Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai’s relationship in the late ’90s captured the hearts of many. Their on-screen romance in ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ left fans enchanted, but their real-life love story had a turbulent ending. Their rumoured relationship ended on a bitter note, leading to speculation about Aishwarya’s distance from Salman. Now, senior author and film journalist Hanif Zaveri has recently shed light on what may have led to their breakup.
During a recent podcast episode on Meri Saheli, Zaveri shared that the two actors were deeply in love and considered a future together. However, Aishwarya’s parents were reportedly uncomfortable with Salman’s image due to his past relationships with actresses like Somy Ali and Sangeeta Bijlani. They believed he wasn’t serious about their daughter, which created friction between the couple. “Unko lagta tha ki shayad hamari beti ke saath flirt kar raha hai,” (Aishwarya Rai’s parents felt that he might be flirting with their daughter),” he shared.
He further revealed that the ‘Tiger 3’ actor was eager to settle down with Aishwarya, but she was not ready for marriage as she wanted to focus on her career. This difference in priorities eventually led to tension between them. However, their relationship took a dramatic turn one night when Salman allegedly arrived at Aishwarya’s building and caused a scene by repeatedly knocking on her door. This incident was widely reported at the time and reportedly played a key role in Aishwarya’s decision to end the relationship.
“Salman Khan chahte the jaldi se shaadi ho jaye, aur Aishwarya Rai us mukaam par thi ki itni jaldi shaadi karke woh settle nahi hona chahti thi. Phir us dauraan dono mein thoda sa rift aaya tha. Phir ek roz, Salman Khan jo hai, unki building mein jaa kar unke darwaze ko zor-zor se khat-khataya aur drama create kar diya, jis wajah se unke padosiyon ne bhi unke khilaf interviews diye aur paper mein aaya. Yeh cheez Aishwarya Rai ko bahut khali, aur unko laga ki yeh mere liye theek nahi hoga, aur woh khud hi isse back out ho gayi,” he stated.
Zaveri also addressed the involvement of actor Vivek Oberoi in the matter. He claimed that Vivek never had a romantic relationship with Aishwarya, as was widely believed, and that he was only offering her support when she was injured. However, Vivek allegedly used the situation to fuel tensions with Salman by holding a press conference and speaking against him. Zaveri dismissed the claims of a relationship between Aishwarya and Vivek, calling it a fabricated story. “Iske baad Aishwarya Rai ki zindagi mein bataya jata hai ki Vivek Oberoi aaye—yeh bilkul fake hai,” he clarified.
“When Aishwarya Rai had a fracture, Vivek Oberoi was just helping her—taking her to the hospital, pushing her wheelchair. But Vivek wanted to make something out of this. He tried to show that Aishwarya was madly in love with him, but there was nothing like that. And taking advantage of this situation, Vivek even held a press conference and gave interviews against Salman Khan. Aur yeh cheez Vivek ko bhari padi. Yeh galat hai kisi ladki ke baare mein aisa bolna ki woh mujhse pyaar karti hai. Bilkul kahin bhi nahi tha—total fake hai, yeh create kiya gaya tha,” he emphasised.
Both Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan have chosen to remain silent on the matter, refusing to discuss their past publicly. However, their love story and breakup still remain a topic of discussion.
