Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan recently marked 19 years of marriage on April 20. The actress marked the occasion with selfies with Abhishek and Aaradhya on social media. In a new interview, Abhishek looked back on their journey together, from their first meeting to falling in love and even hinted at special plans for their 20th anniversary.In a conversation with Subhash K Jha for Deccan Chronicle, Abhishek recalled their initial meeting on the sets of ‘Dhai Akshar Prem Ke’, directed by Raj Kanwar. “That would be in 2000, on the sets of the late Raj Kanwar’s Dhai Akshar Prem Ke,” he said, adding that their bond at the time was strictly platonic. “There was no inkling back then of what was to come. We got along very well. But did I suspect she was my soulmate? No!”The two later worked together again on ‘Kuch Naa Kaho’, though their relationship remained unchanged. It wasn’t until 2006, during the filming of Umrao Jaan helmed by J. P. Dutta, that things began to shift. Abhishek described this phase as the point when there was finally ‘a spark’. Their connection grew stronger while working on Guru, directed by Mani Ratnam.It was during the premiere of Guru in New York that Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya, on the very balcony where he had once imagined a future with her. Shortly after, their families came together for a roka ceremony, and in April 2007, they tied the knot in an intimate yet widely followed wedding. Looking back, Abhishek shared, “We got married a few months after the release of our film Guru. Mani Ratnam remains special for both of us, we consider him a dear friend and godfather. Today, Ash is not just the mother of my daughter and full credit to her for bringing up Aaradhya with the right values but also my soulmate. Nineteen years of our marriage has been a dream. I have big plans for our twentieth anniversary, but I am not telling you about them now.”When asked how they’ve sustained their marriage despite constant public scrutiny and rumours, he added with humour, “Every night, before you sleep, say ‘Sorry’ three times to your wife without fail.”Interestingly, Abhishek proposed using the same ring featured in Guru, which he had held onto for sentimental reasons. Reflecting on that moment in a 2010 interview, Aishwarya said, “He is original and real, like our relationship. There is nothing predictable or boring about our life. We nurture each other. The gesture was spontaneous and meaningful. God has been kind to us. We can certainly afford those standard rocks, but do we need them?”
