Amid separation news, Aishwarya and Abhishek to work in Mani Ratnam’s next?

Rumours related to Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s supposed separation have been doing the rounds of the internet for a while now. While the couple has not commented on the separation rumours so far, news has it that they are all to collaborate on a project by Mani Ratnam.

Abhishek and Aishwarya share a special bond with Mani Ratnam and have worked together in Raavan and Guru with Ratnam earlier. Latest reports suggest that the acclaimed filmmaker is planning a new Hindi film featuring the iconic couple.

A source close to the development told Zoom, “Mani Sir has been on the lookout for a subject for a third film with Aishwarya and Abhishek for some time now. He has finally decided what he wants to do with them.”

Aishwarya Rai has shared a close bond with Mani Ratnam who had launched her in “Iruvar” back in 1997. The actress then worked with the filmmaker in “Guru” in 2007 which also starred Abhishek Bachchan. They later collaborated in “Raavan” (2010). Aishwarya was also part of Ratnam’s two-part film series “Ponniyin Selvan: I” which was Ratnam’s last outing on screen.

If reports turn out to be true, this project would mark Abhishek’s fourth collaboration with Mani Ratnam, having first worked with the director in Yuva (2004). In an earlier interview with Zoom, Abhishek Bachchan spoke about his bond with filmmaker Mani Ratnam and said, “When he had come to our home for the first time to sign me for “Yuva”, I thought he had come to sign Pa (father Amitabh Bachchan). When I got to know it was me he wanted I was beyond ecstatic. Any actor would give a limb to work with Mani. I take great pride in the fact that he found me worthy of his cinema thrice, so far, and that too without losing any limbs.”

Rumours about Abhishek and Aishwarya’s divorce have been circulating on social media for quite some time now. These rumours gained traction when the couple arrived separately at a high-profile wedding in July. The speculation intensified when Abhishek liked an Instagram post discussing the increase in “grey divorces,” which further fuelled the divorce rumours.

The post, which Abhishek Bachchan liked, revolves around the idea of “Why love stops being easy.” It also states, “Couples who have been married for long are now parting ways. What has prompted their decision and why are grey divorces on the rise?”

The caption read, “Divorce is never easy for anyone. Who doesn’t dream of a happily ever after or envision recreating those heartwarming videos of elderly couples holding hands as they cross the street? Yet, sometimes life doesn’t unfold as we hoped. But how do people cope when they separate after decades together, after spending a significant portion of their lives relying on each other for both big and small things? What drives them to sever ties, and what challenges do they face? This story delves into these questions. Coincidentally, ‘grey divorces’ or ‘silver splitters’-terms for those seeking marital dissolution typically after age 50-are on the rise globally. The reasons, though varied, are not surprising.”

Last month a Reddit thread stated that Abhishek and Aishwarya have been living separate lives and Abhishek was involved with his Dasvi co-star Nimrat Kaur. (Agencies)

Also Read: Are Abhishek and Aishwarya heading for a grey divorce?

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