Mumbai: Bollywood’s beautiful actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s name remains in the news even today, even if she is away from the silver screen for some time. Aishwarya, who is seen in events with her daughter Aaradhya, has many memorable films in her career, but 19 years ago, a scene from a film brought such a storm in her life that it even led to a legal notice. This incident is related to that onscreen kissing scene of ‘Dhoom 2’, in which she was with Hrithik Roshan – the same actor who had received marriage proposals from 30,000 girls.

That famous scene of ‘Dhoom 2’

The film ‘Dhoom 2’ released in 2006 was a blockbuster. Directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, this film featured Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead roles. Aishwarya played the role of Sunehri, while Hrithik won everyone’s heart in the role of thief Mr. A. People liked the pairing and their dance in the film, but one scene ignited the fire of controversy- Hrithik and Aishwarya’s onscreen kiss. This was the first kissing scene of Aishwarya’s career, which brought her into the limelight, but also put her in legal trouble.

Notice and people’s anger

Aishwarya had spoken openly about this controversy in an old interview. She said, “I did such a scene in ‘Dhoom 2’, which became a topic of discussion. After this, I got legal notices from some people. They said that I am a reputed actress, an ideal for women and lead a simple life. Then how can I do such a scene?” Aishwarya further said, “I am an actress. It was surprising for me that I had to give an explanation for a scene.” Those who sent the notice argued that Aishwarya is a symbol of Indian culture and this step of hers does not match her image. This incident made a lot of headlines at that time and forced Aishwarya to think about her decision.

Aishwarya’s decision and Hollywood’s refusal

After this controversy, Aishwarya made her boundaries clear. She told that after this scene, she got offers of many Hollywood films, which included kissing scenes, but she rejected them. A close source said, “It was not comfortable for Aishwarya. She wanted to keep a balance between her personal and professional life. The scene of ‘Dhoom 2’ was an exception, but after this she kept away from such scripts.”

Hrithik’s popularity and that connection

The other character of this scene, Hrithik Roshan, had become a superstar at that time. His debut film ‘Kaho Naa Pyar Hai’ in 2000 made him a star overnight. Hrithik himself revealed on Kapil Sharma’s show that after this film he got marriage proposals from 30,000 girls. His and Aishwarya’s chemistry in ‘Dhoom 2’ made the audience crazy, but this scene became the cause of trouble for Aishwarya.

Impact and analysis of the controversy

Film critic Ramesh Thakur says, “At that time onscreen kissing scenes were not yet common in Bollywood. People had different expectations from an actress like Aishwarya, who was known for her beauty and simplicity. This controversy reflects that section of the society, which weighs cinema on the scale of morality.” Thakur believes that this incident may not have affected Aishwarya’s career, but it definitely strengthened her image.

Where is Aishwarya today?

Today Aishwarya is on a break from films. Her last film was ‘Ponniyin Selvan: II’, which was liked by the audience. Now she mostly spends time with her daughter Aaradhya and appears in select events. But that episode of ‘Dhoom 2’ is still one of the most talked about pages of her career.

Final Look

That one scene with Hrithik not only earned Aishwarya praises, but she also had to face legal notices and controversies. This story tells the conflict between cinema, culture and personal choice. Do you think that Aishwarya’s scene was wrong or was it just an actress’s act? Do share your opinion.