Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai are two of the biggest names in Indian cinema. Their on-screen chemistry in films like ‘Josh’, ‘Mohabbatein’ and ‘Devdas’ made them a favourite pair with fans. But beyond the spotlight and success, their relationship once took a sharp turn, one that sparked headlines and even led Jaya Bachchan to express her anger openly.
From blockbusters to fallout
In the early 2000s, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai were at the peak of their careers. As per News18, After giving hits like ‘Josh’ and ‘Devdas’, they were set to appear together in more films. But things soon changed. Their professional bond suddenly soured for reasons that were never clearly revealed. Aishwarya later spoke about being dropped from several projects with Shah Rukh, including ‘Chalte Chalte’ and ‘Veer Zaara’. These changes hit her career hard.
While SRK later apologised, the damage had already been done. The two eventually made peace, but their friendship was never quite the same.
Jaya Bachchan’s honest words
The fallout between the actors didn’t just stay between them. It also caused a stir within the Bachchan family. Jaya Bachchan, who is Aishwarya’s mother-in-law and also close to Shah Rukh, didn’t hide her feelings. In a 2008 interview with People magazine, she was asked whether she still held anything against Shah Rukh. She replied, “Of course, I do,” and added, “I haven’t had the opportunity to discuss it with him and I am going to speak to him about it. If he was at my home, I would have slapped him, just as I would my own son. But I have connected with him in my soul, and that’s it.” Even though she was upset, Jaya also showed her fondness for him, saying, “I have a weakness for Shah Rukh.”
Jaya’s reply when asked if SRK was invited to Aish-Abhishek wedding
Another sign of the tension was Shah Rukh’s absence at Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan’s wedding in 2007. At the time, reports claimed that Shah Rukh and Aishwarya were not even on speaking terms after their fallout during ‘Chalte Chalte’.Jaya didn’t beat around the bush when speaking about this. She said, “Is Aishwarya going to invite him for the wedding? Let me tell you, very honestly, if we could have invited him, we would have changed the date of the wedding. I would like to give my family the freedom and the space.”
