Prahlad Kakkar Reveals Aishwarya Rai Felt ‘Betrayed by Bollywood’ After Salman Khan Breakup, Says Industry Took His Side and Abandoned Her (Watch Video)

The much-publicised breakup of Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan in 2002 continues to remain one of Bollywood’s most talked-about chapters. While the personal fallout grabbed headlines, it also left a lasting impact on Aishwarya’s professional life. Now, ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar has shed light on the actress’s emotional state during that period, revealing that her biggest pain was not the breakup itself, but the film industry’s bias towards Salman. After Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Husband Abhishek Bachchan Seeks Legal Protection Against Misuse of His Image and Persona, Approaches Delhi HC.

Prahlad Kakkar Says Bollywood Abandoned Aishwarya Rai After Breakup

Speaking to journalist Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Kakkar shared that Aishwarya felt abandoned and betrayed by Bollywood at a time when she needed support. “I was just supportive to her. I told her, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ She said, ‘But the industry…’ What hurt her the most was being abandoned by the industry for Salman. She really felt that betrayal,” Kakkar recalled.

Aishwarya Rai Felt Betrayed by Bollywood

He further emphasised that Aishwarya was less concerned about her personal split and more about the treatment she received from colleagues. “She wasn’t upset about the breakup. She was upset that everybody took Salman’s side and not hers. The truth was on her side. She didn’t trust the industry anymore because it wasn’t playing fair. I could understand if she was wrong and the other party was right, or if both sides were treated equally. But nothing, it was completely one-sided,” he said. Salman Khan Poses With Soldiers During 'Battle of Galwan' Shoot in Ladakh, Pictures Go Viral Online (View Post)

Aishwarya Rai’s Split With Salman Khan

Aishwarya and Salman’s relationship had begun after their 1999 blockbuster Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and their breakup three years later marked the end of a high-profile romance. According to Kakkar, it also marked the beginning of Aishwarya’s growing disappointment with the film industry.

Watch Prahlad Kakkar’s Full Interview:

Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan Take Different Paths

Now, Aishwarya Rai has moved on and built a stable personal life. She is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan and the couple are proud parents to their daughter Aaradhya. Professionally, Aishwarya was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan II, which featured an ensemble cast including Vikram, Trisha and Sobhita Dhulipala. Meanwhile, Salman Khan remains one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. He was last seen in Sikandar, directed by AR Murugadoss and is currently working on Battle of Galwan by Apoorva Lakhia based on the 2020 India-China conflict.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2025 01:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).