Smita Jayakar reveals why Bhansali shouted at Salman Khan during Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan song shoot

New Delhi: Salman Khan was not meant to touch Aishwarya Rai’s arm during the Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan song sequence of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali let him know it loudly. Smita Jayakar, who played Aishwarya’s mother in the 1999 film, has now recalled the moment.

Speaking on Siddharth Kannan’s show, she said, “It was the song sequence of Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. It was a full table. I was there. Salman goes all around the table and touches Aishwarya’s arm, which he was not supposed to do. Then Sanjay shouted at him, ‘Salman, why did you touch her?’ He had to stand and watch her. She had to watch him only.”

Over the years, the film has become a store of behind-the-scenes stories about Salman and Aishwarya’s equation, on screen and off, with several artistes sharing them in interviews.

Aishwarya Rai on speaking about Salman Khan

Aishwarya explained in a 2012 interview with Simi Garewal why she would not talk about Salman in public. Simi asked, “Can you look back at the Salman episode objectively?”

“I think I’d shut it out. I think I wouldn’t want to get into looking at it in any way, especially on a public platform. I really wouldn’t want to,” replied Aishwarya.

Simi then gently asked whether she felt negative emotions when speaking about it. “I’ve exorcised my demons. It’s a thing of the past. It needs to be left right there,” Aishwarya said emphatically.

Picking up on her words, Simi asked why she avoided discussing it publicly if it was truly a thing of the past. Aishwarya defended her stance, “I chose not to talk about it because I am not a soloist. I am not a person who lives my life on an ‘I, me, myself’ basis. With me comes my family, my loved ones, people I love and care for very dearly. So there’s an obvious wall. I don’t deny it.”

Aishwarya and Salman Khan’s breakup

The two grew close around 1999, while working on Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Their breakup in 2002 was an ugly one.

Reports suggested that Salman stormed the sets of Aishwarya’s film Chalte Chalte (2003), after which Rani Mukerji replaced her as the lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan. Later, while Aishwarya was in a relationship with Vivek Oberoi, Salman also had a public feud with the actor over her.

Aishwarya has been married to actor Abhishek Bachchan since April 2007, and they have a daughter, Aaradhya.