Sanjay Dutt once warned Aishwarya Rai that her ‘beautiful side’ would fade if she entered Bollywood: ‘500 people would be pulling you down’

Celebrated globally as one of the world’s most beautiful women and an iconic actress, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan once received surprisingly strong advice to stay away from Bollywood. Long before the red carpets, the international fame, and her iconic roles, the former Miss World was given this cautious counsel by someone who had already experienced the industry's harsh realities.

And that someone was Sanjay Dutt.

Their early meeting before Bollywood fame

In 1993, Aishwarya was already a leading model in India when she met Sanjay Dutt during a magazine photoshoot. Sanjay was instantly struck by her presence.

Recalling the moment he saw her in an ad, he told CineBlitz he had wondered, "Who’s that beautiful woman!" The compliment made Aishwarya blush. Sanjay also shared that his sisters, Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt, were equally charmed when they met her.

Sanjay Dutt’s warning about the tough film world

Though Dutt admired her beauty, he also felt a sense of concern. Having faced the industry’s pressures himself, he warned the ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ actress that Bollywood could take away the innocence she carried so naturally.

He said, "When you come into this glamour industry, it starts changing you, maturing you, that innocence is lost. That beautiful side that she has right now on her face will disappear. Because she has to handle the film world right and that is not easy to do. It’s competitive. It’s like Man I have to look better than that, I’ve gotta be there. You know you climb two steps and there will be like 500 people pulling you down five steps. And you become hard. And those beautiful qualities are gone."

Aishwarya Rai’s acceptance of the industry’s harsh truths

The ‘Taal’ actress listened to his words with maturity. She understood the weight of what he was saying and admitted that the film world could indeed shape a person in difficult ways. She said, "I suppose that’s true. There are so many things you’ve got to handle that I suppose it does harden you."

Sanjay Dutt’s view on Bollywood’s emotional reality

The ‘Vaastav’ actor also explained how support and friendships in the industry often depend on success.

He further said, "It’s too professional, there are no feelings in this industry. You’ve got to be ready for the fact that if you’re not doing well, no one will be there for you. And if you are, everyone will be around. When they’re there, it’s managed differently. But when you’re alone, it’s hard to accept that they don’t want you anymore."

Aishwarya Rai eventually stepped into film world

Even though Aishwarya Rai was receiving film offers at the time, she was not interested in accepting any role unless it genuinely appealed to her. She wanted her first film to feel right. One such offer she turned down was ‘Raja Hindustani’, where she would have starred opposite Aamir Khan. She decided instead to begin her career with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Iruvar’ in 1997. That same year, she also made her Hindi film debut with ‘Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya’, opposite Bobby Deol.

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