Abhishek Bachchan is currently making headlines for two reasons. Firstly, his film I Want to Talk has been released, and secondly, rumors about his alleged separation from Aishwarya Rai are circulating. Abhishek and Aishwarya have worked together in several films before their marriage, including Kuch Naa Kaho, Dhoom 2, Bunty Aur Babli, Guru, and Sarkar Raj. However, after marriage, the only film they appeared together in was Mani Ratnam's Raavan, which didn’t fare well at the box office. But did you know that Aishwarya was once offered a film with Abhishek, which she declined? Let’s dive into the details.
Which film did Aishwarya reject with Abhishek?
The film was Happy New Year, which was released in 2014 and became a massive hit at the box office. Shah Rukh Khan played the lead role, and alongside him, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, Vivaan Shah, Jackie Shroff, and Deepika Padukone had key roles. The film was directed by Farah Khan, who offered Aishwarya a role. However, she refused to take it up, and the reason was her reluctance to share screen space with Abhishek.
Aishwarya Rai reveals why she rejected 'Happy New Year'
In an interview with NDTV, Aishwarya Rai confessed to turning down the film. She said, "Yes, I was offered this film, and it seemed like a fun project. I knew we would have a great time, and it would be a fun experience." However, she explained, "We (Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan) could not be cast opposite each other. That would be really, really weird, right? So I had to decline the offer."
A clip of Aishwarya's interview goes viral
A clip of Aishwarya's interview has gone viral on social media. After watching the video, many internet users praised Aishwarya for her courage. One user commented, "It’s simple, she (Aishwarya) compromised her career for him (Abhishek), and sadly, he (Abhishek) had to take on supporting roles." Another user wrote, "Only women can do this for their husbands. If it was a man, he would never do that."
How much did Happy New Year earn?
Released on October 24, 2014, Happy New Year earned ₹44.97 crore on its opening day, ₹108.86 crore in the first weekend, ₹157.57 crore in its first week, and ₹203 crore net lifetime in India. Its worldwide gross collection stood at ₹383.1 crore.