Mullan, Kevin McKidd and Thomas Sangster.

To be distributed by MGM it is based on Valerio Massimo Mandredi's novel of the same name and is part history and part legend. The screen play is set against the backdrop of the fall of Rome in 476AD.

Immediately following the coronation of twelve-year-old Romulus Augustus (Thomas Sangster) as the new emperor of the Roman Empire Barbarian army storm and overrun the city of Rome. They capture Romulus and his mentor Ambrosinus (Ben Kingsley) and hold them captive in the island fortress of Capri.

Amidst the handful of legionnaires that survive the storming and the ensuing slaughter is Aurelius (Colin Firth) who had been charged with the safety of the new emperor by his father before he was killed at the hands of the Barbarians.

On learning that the Byzantine Empire will give Romulus sanctuary Aurelius, accompanied by a small group of faithful warriors, embarks on a journey to rescue Romulus. Amidst the group is a black-clad Byzantine warrior. During the journey, Aurelius discovers what lies behind the black clothing-a young, beautiful woman called Mira (Aishwarya Rai).