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Happy Birthday Abhishek Bachchan: Beyond his capabilities as a performer, he also dominates the headlines for his married life.
Happy Birthday Abhisekh Bachchan: The actor is celebrating his 49th birthday on February 5 (Image: bachchan/Instagram)
Happy Birthday Abhishek Bachchan: The actor is celebrating his 49th birthday on February 5 this year. Beyond his capabilities as an actor and performer, Abhishek also dominates the headlines for his married life with Aishwarya Rai. Married for nearly 18 years, both Abhishek and Aishwarya make for one of the most adorable couples of the B-town. Together, this beautiful union has been winning hearts since 2007. As the actor celebrates his special day today, here’s a look at how he met Aishwarya, their love story, marriage and the movies they have worked together.
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s love story
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s paths first crossed each other while on the sets of Raj Kanwar’s 2000 romance drama, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ka. Soon, they became good friends then. Abhishek even shared details about his initial friendship with the actress in an interview with India Today Conclave East in 2018. He revealed, “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 when they came together again for Muzaffar Ali’s Umraao Jaan. During the filming of the period drama, Abhishek started to develop feelings for Aishwarya and the duo got closer to each other. Around the same time, they were also shooting for Dhoom 2. Their back-to-back collaborations eventually resulted in a fully blossomed love. Abhishek admitted, “Things took a serious turn during Umrao Jaan. After that, I proposed to her, and then we got married.”
In another interview with Siddharth Kannan in 2021, Abhishek highlighted that Aishwarya had been one of his first co-stars as they worked in Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, which was technically his second film after Refugee. “So she’d been a dear, dear friend, and we’d worked in so many films together. It was a bit of both. The universe conspired to bring us together,” he expressed.
Abhishek Bachchan’s Marriage Proposal To Aishwarya Rai
Then, came the pivotal moment in their relationship. Abhishek Bachchan decided to marry Aishwarya when they were shooting for Mani Ratnam’s Guru. In a romantic proposal, he asked Aishwarya to marry him on a hotel balcony in New York. When asked about the location choice, Abhishek told Oprah Winfrey in her show that it was the same balcony where he first wished to marry Aishwarya.
“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.”
The duo took the plunge and got married to each other in a grand wedding on April 20, 2007.
How Abhishek Bachchan And Aishwarya Rai Handled Rumours
Like any other marriage, Aishwarya and Abhishek’s relationship has also had its rough patch. The two have been under constant media scrutiny as rumours about the tension and separation between them continue to swirl among Internet users. However, they have never admitted to having any issues between them and avoid talking about their personal life publicly.
There have also been speculations that Aishwarya and her mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan have not been on talking terms for a few years now. According to a report by Zoom TV, the actress also recently moved out of the Bachchan residence.
Notably, the rumours around their separation began after Amitabh Bachchan gifted his daughter, Shweta Bachchan Nanda his Juhu bungalow, Prateeksha. News broke out that Abhishek stepped in with the decision to move away from his parents’ house.
Later, it was disclosed that only Aishwarya and Aaradhya had left Bachchan’s house. What further solidified the rumours is that both Aishwarya and Aaradhya arrived separately at the Ambani wedding last year.
Abhishek Bachchan And Aishwarya Rai’s Movies Together
- Guru: The story chronicles the journey of ambitious Gurukanth Desai to become a successful business tycoon in the late 50s in India. Guru marries Sujata (played by Aishwarya) for dowry but eventually realises his true feelings for her.
- Dhoom 2: Who does not know the iconic characters Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan), Ali (Uday Chopra) and Sonali (Bipasha Basu), three Indian police officers in Mumbai who come together to hunt Aryan (Hrithik Roshan), a thief. Aishwarya plays Sunehri in the film who forms a partnership with the thief.
- Umrao Jaan: A woman gets abducted by a corrupt official after her father’s testimony against him. When the deal does not pay off, the official decides to sell her, leading her into a brothel where she adopts the identity of Umrao Jaan.
- Kuch Naa Kaho: The romantic drama revolves around a man who falls for the secretary of his uncle instead of the proposals she brings for his marriage. The duo end up falling in love with each other but is the story even complete without some hurdles?
- Raavan: In the film, a bandit kidnaps an officer’s wife. Turns out, he falls in love with her and lets her go only to discover that she is also in love with him. Meanwhile, her husband has mysterious plans to reach the bandit. Abhishek and Aishwarya joined forces after their successful collaboration in Guru (2007).
