Veteran actress Sheeba Chaddha recently opened up about an incident from her early days in the film industry that involved Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. During one of her latest interviews, Sheeba recalled how Salman refused to hug her in a particular scene, leading to a temporary halt in the shoot and forcing director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to step in.
“There was a scene between Aishwarya, him and I, and he had to hug me in that scene. And he said he wouldn’t. I just remembered this. It was a scene in the climax, and I was supposed to be running away. Aishwarya has to hug me, and then Salman has to hug me,” Sheeba said during a conversation with Siddharth Kanan.
She further said, “Salman said, ‘I won’t hug’. The shoot briefly came to a halt, and Sanjay had to have a chat with him.”
While Sheeba didn’t name the film, the mention of Bhansali and both Salman and Aishwarya being present suggests it was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), the film that not only became iconic for its music and performances, but also reportedly marked the beginning of Salman and Aishwarya’s off-screen relationship.
Sheeba also explained how she chose not to question Salman’s decision. “Why would I ask him? I was new; I thought I should keep to myself and let the director handle it,” she said.
“I’m sure he must’ve had his own reasons, but I’m not interested in what those reasons were. It’s not like I was asking my co-actor to hug me, the director was asking two characters to hug each other. If he has a problem, it should be sorted out between the two of them. I was like, ‘At least finish the work’,” the actress stated.
Salman and Aishwarya’s relationship
At the time of filming Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Salman and Aishwarya were rumoured to be in a relationship. While neither of them has ever officially confirmed it, their chemistry onscreen and off-screen appearances kept the media buzzing.
Their relationship was heavily scrutinised by the tabloids, especially following their breakup, which became one of Bollywood’s most talked-about controversies.
After the split, Aishwarya went on record in interviews alleging emotional and verbal abuse, while Salman chose to remain largely silent on the matter. The two never worked together again, and even today, their past continues to be a subject of curiosity among fans and industry insiders.
