Bollywood has long lived on scandal and rumor, particularly when it involves the private lives of its largest names. And when those names are Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, rumors are sure to run rampant. With the couple now married for more than 18 years, they have been continuously in the spotlight for their stunning turnout, but also for ongoing rumors of trouble in their marriage.
The gossip increased last year when rumors of their divorce were going around. Aishwarya attending certain events separately with her daughter Aaradhya, while the rest of the Bachchan family arrived together, only added more fuel to the fire. With neither Aishwarya nor Abhishek offering clarifications, speculation had a free run.
But now, filmmaker and ad guru Prahlad Kakar, who also happens to be Aishwarya’s neighbor, has decided to set the record straight.
Why Aishwarya Spends Time at Her Mother’s Home
In a candid chat with Vickey Lalwani, Prahlad Kakar shared what he has personally observed over the years. He revealed that Aishwarya is extremely close to her mother, Vrinda Rai, who has not been keeping well.
According to him, Aishwarya’s routine often involves dropping her daughter Aaradhya off at school and then spending some time at her mother’s home before picking her up later.
“She wasn’t living with her mother,” Kakar clarified, addressing the rumors head-on. “She was just coming and spending time with her while her daughter was at school. People assumed she was escaping her marriage and had moved in with her mother, but that was never the case.”
He also pointed out that on Sundays, family time for most, Aishwarya wasn’t spotted at her mother’s place. That alone, he feels, was enough to indicate there was no truth to the speculation.
The Bachchan Household Rumors
One of the long-standing narratives in Bollywood gossip columns has been about Aishwarya’s alleged strained relationship with her mother-in-law, Jaya Bachchan, and sister-in-law, Shweta Bachchan Nanda. Many suggested this was the real reason behind her supposed move to her mother’s home.
Prahlad Kakar dismissed these talks bluntly. “So what if she spends time at her mother’s? She is the bahu of the house, and she still runs the house,” he said. He further highlighted that Abhishek himself has often accompanied Aishwarya to visit his mother-in-law. “Why would he come if there was anything wrong in their marriage?” he asked.
Silence Is Their Response
One thing that stands out about both Aishwarya and Abhishek is how they have handled years of speculation by saying nothing at all. Unlike many celebrities who release statements or engage in social media rebuttals, the Bachchans have quietly chosen dignity over drama.
“They have always maintained their silence, and that itself is a statement,” Kakar noted. “Tum bhaukte raho (let people bark). Aishwarya has always carried herself with grace, and that’s one of the reasons journalists often felt frustrated they couldn’t get a reaction out of her.”
Their strategy has also been about action over words. Whenever divorce rumors peak, the couple is often seen making public appearances together, whether at award shows, weddings, or family functions, subtly putting the chatter to rest without having to issue clarifications.
A Romance That Began on Film Sets
For people who’ve seen Bollywood closely, the Bachchans’ romance seems virtually like a movie. Abhishek and Aishwarya became close while they were working on movies such as Umrao Jaan and Guru. Fans noticed their chemistry on-screen and off-screen, and in April 2007, they exchanged vows at a small yet star-studded wedding ceremony at the Bachchan home in Mumbai.
The couple welcomed their daughter Aaradhya in 2011, who continues to be the fulcrum of their lives. Abhishek and Aishwarya have been each other’s pillars of strength as they walked hand-in-hand through their professional success, be it Aishwarya’s red-carpet outings overseas or Abhishek’s forays into film acting, production, and sports.
Why the Rumors Won’t Go Away
Despite everything, rumors refuse to leave their side. The most recent round of speculation began in 2024 when Aishwarya and Aaradhya arrived separately for Anant Ambani’s wedding celebrations, while the rest of the Bachchan family, including Amitabh, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta, Agastya, and Navya Naveli, came together. The visual difference was enough to spark theories of discord.
But as Prahlad Kakar observed, real life is usually much simpler than the stories gossip tries to create.
Family obligations, work schedules, or even something as mundane as ease of travel can explain such events. Alas, in the Bollywood universe, such information seldom counts as much as the news they make.
Final Word
At the end of the day, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have chosen to keep their relationship private, no matter how public their lives may seem. Prahlad Kakar’s perspective gives a rare peek into the truth: Aishwarya’s visits to her mother’s place come from love and concern, not marital strife.
Maybe that’s a lesson for all of us: not all rumor is meant to be believed. Some relationships, such as theirs, go on to flourish in silence, far from the din of speculation.