Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the epitome of grace and beauty, celebrates her 52nd birthday on November 1, 2025. From winning Miss World in 1994 to becoming a Bollywood icon, her journey has been inspiring. However, her path to stardom wasn't without obstacles. Early in her career, she faced unexpected setbacks, including being dropped from several films with Shah Rukh Khan.

Aishwarya and Shah Rukh have shared screen space in several films, including Josh, Mohabbatein, and Devdas. However, they have rarely been portrayed as a couple who find love on screen. In Josh, they played twins, while in Mohabbatein, Aishwarya's character was a ghost. Despite their successful collaborations, a professional roadblock emerged, leading to Aishwarya's removal from approximately five films where Shah Rukh Khan was the lead actor.

In an interview with Simi Garewal, Aishwarya revealed that she was dropped from several films with Shah Rukh Khan, including Chalte Chalte and Veer-Zaara. This sudden removal left her confused and hurt, as she received no clear explanation for the decision. Aishwarya stated that it was not her decision to step away from these projects. She admitted to being "taken aback, confused, and of course hurt" by the situation.

Reports suggest that Aishwarya's troubled relationship with Salman Khan at the time was a major factor. Salman Khan's behavior on the sets allegedly caused disruptions and created an uncomfortable environment. One incident involved Salman allegedly damaging the set of Chalte Chalte and engaging in a heated exchange with Shah Rukh.

Shah Rukh Khan later apologized for his decision to drop Aishwarya from those films. In a 2003 interview with India Today, he expressed regret, acknowledging that he felt he had done wrong. He explained that as a producer, it seemed like the right decision at the time but apologized to Aishwarya, emphasizing that she was a good friend.

The films Aishwarya Rai was reportedly dropped from include Chalte Chalte, Veer-Zaara, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Main Hoon Na, and Munna Bhai MBBS. Rani Mukerji replaced her in Chalte Chalte and Veer-Zaara. Sushmita Sen replaced her in Main Hoon Na. Gracy Singh replaced her in Munna Bhai MBBS.

Despite the setback, Aishwarya Rai continued her successful career in Bollywood. She realized the unpredictable nature of the film industry but persevered. Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai eventually reconciled, and Shah Rukh even had a special role in Aishwarya's film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016). In the film, Shah Rukh played Aishwarya's ex-husband.

Even though Shah Rukh and Aishwarya have starred in multiple movies together, they have rarely found love in each other. Shah Rukh humorously lamented that in Josh, Aishwarya, "the most beautiful woman in the world," played his sister. He joked about the fact that people said they even looked alike.

Today, as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan celebrates her 52nd birthday, she continues to be an icon of beauty, talent, and grace.