Abhishek Bachchan first met Aishwarya Rai in 2000 on the sets of Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (Credit: IMDb)
Actor Aarya Babbar recently took a trip down memory lane and shared his experience of working on Guru with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The actor recalled witnessing the early days of the couple’s relationship and revealed that Abhishek’s behaviour towards Aishwarya left a strong impression on him during the film’s shoot.
Speaking in an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Aarya opened up about his career and admitted that despite getting opportunities to work with celebrated filmmakers like Mani Ratnam, Farah Khan and Vishal Bhardwaj, commercial success remained elusive for him. According to the actor, timing plays a major role in deciding whether a film connects with audiences or not.
Aarya explained that many of the films he worked in may not have succeeded because viewers at that time were not looking for that kind of cinema. He suggested that audience preferences constantly change and that even strong projects sometimes fail to find the right moment.
Aarya recalls witnessing Abhishek and Aishwarya’s growing bond on set
Talking specifically about Guru, Aarya said the film remains one of the most memorable experiences of his career. While discussing Abhishek Bachchan’s performance in the film, he pointed out that even a critically acclaimed movie like Guru did not instantly transform Abhishek into an overnight superstar. However, he still considers it among the actor’s best performances.
Aarya also had glowing words for Abhishek as a person. He described the actor as warm, grounded and wonderful to work with. More importantly, he remembered observing the closeness growing between Abhishek and Aishwarya during the making of the film, long before the two officially got married.
According to Aarya, he interacted with the couple during a period when their relationship was slowly developing. He recalled finding it “beautiful” to see the way Abhishek treated Aishwarya.
The actor said, "I had the chance to interact with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya during the time when perhaps their courtship was going on, before they tied the knot. It was so beautiful to see how he treated his lady, how he respected her and loved her."
He further added that being directed by Mani Ratnam while sharing screen space with actors like Abhishek and Aishwarya made the experience even more special for him. Aarya said he could not have asked for a better opportunity as an actor.
Aishwarya, Abhishek's love story
Over the years, Guru has become closely associated with the love story of Abhishek and Aishwarya. Although the two stars had earlier worked together in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke and Kuch Naa Kaho, reports suggest their relationship deepened later during the filming of Umrao Jaan and Guru.
Their romance eventually led to one of Bollywood’s most talked-about weddings. After the premiere of Guru in 2007, Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya in New York. In an earlier interview with Deccan Chronicle, the actor had revealed that he proposed with a ring that had been used as a prop in the film. The ring reportedly held emotional significance for him, and he had specifically asked the makers if he could keep it.
Aishwarya had immediately accepted the proposal. Speaking about it years later, the actress described the gesture as meaningful and spontaneous. She said their relationship has always felt genuine and real.
Directed by Mani Ratnam, Guru went on to become one of the most celebrated films of its time. Along with Abhishek and Aishwarya, the film also featured Vidya Balan, R. Madhavan and Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles.
Speaking in an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Aarya opened up about his career and admitted that despite getting opportunities to work with celebrated filmmakers like Mani Ratnam, Farah Khan and Vishal Bhardwaj, commercial success remained elusive for him. According to the actor, timing plays a major role in deciding whether a film connects with audiences or not.
Aarya explained that many of the films he worked in may not have succeeded because viewers at that time were not looking for that kind of cinema. He suggested that audience preferences constantly change and that even strong projects sometimes fail to find the right moment.
Aarya recalls witnessing Abhishek and Aishwarya’s growing bond on set
Talking specifically about Guru, Aarya said the film remains one of the most memorable experiences of his career. While discussing Abhishek Bachchan’s performance in the film, he pointed out that even a critically acclaimed movie like Guru did not instantly transform Abhishek into an overnight superstar. However, he still considers it among the actor’s best performances.Aarya also had glowing words for Abhishek as a person. He described the actor as warm, grounded and wonderful to work with. More importantly, he remembered observing the closeness growing between Abhishek and Aishwarya during the making of the film, long before the two officially got married.
According to Aarya, he interacted with the couple during a period when their relationship was slowly developing. He recalled finding it “beautiful” to see the way Abhishek treated Aishwarya.
The actor said, "I had the chance to interact with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya during the time when perhaps their courtship was going on, before they tied the knot. It was so beautiful to see how he treated his lady, how he respected her and loved her."
He further added that being directed by Mani Ratnam while sharing screen space with actors like Abhishek and Aishwarya made the experience even more special for him. Aarya said he could not have asked for a better opportunity as an actor.
Aishwarya, Abhishek's love story
Over the years, Guru has become closely associated with the love story of Abhishek and Aishwarya. Although the two stars had earlier worked together in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke and Kuch Naa Kaho, reports suggest their relationship deepened later during the filming of Umrao Jaan and Guru.Their romance eventually led to one of Bollywood’s most talked-about weddings. After the premiere of Guru in 2007, Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya in New York. In an earlier interview with Deccan Chronicle, the actor had revealed that he proposed with a ring that had been used as a prop in the film. The ring reportedly held emotional significance for him, and he had specifically asked the makers if he could keep it.
Aishwarya had immediately accepted the proposal. Speaking about it years later, the actress described the gesture as meaningful and spontaneous. She said their relationship has always felt genuine and real.
Directed by Mani Ratnam, Guru went on to become one of the most celebrated films of its time. Along with Abhishek and Aishwarya, the film also featured Vidya Balan, R. Madhavan and Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles.
