filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar has opened up about one of Bollywood’s most talked-about relationships — Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan. Reflecting on their tumultuous breakup in 2002, he shared that the former Miss World was deeply hurt and felt isolated by the industry.
In an interview with veteran journalist Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Prahlad Kakkar — who introduced Aishwarya Rai to the limelight through the iconic Pepsi commercials — shared his insights on her early career and personal struggles.
Prahlad mentioned that he sees Aishwarya Rai fairly often, as she visits her mother, who lives in the same building where Aishwarya stayed before marrying Abhishek Bachchan.
Reflecting on the turbulent relationship, Prahlad Kakkar revealed that he had witnessed the emotional toll the breakup took on Aishwarya Rai, who felt abandoned by those around her. He also alleged that Salman Khan was physically abusive towards her, adding that he had seen signs of it firsthand, as they lived in the same building at the time.
I was simply there to support her. I told her, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ But she was deeply affected,” Prahlad recalled. “Her biggest pain was that the industry turned its back on her because of Salman. She truly felt betrayed.”
He added, “In the end, the breakup was actually a huge relief for her. Salman had become obsessive and was physically abusive toward her
Prahlad Kakkar continued, “How do you deal with someone like that?” When asked whether Aishwarya had confided in him directly, he replied, “No, I knew because we lived in the same building. He would create scenes in the foyer, banging his head against the wall. The relationship had ended long before it was officially over. It was a relief — for her, her parents, and honestly, for everyone around.”
Kakkar shared that while Aishwarya was relieved by the breakup, what truly hurt her was the industry’s bias.
“She wasn’t upset about the relationship ending — she was hurt that everyone in the industry sided with Salman, not her. The truth was on her side. She lost trust in the industry because it didn’t play fair,” he said. “It would’ve been one thing if both sides were treated equally, or if she had done something wrong. But it was completely one-sided.”
Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan began dating during the filming of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in 1999, but their relationship came to an end in 2002. At the time, reports surfaced alleging that Aishwarya had accused Salman of abuse, which ultimately led to their breakup.
In 2007, five years after the split, Aishwarya married Abhishek Bachchan, and the couple welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in 2011. Salman Khan, now one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, has remained unmarried.
Sanchit Saraswat