Do you know why Salman-Aishwarya jodi didn’t work out for ‘Padmavati’?

Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s on-screen chemistry was adored by audience across the country. However, after their personal equation (the two were in a relationship which ended on an extremely bitter note) went haywire, they never paired for a film again.

Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali had featured Salman and Aishwarya together in a film that remains one of the most iconic films in both the actors’ respective careers. ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, with its emotional quotient, won several awards and is yet one of our favourites. Bhansali, for ‘Padmavati’, again considered the duo but it never worked out. (Also Read: Biopic on Sapna Didi starring Deepika Padukone to start rolling in January 2018)

One might assume that the former lovers weren’t prepared to work with each other. While that is true to some extent, that’s not the sole reason. Both Aishwarya and Salman, reportedly, put across their own conditions.

As per a report in Open Magazine, Aishwarya agreed to essay the role of Rani Padmavati only if Salman played Alauddin Khilji and not Raja Raval Ratan Singh (the queen’s husband). This would mean, she would not have any scenes with Salman.

Salman, however, was not keen on that. He rather wanted Bhansali to create the ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’ once more, which was possible if the two were romantically paired opposite each other.

Later, Bhansali ended up casting Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for the lead roles. Interestingly, real-life couple Ranveer and Deepika aren’t again romantically paired here. Ranveer plays Khilji while Shahid will get into the shoes of Deepika’s on-screen husband.

The film is presently in progress and is set to release some time in November this year.

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.