Salman Khan on Aishwarya Rai: ‘Apne Aap Ko Bohut Khubsurat Samajhti Hai’-Old Comment Goes Viral

Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s romance was one of Bollywood’s most iconic and widely discussed love stories of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The pair first sparked headlines when they fell for each other during the making of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999, their on-screen chemistry quickly translating into real-life affection. 

At the time, fans and media alike were swept away by their budding relationship. However, behind the public’s admiration, tensions were simmering, revealing a far more complex dynamic than the fairy-tale image projected on screen.

According to anecdotes shared by actors who witnessed parts of their relationship, there were occasions when emotions ran high between the couple. One such moment emerged during a film shoot when Aishwarya was working on a project with actor Abhishek Bachchan. Salman arrived at the location unannounced and expressed visible irritation about her behaviour, questioning her attitude in a way that pointed to jealousy and insecurity.

Salman Khan's co-star Himani Shivpuri claimed in the same podcast that she saw Salman Khan's unhappiness during their relationship's downturn. Salman abruptly arrived during Aishwarya's Rohan Sippy filming with Abhishek Bachchan and conveyed his displeasure with her behaviour. Himani quoted Salman: “Kya hai? Isko samjhao. Waheeda Rehman ko dekhe. Apne aap ko boht khubsurat samajhti hai. I used to tell him to calm down, to stay quiet."

A co-star from that time recalled Salman’s uneasy comment, suggesting his frustration boiled over into words that reflected comparison and dissatisfaction, rather than calm communication.

The pressures of celebrity undoubtedly amplified every disagreement between the two. With paparazzi attention and public scrutiny constantly in play, even private moments of tension became fodder for tabloids. What might have been ordinary disagreements in a normal relationship were scrutinised millions of times over. 

Many insiders later described parts of their time together as fraught with emotional ups and downs, revealing how hard it is for personal bonds to survive in the glare of fame.

Their relationship eventually came to an end in 2002, and the separation was anything but smooth. Various accounts from people on the periphery of their lives suggest that the breakup left deep emotional marks on both. Some friends observed that Salman’s attachment verged on possessiveness, which sometimes spilled into more dramatic expressions of emotion — things that most couples would prefer to keep behind closed doors. 

Prahlad Kakkar, an ad filmmaker who lived near Aishwarya at the time, went so far as to describe the intensity of Salman’s behaviour as obsessive, both during and after the relationship.

In the years that followed, Aishwarya moved on in her personal life and married actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007, with whom she built a family. Salman, on the other hand, remained single and continued his career as one of Bollywood’s leading stars. Reflecting on that chapter later, many industry observers have noted the contrast between the two’s public personas and the private struggles they faced during their romantic involvement — a reminder that celebrity love stories are rarely as simple as they appear on the red carpet.

Today, the story of Salman and Aishwarya’s relationship serves as a cautionary example of how tension, misunderstanding and unaddressed emotions can strain even the most admired couples. With time and maturity, both have continued to evolve in their personal and professional lives, leaving behind a chapter that remains a part of Bollywood’s rich tapestry of love, heartbreak, and resilience.