Why Did Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji's Friendship End; How Were Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan Involved?

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Why Did Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji's Friendship End; How Were Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan Involved?

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Last Updated: August 20, 2026, 16:19 IST

Rani Mukerji was not even invited to Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's wedding.

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Aishwarya and Rani were extremely close.

Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji used to be very close friends and would often speak fondly about each other in interviews. However, their dynamic turned sour when Aishwarya was removed from Chalte Chalte and Shah Rukh Khan replaced her with Rani Mukerji. Aishwarya was reportedly very upset that her close friend Rani agreed to this.

Aishwarya Didn’t Invite Rani To Wedding

Later, things allegedly turned awkward when Aishwarya didn’t invite Rani to her wedding with Abhishek Bachchan. Many years ago, even Rani and Abhishek had been subjected to dating rumours as they had appeared in several films together and fans loved their chemistry. Aishwarya has never publicly spoken about her rift with Rani.

Rani Seemingly Confirmed Chalte Chalte Rift

When Rani Mukerji appeared on Karan Johar’s Koffee with Karan with Kareena Kapoor, the host asked her about her supposed rivalry with Aishwarya. Rani cheekily said, “And you know the reasons for it." Many believed this to be confirmation of their severed friendship. However, Karan prodded her further.

Aishwarya Stopped Talking, Says Rani

Rani said, “I have no problems with anybody, and I still like, I don’t have any personal problem with Aish. I think maybe Aish might be having a problem because she stopped talking on the phone. And I haven’t met her socially anywhere, but I guess when we meet, I think we will be very cordial with each other."

Rani On Abhishek Bachchan Also Not Inviting Her To Wedding

When Aishwarya got married to Abhishek and didn’t invite Rani, she said in an interview, “Only Abhishek can throw light on that. The truth is that if a person chooses not to invite you to their wedding, you realise where you stand with the person. You may be deluded and think you are friends, but maybe the friendship was only restricted to being co-stars on the sets."

We Were Co-Actors, Not Friends: Rani On Abhishek

“However, it doesn’t matter now. It became very clear and evident that we were only co-actors and not friends. Moreover, inviting someone to a wedding is a personal choice. Tomorrow, when I decide to get married, I will choose the handful of people I want to invite," Rani added, and indeed, her wedding with Aditya Chopra in Italy was quite the close-knit event. Its details still remain a secret.

Are Aishwarya And Rani Friends Today?

Today, both actresses remain cordial. Rani was also reportedly among the first ones who showed up for Aishwarya when she lost her father. Fans remained hopeful that their friendship would rekindle the same way. However, they rarely talk about their friendship in public now.

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Key Questions Answered Powered by Ask News18 What caused the initial rift between Aishwarya and Rani? The initial rift between Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji occurred when Aishwarya was removed from the film "Chalte Chalte" and replaced by Rani Mukerji. Did Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan ever date? Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan were reportedly subjected to dating rumours after appearing in several films together, and fans enjoyed their on-screen chemistry. Are Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji friends today? Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukerji are not close friends today, but they remain cordial. Powered by Ask News18

About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentar... Read More

First Published: August 20, 2026, 16:19 IST