Abhishek Bachchan Relationship Timeline: Every Confirmed Romance, Breakup & Marriage To Aishwarya Rai

Written By: Entertainment Desk

Aug 19, 2026 18:10 IST ⓘ

Explore Abhishek Bachchan's complete relationship timeline.

Abhishek Bachchan, with his towering presence, unmistakable baritone, and incredible cinematic lineage, has always been a subject of immense fascination in Bollywood. Being the son of the legendary Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, his personal life has rarely escaped the relentless glare of the media spotlight. From a highly publicized broken engagement that sent shockwaves through the industry to his current status as half of one of India's most powerful celebrity couples, his romantic journey has been heavily documented.

ALSO READ | Aishwarya Rai Relationship Timeline: Every Confirmed Romance, Breakup & Marriage

Despite the intense scrutiny, Abhishek has consistently maintained a dignified and fiercely private stance regarding his relationships, speaking out only when absolutely necessary. Today, he balances his evolving, critically acclaimed acting career with his role as a devoted family man. This timeline explores every confirmed relationship that shaped his journey, the persistent rumours that dominated tabloid covers, and his enduring marriage to Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai.

Abhishek Bachchan’s Relationship Timeline:

1997-January 2003: Karisma Kapoor

How They Met

As per reports, their relationship began around 1997, when they met at the wedding of Abhishek’s sister Shweta Bachchan and Karisma’s cousin Nikhil Nanda. However, the exact first date was never announced. For several years, the couple kept the relationship relatively private. Karisma was already one of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars, while Abhishek made his film debut in 2000.

Public Appearances

They were Bollywood royalty and the paparazzi loved them. Their most monumental public appearance was during Amitabh Bachchan's 60th birthday celebration in October 2002, where their engagement was officially announced to the media. Onstage, Jaya Bachchan welcomed the Kapoor family and introduced Karisma as her “to-be daughter-in-law.” The families posed together, turning a long-rumoured romance into an official engagement.

Films

Their only film together as lead actors was Dharmesh Darshan’s romantic drama ‘Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya’ (2002), co-starring Akshay Kumar. Producer Suneel Darshan has said that marriage was already being discussed by the time he planned the project. Their off-screen relationship therefore did not begin because of the film, although the movie made the pairing more visible.

The Breakup

In a shocking turn of events, the engagement was abruptly called off in January 2003. Neither Abhishek, Karisma nor their families gave a reason. In July 2026, Suneel Darshan told interviewers that the relationship was “fiery” and involved disagreements, but he declined to blame Abhishek, Karisma, Jaya Bachchan or Babita Kapoor.

Stories alleging that Babita demanded financial guarantees, that a prenuptial agreement caused the split, or that the Bachchans objected to Karisma’s career or family circumstances remain unverified.

Where They Stand Now

They have completely moved on and maintain a dignified, respectful distance, occasionally crossing paths at major industry events without public interaction. Karisma later married businessman Sunjay Kapur in September 2003; that marriage ended in divorce in 2016.

ALSO READ | Aishwarya Rai Shares New Pics With Abhishek Bachchan On Wedding Anniversary

2006-Present: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

How They Met

Their first meeting came years before their romance. Abhishek has recalled being introduced to Aishwarya in Switzerland in the mid-1990s, when he was helping scout locations for his father’s production ‘Mrityudata’ and his friend Bobby Deol was filming ‘Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya’. Bobby invited him to dinner with the film’s team.

They later became friends while working together. Abhishek has said the dynamic changed during J.P. Dutta’s ‘Umrao Jaan’ in 2006 and deepened during Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’. In an April 2026 interview, he called Aishwarya his soulmate and said they began seeing each other differently during ‘Umrao Jaan’. Recently, he added a specific geographical detail: he and Aishwarya “started dating in Jaipur,” one reason the city later held personal meaning when he founded the Jaipur Pink Panthers kabaddi team.

Public Appearances

Their relationship moved into public view around ‘Guru’. After the film’s New York premiere, Abhishek proposed on the balcony of a hotel where he had once imagined marrying her. He described the moment during the couple’s 2009 appearance on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’.

Their families announced the engagement in January 2007. Since marrying, they have attended premieres, awards shows, family events and international engagements together, including Oprah’s show in 2009. In July 2026, they were also photographed together during a family trip to New York.

Films

Abhishek and Aishwarya have appeared together in seven films: ‘Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke’ (2000), ‘Kuch Naa Kaho’ (2003), ‘Dhoom 2’ (2006), ‘Umrao Jaan’ (2006), ‘Guru’ (2007), ‘Sarkar Raj’ (2008) and ‘Raavan’ (2010). Aishwarya also appeared with Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan in the song ‘Kajra Re’ from ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ (2005).

Marriage And Family

The couple married in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence in Mumbai on April 20, 2007. Their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan was born on November 16, 2011, and remains their only child.

As of August 2026, Aishwarya and Abhishek remain married. Divorce rumours grew in 2024 and 2025, often from separate red-carpet appearances, social-media interpretation and anonymous posts rather than a legal filing or statement from the couple. Abhishek directly rejected them in December 2025, calling the claims false, malicious and unsupported, and saying that he and Aishwarya return to a “happy and healthy family.”

In April 2026, Aishwarya marked their 19th wedding anniversary, with family photographs featuring Abhishek and Aaradhya. The couple appeared together in New York in July.

Abhishek Bachchan’s Rumoured Relationships And Unverified Link-Ups

Rani Mukerji

Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan were widely rumoured to have dated in the mid-2000s, especially around ‘Yuva’ (2004) and ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ (2005). They had a close professional partnership and strong screen chemistry across ‘Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai’, ‘Yuva’, ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ and ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’. However, they didn’t publicly confirm a romance. Abhishek later dismissed stories of a personal falling-out, telling Hindustan Times in 2011 that he had “absolutely no problems” with Rani.

Dipannita Sharma

Reports published around 2006-2007 alleged that Abhishek and model-actress Dipannita Sharma had a discreet relationship lasting roughly ten months before he and Aishwarya became a public couple. In a 2007 interview, Dipannita was asked directly about Abhishek and whether he had ended a relationship with her. Dipannita refused to provide either “clarification” or “confirmation”. She said the past held no importance for her and that Abhishek had never been a friend, but she did not verify the alleged relationship.

Nimrat Kaur

In 2024, social media posts and online reports began alleging that Abhishek had an affair with his ‘Dasvi’ co-star Nimrat Kaur and linking that claim to divorce rumours about Aishwarya. No credible evidence or first-person confirmation established an affair. The Quint’s fact-check found that prominent viral images had been manipulated by placing Nimrat’s face over Aishwarya’s. Nimrat subsequently criticised baseless assumptions spread through social media without naming Abhishek, while Abhishek described the stories about his marriage as false.

Abhishek Bachchan’s relationship timeline offers a fascinating glimpse into the personal life of one of Bollywood’s most dignified actors, whose romances were often scrutinized as heavily as his cinematic legacy. From the shock of his highly publicized broken engagement in his early career to the relentless tabloid whispers that followed, Abhishek has consistently chosen quiet grace over public spectacle.

Ultimately, his journey led him to a real-life fairy-tale with Aishwarya Rai. Today, the couple remains one of Indian cinema’s most enduring pillars of stability. Whether they are ringing in the 2026 New Year together in New York or fiercely protecting their daughter Aaradhya’s privacy and family name in the Delhi High Court against fake news, Abhishek stands as a devoted family man who refuses to let industry noise dictate his reality. Through every high and low, his love story remains a testament to resilience, mutual respect, and the power of a deeply guarded private life in the face of massive public fame.