Why Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan’s engagement fell apart
What went wrong between Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor? On paper, it was a perfect dynastic merger of two filmi empires. Karisma brought the Kapoor glamour to the table, while Abhishek brought the Bachchan bastion of gravitas.
The real reason Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan split up
This was definitely not about Karisma and Abhishek’s compatibility, because in Bollywood, that’s code for boardroom-level negotiations gone bad. According to insiders, Babita Kapoor, the quietly formidable mother hen, wasn’t about to let her daughter marry into legacy without some leverage. Babita herself had a troubled marriage with Randhir Kapoor and wasn’t letting history repeat, not even for a Bachchan. There were murmurs about money, living arrangements, and that eternally touchy subject: control.
Jaya, Karisma, Amitabh and AbhishekThe Bachchans, who are traditional to the bone, apparently expected Karisma to fold herself neatly into their family fabric. But Karisma wasn’t some ingénue waiting for approval. She’d carried ’90s Bollywood on her shoulders, danced her way into every hit list, and built her own bank balance. She wasn’t about to trade her independence for a joint-family script where every move required a family meeting.
Then there was Abhishek who was sweet, polite, and still trying to claw his way out of Refugee-era flops. His star was flickering; hers was fading but not out. It’s hard to sustain a romance when one’s climbing uphill and the other’s trying not to slide down. The chemistry that once seemed effortless began to feel like effort.
Kareena, Babita and KarismaWhen Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor were dating, Karisma was already a well-established star, while Abhishek was still trying to carve out his space in the industry. At the time, the Bachchan family was also facing financial difficulties due to the collapse of their production company and mounting debts.
Reportedly, Babita Kapoor was uncertain about Abhishek’s prospects as an actor and is said to have requested a prenuptial agreement that would ensure Karisma’s financial security after marriage. The Bachchans allegedly refused, which ultimately led to the relationship ending.
Other rumours suggested that Karisma was asked to give up her acting career and that Jaya Bachchan maintained strict influence over her son’s life.
Although the exact reason for their split remains unclear, it appears that both Abhishek and Karisma have long moved on and left the past behind.
