Aishwarya Rai's marriage to Abhishek Bachchan brought two Bollywood dynasties together, but it hasn't been easy. Here's how the couple has balanced it all, from fame and family to navigating rumours.
When one hears the name, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, one thinks of elegance, grace, and raw beauty. Aishwarya has been bewitching hearts for three decades and is indubitably one of the finest actresses Bollywood has seen. Her divine beauty unmatched intellect and kindness never ceases to amaze the world. It is hard not to fall in love with Aishwarya for one reason or another.
Aishwarya Rai debuted in the film industry with Mani Ratnam's 1997 Tamil film Iruvar and her Hindi debut with Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya the same year. The actress is best known for her work in movies like Sanjay Leela Bhansali's romantic dramas Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002).
But before all that, she had also been crowned Miss World in 1994. We all loved how graceful Aishwarya looked in Umrao Jaan, and it can surely be said we weren't the only ones whose hearts went 'ish' as it was on the sets of the periodic drama that the love between the two blossomed.
Aishwarya and Abhishek first met on the sets of Raj Kanwar's 2000 romance drama, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ka. The two became really good friends then, Abhishek even shared some details about the duo's initial friendship in 2018 in an interview with India Today Conclave East. The actor shared that the two were good friends and were simultaneously doing another film, Kuch Na Kaho. Abhishek shared:
"We were dear friends. We were simultaneously doing another film, Kuch Na Kaho. We always had a close friendship and in time it evolved into something more than that."
Their love story intensified while working on Muzaffar Ali's Umraao Jaan when Abhishek started to develop feelings for Aishwarya. Around the same time, they were also shooting for Dhoom 2 when they realised their feelings for each other and started getting closer.
Abhishek had decided to marry Aishwarya during the shoot of Mani Ratnam's Guru. The actor recalled their romantic proposal and shared that he had asked Aishwarya to marry him on a hotel balcony in New York after the premiere of Guru in Toronto. When Oprah Winfrey asked about the location choice Abhishek on her show the actor shared that it was the same balcony where he wished to marry Aishwarya. He said:
"I was filming in New York for a movie. And, I used to stand on the balcony of my hotel room and wish, 'One day, wouldn't it be nice if I was together with her, married.' Years later, we were there for the premiere of Guru. After the premiere, we were back in the hotel. So, I took her to the very same balcony, and I asked her to marry me."
Abhishek went down on one knee on the balcony of his New York hotel room; with a prop ring. The Dasvi actor had used the same ring he used in the movie Guru, to propose to his lady love. Aishwarya was touched by his gesture and said 'Yes' to Abhishek's movielike proposal.
Aishwarya was at the peak of her career when she agreed to marry Abhishek Bachchan. The couple tied the knot in a grand wedding on April 20, 2007. The Bride and Prejudice actress appeared in several Hindi, Tamil, and English films after her marriage.
However, this number kept on decreasing as the years went on. Aishwarya had shifted her focus from acting to accommodate her new responsibilities and this became more evident when the actress took a sabbatical after the birth of her daughter, Aaradhya in 2011. Aishwarya took a hiatus from the industry for five years, focusing entirely on her newborn and family.
Aishwarya took a break from the industry for almost five years to embrace motherhood. The actress' last film before her hiatus was Guzaarish in 2010. In an industry where establishing oneself once is excruciating Jodha Akbar fame showed us that she can do it again and came back even stronger with the crime thriller, Jazbaa in 2015.
Aishwarya has since played an array of characters like, 'Dalbir Kaur' in Sarbjit, 'Saba Taliyar Khan' in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, 'Nandini' and 'Oomai Rani' in Ponniyin Selvan I and II, showcasing her willingness to return with bold and powerful performances.
Like any high-profile marriage, Aishwarya and Abhishekh have been under constant media scrutiny. Rumours about their tension and separation have resurfaced on various occasions. The two have never officially indicated that there are any issues between them.
However, back in 2010 during the Vogue India interview Aishwarya joked about fighting every day, to which Abhishek clarified that there are minor disagreements that happen between every couple. Sharing about the same, Abhishek said:
"They're more like disagreements, not fights. They're not serious, they're healthy. It'd be really boring otherwise. Women don't make up! But we have a rule — we don't sleep on a fight. And in defence of all men, I want to tell you, half the time the reason we give in and say sorry is because we're just so sleepy and want to go to bed! Besides, women are the superior race, and they're always right. The sooner men accept that, the better. It doesn't matter what you say, even if you have concrete proof, in their world, it's futile, it makes no sense."
Aishwarya's relationship with her in-laws has been a hot topic for a while now since the Bachchans seem to efficiently ignore the actress and her daughter, Aaradhya. There have been speculations that Aishwarya has not been on talking terms with her mother-in-law for a few years now. According to a report by Zoom TV, Aishwarya recently moved out of Bachchan's residence.
It was also speculated that the actress lived in an entirely separate section with her husband, maintaining a clear separation from her in-laws. In a recent episode of KBC, it was shared that even Amitabh Bachchan chose to completely ignore Aishwarya and Aaradhya's existence.
The rumours about the couple being separated started when Amitabh Bachchan gifted his daughter, Shweta Bachchan Nanda his Juhu bungalow, Prateeksha. News broke out that Abhishek had decided to leave his parents and move away. Soon after it was disclosed that only Aishwarya and Aaradhya had left Bachchan's house and this solidified when Abhishek liked a divorce post on Instagram.
Later, Aishwarya and Aaradhya arrived separately from the Bachchan clan at the Ambani wedding. There have also been rumours that the actor had an extra-marital affair with his Daasvi co-star, Nimrat Kaur.
Neither Nimrat nor the Bachchans have made any official statement about the Aishwarya's absence or the divorce. The actress was recently spotted at the Mumbai airport returning from her vacation in New York, with her daughter, Aaradhya. On the other end, Abhishek has announced his upcoming film, 'I Want to Talk'.
What are your thoughts on Aishwarya and Abhishek's seventeen years of marriage? Is it just a phase or is the couple headed towards a divorce? Let us know.
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