Ad film director Prahlad Kakkar has spoken up about the most talked-about affair in Bollywood—Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan. He spoke about the turbulent breakup between the two stars in 2002 and said the former Miss World was very hurt and felt abandoned.
In an interview with veteran journalist Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Prahlad Kakkar, who had launched Aishwarya in the Pepsi ads.
Prahlad said he meets Aishwarya Rai quite often, as she comes to meet her mother, since she lived in the same building before her marriage to Abhishek.
Talking about the turbulent affair, Prahlad Kakkar said he had witnessed the impact the breakup had on Aishwarya as she felt abandoned. He also spoke about how Salman would hurt her physically and he was witness to it as they lived in the same building.
“I was just supportive to her. I told her, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ She said, ‘But the industry…’ Her greatest hurt was being abandoned by the industry for Salman. She really felt that; she felt so betrayed," he recalled.
He said, "The breakup, in fact, was a huge relief at the end of it." He further said, "He was very physical with her and obsessive."
He further added, "How do you deal with somebody like that?" When the journalist asked him if Aishwarya herself shared this, Prahlad Kakkar said, “No, I knew because I was living in the same building. He used to make scenes in the foyer and would bang his head on the wall. The relationship had ended long before it officially ended. It was a relief for everyone—her parents, her, the whole world."
Prahlad Kakkar said Aishwarya was relieved with the breakup but hurt due to the industry’s bias.
“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. She didn’t trust the industry anymore because it wasn’t playing fair. I could understand if she was wrong and the other party was right, or if both sides were treated equally. But nothing; it was completely one-sided," he added.
Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan ended their relationship in 2002. The two started dating during their 1999 film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
According to reports at that time, Aishwarya had accused Salman of abuse, which led to the split.
Five years later, Aishwarya got married to Abhishek Bachchan (2007), and the couple welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in 2011. Salman, who is now a big star, remains single till now.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
