Not Shah Rukh Khan, this romantic scene features Salman Khan with Aishwarya Rai in Devdas, was shot after break-up: 'Tragic lover enacting his own life, Aishwarya cried...'

Back in July 2002, Sanjay Leela Bhansali released one of the most iconic films ever to be made, Devdas. The film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Madhuri Dixit, was the most expensive Hindi film of its time. Shah Rukh Khan, to this date, is known for his iconic portrayal of Devdas in the film; however, did you know Salman Khan played a small but barely known cameo in the film, like a 'real-life Devdas' on the sets, all for his love for Aishwarya Rai? 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali had already tasted success with Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). In the same year, he conceptualised Devdas with only one name in mind - Shah Rukh Khan. Madhuri Dixit was then cast as Chandramukhi, and Aishwarya Rai came onboard as Paro after being moved to tears during the script narration.

Was Salman Khan in Devdas? 

While the film itself became a stuff of legends, there is a lesser-known aspect to it, a small cameo appearance by Salman Khan. It was on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam sets that Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai first fell in love. The duo's personal life soon garnered immense media attention, especially because of Salman Khan's possessiveness towards Aishwarya Rai. 

At the time when the shoot of Devdas was ongoing, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai were struggling with their relationship. In the book King of Bollywood, Anupama Chopra revealed, "Salman had become a real-life Devdas, simultaneously self-destructing and attempting to salvage his romance. He was as much a part of the Devdas shoot as the crew… Salman Khan would spend nights lying intoxicated on the floor of Aishwarya's trailer."

Which was Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai's last film together? 

It was this presence that also led to his unexpected cameo in Devdas. It was during the filming of a scene where Paro's (Aishwarya) foot is stuck with a thorn that Devdas (Shah Rukh) gently removes. Anupama Chopra wrote, "Salman was on the set, and he volunteered to demonstrate how this should be done. SRK agreed, and as Salman performed the action, Sanjay rolled the cameras. It was a poignant moment: a spent, tragic lover enacting his own life for the film. Aishwarya cried. It was the last time the two were captured on film together."

The final cut used in the film was not Shah Rukh Khan, but a close-up of Salman Khan's hands, removing the thorn from Aishwarya Rai's foot. 

Was Shah Rukh Khan's Devdas a hit or a flop?

Released on July 12, 2002, Devdas became the biggest hit of the year in India. Made on a budget of Rs 50 crores, Devdas earned over Rs 160 crores at the box office. The film was also recognised in various award shows, receiving 11 Filmfare Awards, including Best Film, Director, and Actor, plus five National Film Awards.

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