When Elizabeth Hurley walks into a room, people stop and stare. In town for the Estee Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign’s annual Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Apollo Bunder, on October 23, Hurley looked resplendent in pink as she strode confidently towards the crowd thronged to see her if not to show their support for her cause, accompanied by her husband, Mumbai resident Arun Nayyar and her son, six-year old Damien. She has been the face and is now the spokes-model for the perfume mega-brand, and clearly takes her role seriously — she got her family to pitch in with Nayyar wearing a pink tie and little Damien a pink turban.

“It’s a cause that has affected me personally,” the gorgeous model explains, “I lost an aunt to breast cancer and three of my girlfriends were diagnosed with it. Luckily for them it was detected in the early stages, so they survived.”

Every year a historic landmark is illuminated in a pink glow by the Estee Lauder Foundation to raise breast cancer awareness and this year, the Taj has been chosen. “I go around the world doing fundraisers every October and since India feels like home, it’s really special for me to be part of this event here,” the lovely lady says. The fact that this is happening at the Taj is even more significant. “This is where I spent my honeymoon,” she smiles.

Demurely draped in a pink sari with silver rosettes, the mother-of-one looked amazingly natural in Indian attire. “I’m very comfortable in saris,” she declares and goes on to add that she can even drape one herself. “Not anything very complicated, of course,” she hastens to add, “But my friends tell me I’m good with draping it the conventional way.”

Her Diwali plans are fixed too. “We will be in India during that time, so there are definitely plans to celebrate it, but I haven’t been invited to any Diwali parties yet,” she laughs.

The actor of Bedazzled and Austin Powers has already declared her love for Bollywood and her desire to act in a movie here. But what about Indian fashion? Has she attended the Lakme Fashion Week which is currently going on? “We just got into town, so let’s see what happens,” she says, a little cagily, “But I generally do make it a point to attend such events.”