Overview

• Smita Jaykar says Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai fell in love during the 1999 shoot, carrying “moony” affection onto the screen that elevated the film’s emotional depth.
• Jaykar describes Salman as a youthful brat with a big heart who never lost his temper on set and calls Aishwarya naturally beautiful, humble and grounded.
• Journalist Hanif Zaveri attributes the breakup to Aishwarya’s parents’ concerns over Salman’s past relationships with Somy Ali and Sangeeta Bijlani.
• The real-life romance began during the filming of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s blockbuster and ended publicly in 2002, after which Aishwarya married Abhishek Bachchan and Salman has remained unmarried.
• These fresh reflections underscore how personal dynamics behind the scenes contributed to both the film’s success and the high-profile split.