2017 turned out to be a catastrophic year for the Rai-Bachchan clan when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s father, Krishnaraj Rai passed away. As per India.com report, Krishnaraj ji was diagnosed with cancer left for the heavenly abode after fighting with his prolonged illness, in March 2017. Just like every daughter, Aishwarya too was her daddy’s little girl and he was her go-to person who guided and helped her in every step of life. (Also Read: Amitabh Bachchan And Abhishek Bachchan Share Adorable Birthday Wishes For Shweta Nanda Bachchan)
On March 18, 2019, it has been two years since Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s father, Krishnaraj Rai passed away. And on his death anniversary, Aishwarya posted a portrait of her father, late Krishnaraj Rai, and wrote a simple yet impactful note along with it. Captioning her father’s death anniversary post, Aishwarya wrote, “Love you Eternally”.
On the anniversary of her parents, Krishnaraj Rai and Brindya Rai in December 2018, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posted an all-smiles picture of the couple, and captioned it, “MINE. Happy Anniversary LOVE YOU ETERNALLY.” On her father, Krishnaraj Rai’s birth anniversary, Aishwarya celebrated the day at an NGO, Smile Train and posted a photo of Aaradhya Bachchan standing in front of her grandfather’s portrait, with a balloon. Aishwarya captioned the pic as, "Love you eternally daddy-ajja. Pranam and craving blessings on your birthday."
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan along with mother, Brindya Rai and daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan celebrated the day at the NGO, Smile Train. Everyone present there was wearing a t-shirt with 'Day of Smiles' written on it. While Aishwarya was interacting with the people, Aaradhya sat with her nani, right beside the podium. The sweetest moment captured in a video from the same event, we can see Aaradhya giving a pat on her nani's shoulder and giving a peck on her hands. This heart-warming gesture of Aaradhya won everyone’s heart. (Also Read: Shilpa Shetty Kundra And Raj Kundra 'Almost' Got Divorced Courtesy Anurag Basu, Here's What Happened)
After Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s father, Krishnaraj Rai passed away, her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan had tweeted, “Death has but one end .. and words cannot define it ..!!” On his blog, he had written, “Death.. the inevitable end… That call you wait anxiously knowing that it will come, and come it does to end all other calls .. glimpses of reactions in the mind, of the lost one, of those that shall reflect on the lost one .. and suddenly then in the midst of sorrow and grief among the grieved and grieving. That walk to the ultimate destination and the reality… Embracing the tragedy, the discussions on its transport, its rituals, its formalities… The custom, the tradition, the visitors with the sadness and the embrace of consolation, the last rites, the carriage, the placement, the cremation… What to say what to put out where to put to… All laden with grief and departure.”
How Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was inconsolable after her father’s demise and the way she juggled between hospital and home, a source was then quoted as saying, “Aishwarya has been heartbroken. She’s been spending sleepless nights worrying crazy about her dad’s deteriorating health. Amid all this, it is heartening to see how Abhishek has been keeping her company. Aishwarya has been ignoring herself while taking care of her father. Abhishek has been taking care of her and making sure that she eats and sleeps every few hours. He has made sure to be around. Both of them spend most of their day and night at the hospital, stepping out to go home only to freshen up and to check on daughter Aaradhya, who’s been taken care of her paternal grandparents – Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.”
In an interview with Jitesh Pillai on Famously Filmfare, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan reminisced how sudden her roka happened with Abhishek Bachchan. She had stated, “He proposed, which was amazing! And it happened like really suddenly.” Revealing that she had no idea what roka means, being a South Indian, before her marriage, Aishwarya was quoted as saying, "I didn't even know there's something called a 'roka' ceremony. We are South Indians, so, I don't know what a 'roka' is and suddenly there is this call from their house to ours; 'we are coming'. And we were like, okay. And I'm like, dad? He was like; it will take him one more day (to come)."
Recalling that Abhishek Bachchan along with his parents, Jaya Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan, was all set to come to her place for roka and her father, Krishnaraj Rai was out of town, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had said, "Abhishek was like 'we are all coming and I can't stop dad. We are on our way. We are coming to your place'. I'm like, 'Oh my God!' So, this 'roka' is happening with a call to my father, who is out of town." And how that one moment changed her life forever, Aishwarya continued, "Mum is here, we are here. They've all arrived home, they are emotional and all. I'm like, 'Oh my God, it's happening.' Then it's like, 'come on, let's go home'. I'm like, 'Mom, okay... is this...is this an engagement? Like, what just happened?" (Also Read: Neeti Mohan Blushes As Aditya Narayan Calls Her 'Nayi Naveli Mrs Pandya', Nihaar's Reaction Is Epic)
Rest in peace, Krishnaraj ji!