For more than 30 years, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been two of the biggest stars in Bollywood. Both have given fans countless blockbuster films and unforgettable moments. Recently, they were seen together at the premiere of Aamir Khan’s film Sitaare Zameen Par, reminding fans of their long friendship and past disagreements.
Read more: Shah Rukh Khan Surprises Cast of Sitaare Zameen Par, Says Aamir Invited Him 10 Times…
But there’s an interesting and lesser-known story from the early 2000s that not many people know. It happened during the shooting of Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film starred Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, and Madhuri Dixit and was one of the grandest Bollywood movies of that time.
Back then, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai were in a relationship after working together in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. However, by the time Devdas was being made, their relationship was going through a rough phase and was close to ending. Despite that, Salman still visited the sets of Devdas.
Film critic and writer Anupama Chopra shared an interesting incident in her book about Shah Rukh Khan. One day, the crew was filming a romantic scene where Devdas (played by Shah Rukh) gently removes a thorn from Paro’s (played by Aishwarya Rai) foot. The scene needed to show deep emotion and tenderness.
While the team was trying to get the scene right, Salman—who was on set—stepped in and offered to demonstrate how it should be done. In front of everyone, including the camera, he acted out the scene with Aishwarya. He showed exactly the kind of emotion and softness the director was looking for. It was a rare moment where one superstar guided another on how to perform a scene.
This moment also became special for another reason—it was the last time Salman and Aishwarya were ever seen together on a film set. After that, their personal and professional paths never crossed again.
This small behind-the-scenes story gives a unique look into the complex relationships and unseen moments of Bollywood’s biggest stars.
