Aishwarya Rai

In her first interview following marriage to Abhishek, Aishwarya says people, both men and women, are happy for them.

The Bachchans have never been so full of themselves but they sure have been so full of each other, to the point of being tiresomely predictable. The problem is, following Abhishek’s wedding to Aishwarya, there are three of them praising each other now.

Speaking to the press for the first time following her marriage, Aishwarya started off by promoting brand Bachchan.

“I feel blessed, I think it’s wonderful to be married to your best friend. There is immense love and respect. I have the most wonderful father-in-law and mother-in-law, who treat me like their daughter,” she told the Mumbai Mirror in an exclusive interview.

Her effusive praise for the Bachchan brand turned to evasive circumspection, befitting an Indian bahu, when quizzed what kind of a husband was Abhishek.

“If I start on that, we’ll have to get onto an autobiography… there are too many details involved. In short, I’m in a happy place.”

It is likely that Aishwarya will now work with Abhishek more often than earlier. She looks forward to it not just because he is an “inspired” actor but because it gives her more time to spend with him.

“As a colleague, it was always fun to work with him. Professionally, too, it is always exciting working with actors who are inspired. Personally, too, it will be great to work with my husband as we will get to spend more time with each other,” she says.

Interestingly, Aishwarya gave an insight into Bachchan’s desire to make amends for the huge controversy over the exclusive Abhishek - Aishwarya wedding guest list.

“We do hope that in future, during a festival or our anniversary, we will have a larger celebration. The family has always partied and will continue to do so.”

Aishwarya denies she and Abhishek broke many hearts when they married on 20 April, 2007.

“Going by the emails and letters, people are happy for us. We saw so much happiness, both among men as well as women…So contrary to what is assumed, our marriage hasn’t broken hearts. We can feel it.”