Aishwarya Rai has always been in the spotlight, while her acting career in Bollywood earned her many fans, her personal life often grabbed headlines too. One of the most talked-about moments was when actor Vivek Oberoi openly spoke against Salman Khan in 2001. Despite the drama, Aishwarya stood by Vivek and even took him to the Cannes Film Festival soon after. Here’s the story behind that unforgettable time.

The press conference that shook Bollywood

On 1 April 2003, Vivek Oberoi held a press conference claiming that Salman Khan had threatened him over phone calls. At the time, Vivek was reportedly dating Aishwarya Rai, who had earlier been in a relationship with Salman. The shocking claims caused a huge stir across the Bollywood industry.
After the press conference, many believed Aishwarya had left Vivek because of all the trouble. But these were just rumours, as what happened next showed a different story.

Cannes 2003: Aishwarya and Vivek Together

In 2003, Aish attended the Cannes Film Festival with her mother, Brinda Rai, and Vivek. A video from that time shows Vivek standing quietly behind them, letting Aishwarya enjoy the attention from the international press. When she called them forward, they posed together, showing they were still united. The ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ actress looked stunning in an off-shoulder sleeveless gown with soft makeup, glowing with confidence. This moment proved that despite the earlier drama, Aishwarya and Vivek were still together in public.

Watch the video here

Vivek speaks out on ‘ Koffee With Karan ’

In 2005, on the show ‘Koffee With Karan,’ host Karan Johar asked Vivek about his famous press conference and the backlash he faced. He said the experience had “good repercussions” for him, even though many in the media and film industry turned against him.
He added, “I didn’t had anything against Salman Khan. In fact, I liked the guy. I thought he was quite interesting when I met him before. But yeah in terms of the way he behaved and within the framework of my personal life at that time, trying to protect the lady in my life. I did what I thought was right.”