Jaya Bachchan once said she would have 'slapped' Shah Rukh Khan after Aishwarya Rai fallout

Economic Times

27-07-2025

Jaya Bachchan Once Expressed Anger at Shah Rukh Khan After Rift With Aishwarya Rai
Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai, two of Indian cinema's most celebrated figures, delivered memorable performances together in films like Josh, Mohabbatein, and Devdas. Their on-screen pairing was a favourite among audiences, but their off-screen equation took a drastic turn in the early 2000s. Despite their successful collaborations, a professional rift led to Aishwarya being removed from multiple films they were initially set to do together.
According to reports cited by News18 and others, the reasons for this fallout were never clearly stated. Aishwarya herself later confirmed that she was dropped from several projects that originally featured Shah Rukh Khan, including Chalte Chalte and Veer Zaara. These sudden exclusions had a noticeable impact on her career at the time. While Shah Rukh later apologised, the rapport between them was never fully restored.
The fallout between Shah Rukh and Aishwarya didn't just remain a professional matter. It drew the attention of Aishwarya's family as well, particularly her mother-in-law, Jaya Bachchan, who had always shared a warm rapport with Shah Rukh.
In a 2008 interview with People magazine, Jaya was asked if she still held any resentment toward Shah Rukh over what happened. She admitted she did, and said that although she hadn't yet spoken to him about it, she intended to. She added that had he been at her home at the time, she would have slapped him — just as she would have done if it had been her own son. Despite the anger, she also made it clear that she felt a deep emotional bond with Shah Rukh and admitted to having a personal fondness for him. The strain in their relationship was also evident during Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's wedding in 2007, where Shah Rukh was noticeably absent. At the time, it was reported that the two actors were still not on speaking terms following the Chalte Chalte controversy. As per News18, Jaya Bachchan addressed this directly, pointing out that if it had been possible to invite Shah Rukh without upsetting family dynamics, the wedding date itself would have been changed. Though the fallout left visible cracks, the passage of time brought some healing. Shah Rukh's apology, along with a gradual softening of tensions, helped bridge the distance.