Mumbai – Veteran ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar has shed new light on the tumultuous and highly publicized relationship between Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan, claiming that the aftermath of their breakup left the actress feeling “abandoned” and “betrayed” by the film industry.
In a recent interview with journalist Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Kakkar, who lived in the same building as Aishwarya’s parents at the time, revealed that he was a firsthand witness to the chaos that unfolded. He described Salman’s behavior as “very physical with her and obsessive,” and recalled instances where the actor would “make scenes in the foyer” and “bang his head on the wall.” According to Kakkar, the relationship had become so toxic that its official end in 2002 was a “huge relief” for everyone involved.
However, Kakkar claims that Aishwarya’s biggest hurt was not the breakup itself, but the industry’s reaction to it. “She wasn’t upset about the breakup. She was upset that everybody took Salman’s side and not hers. The truth was on her side,” he stated. He added that Aishwarya felt a profound sense of injustice and betrayal because the industry’s response was “completely one-sided.” This, he suggested, deeply affected her trust in Bollywood and was a turning point in her career.
The filmmaker also noted that this experience is a key reason why Aishwarya has been more selective with her work since the incident. She felt the industry was “not playing fair,” and as a result, her “commitment to the industry actually cracked.”
The romance between Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan began on the sets of their 1999 film, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and ended three years later. Following the breakup, Aishwarya’s career was reportedly impacted, including being replaced in films like Chalte Chalte. While Aishwarya is now happily married to Abhishek Bachchan with a daughter, Aaradhya, and Salman remains unmarried, Kakkar’s revelations have once again brought to the fore one of Bollywood’s most controversial and talked-about chapters.