Newlyweds Rani-Aditya love story was not that of Raj and Simran
Mumbai: Aditya Chopra created one of the best love stories of Indian Cinema in his directorial debut, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’. Raj and Simran can still be spotted on the silver screen in Mumbai. Their love story will complete 1000 weeks this year. But when it came to Aditya’s ‘love story’, it was always whispers on the sets or loud headlines on gossip pages.
Back in 2004, a leading newspaper wrote a blind item on their relationship page and on a flight the same day, Rani picked up the paper and started reading it. Seated next to her was a co-star in front of whom she pretended to be very clueless and asked him casually, ‘Who are they talking about?’
Aditya Chopra, known to watch at least 3 movies everyday till date, doesn’t like to come in front of the media. He however still maintains the legacy of his father late Yash Chopra of eating lunch with the entire office. He is rarely seen by many people at one time, except during lunch hours. Adi’s friend circle is very limited, and he is known to fiercely guard everything about him. Karan Johar is the only regular visitor at the studio who would have lunch with the late Yash Chopra almost everyday. Talk to Adi about movies and his face will just light up.
On the other hand, Rani Mukerji was outgoing, friendly and accessible to everyone. It was with time, when stories about her relationship with Aditya started floating, that she withdrew herself completely. In the initial period, she was scared to be given the tag of ‘the other woman’, or ‘the home-wrecker’ because Adi was still married to Payal.
With time passing by, Rani made every effort to be accepted by Yash and Pamela Chopra. But the senior members were too fond of Payal. It was only in 2009, post the divorce, that things started getting better with Rani. She was regularly spotted in YRF Studios, more often spotted on the 4th floor where the bosses sat.
The couple has rarely been spotted together in all these years. Rani continued with her films, and during promotions, she kept on denying her relationship. The couple who regularly went for vacations had never been snapped until in the beginning of 2011, when Adi and Rani were clicked by the paparazzi. Finally, all questions of ‘does Aditya Chopra really exist?’ came to an end.
Cut to ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’-- Adi’s gift to his late father. It is rumoured that the poem that Shah Rukh narrates which goes, ‘Tere Ankhon Ki Namkeen Mastiyan’, is straight from Adi's heart to his lady love.
Today, Rani reportedly has an official Yash Raj email id and going by the big announcement, looks like she will move on to bigger responsibilities in the studio. As for Aditya Chopra, apart from the long line-up of films his studio is ready to roll, on the personal front, he has started visiting a suburban hotel early in the morning and swim everyday for atleast an hour.
