Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is said to have been director Farah Khan’s first choice for the 2014 film ‘Happy New Year’. However, Aishwarya, who was making a comeback to films after giving birth to her daughter Aaradhya, turned down the film. She was supposed to be paired opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the movie, while her husband Abhishek Bachchan was also a part of the film.
The Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Abhishek Bachchan starrer ‘Happy New Year’ was a success at the box office. Aishwarya did not do the film because she felt that she and Abhishek would not be cast opposite each other, and being paired with different actors could create an awkward situation on screen.
Aishwarya Rai’s last film before becoming a mother was the Hrithik Roshan starrer ‘Guzaarish’ (2010).
In an old interview, Aishwarya had mentioned that she felt this film was the perfect choice for her comeback after a break from movies. In a 2018 conversation with journalist Rajeev Masand, she said that such a film with a big blockbuster appeal and a guaranteed box office performance could have been a great comeback for her.
However, because Abhishek was already in the film, Aishwarya did not feel the casting dynamic was right. She had said that if the film had been offered to her individually, she would have definitely done it, but it did not feel right to be paired with different actors in a film alongside Abhishek.
Aishwarya and Abhishek got married in the year 2007. Aaradhya was born in 2011. After marriage, the two worked together in only two films: 2008’s ‘Sarkar Raj’ and 2010’s ‘Raavan’.
Aishwarya had admitted that as a professional and an actor, it was not easy to leave such a film, but she made this decision as a wife.
In another conversation with NDTV, Aishwarya had said that she found the film quite interesting and knew that the shooting experience would be good, but she turned it down because she and Abhishek were not paired together in the film.
Which other films did Aishwarya reject?
Apart from ‘Happy New Year’, there have been reports of Aishwarya being offered several successful films. These include ‘Troy’, ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, ‘Krrish’, and ‘Bajirao Mastani’. However, Aishwarya herself has not confirmed the reasons behind rejecting these films.
After a break from films, Aishwarya made her acting comeback in 2015 with ‘Jazbaa’. She was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan II’, which was released in 2023.
Rumors of Abhishek-Aishwarya’s divorce had surfaced
Rumors of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s divorce were a major topic of discussion in the year 2024. These rumors gained momentum when Abhishek arrived with the entire Bachchan family at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding in July 2024, while Aishwarya was seen separately with her daughter Aaradhya.
After this, Aishwarya was seen only with Aaradhya at Paris Fashion Week and other events. A deepfake video of Abhishek also went viral on social media, in which he appeared to be announcing a divorce. This further fueled the rumors.
However, after remaining silent for a long time, Abhishek expressed his displeasure over these reports. In a conversation with PeepingMoon in December 2025, Abhishek said, “If you are a public figure, people will form opinions on every little thing about you. Whatever wrong things have been written about us are completely false. They have nothing to do with the truth. These things are wrong and intentionally hurtful.”
He said that such rumors did not start after their marriage, but had been going on even before the wedding. Abhishek said, “Before the wedding, people started announcing our wedding dates. After the wedding, people started deciding when we would separate. All this is nonsense. She knows my truth and I know her truth. We live with our family in love and happiness, and that is what matters most to us.”
Last month, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan were spotted together at the Mumbai airport. They had returned from their family vacation in America (New York).
