The relationship between the Bachchan and Kapoor families goes back decades, with numerous professional collaborations between Amitabh Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor's uncles, Rishi and Randhir Kapoor. Randhir Kapoor also worked with Jaya Bachchan early in their careers. Before Karisma Kapoor's engagement to Abhishek Bachchan, she was already considered part of the Bachchan family.

Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor's relationship was a significant topic in Bollywood. Their engagement was officially announced on Amitabh Bachchan's 60th birthday on October 11, 2002, generating excitement across the nation. The Bachchan and Kapoor families were already connected through the marriage of Raj Kapoor's grandson, Nikhil Nanda, to Amitabh Bachchan's daughter, Shweta Bachchan. Abhishek and Karisma first met at Nikhil and Shweta's wedding in 1997, which led to their romance. After five years of dating, the couple formalized their relationship. Karisma expressed her happiness about becoming part of such a large family.

However, the engagement was abruptly called off in January 2003, just a few months after the announcement. Both families remained silent about the reasons for the breakup, leading to widespread speculation. In January 2005, Amitabh Bachchan addressed the broken engagement on Koffee With Karan. He acknowledged it was a sensitive moment and that such events can be distressing for any young man and their family. He added that if the circumstances are not favorable for a union, it is better to go separate ways.

Conflicting reports exist regarding the reasons behind the called-off engagement. Some reports suggest that Karisma's mother, Babita, played a crucial role and had asked for a prenup requiring Amitabh to transfer some of his wealth to Abhishek to secure Karisma's future. Other reports claim that the Bachchans refused this request. Whispers also circulated that Karisma was pressured to give up her acting career and that Jaya Bachchan had a strong influence over Abhishek's decisions. Producer Suneel Darshan stated that the relationship ended due to external pressure rather than a lack of connection between Karisma and Abhishek. Karisma herself described the period as traumatic.

After the broken engagement, Karisma focused on her acting career. In September 2003, she married Sunjay Kapur, a Delhi-based businessman. They had two children, Samaira and Kiaan. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 2016. Abhishek Bachchan married Aishwarya Rai in 2007.