When Shatrughan Sinha returned Aishwarya-Abhishek wedding sweets to Amitabh Bachchan; later said, "The least I expected was..."

Back in 2007, when Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s wedding became the talk of the nation, few could have imagined that the grand occasion would also spark an unexpected controversy. While the nuptials were a private and low-key affair attended only by close family and friends, the Bachchans tried to make up for the limited guest list by sending sweet boxes and invitation cards as tokens of love to those they couldn’t invite personally. However, not everyone appreciated the gesture.
Veteran actor and political figure Shatrughan Sinha, once a close friend and co-star of Amitabh Bachchan, made headlines by choosing to return the wedding card and sweets sent by the Bachchan family. In an old interview with Mid-Day, Sinha explained his reason for rejecting the gesture, expressing his displeasure over not receiving a personal invitation or phone call before the delivery. He said that if they havent invited him prior, then why should he take the sweets, he had remarked, adding, “I won’t be put in second place and embarrass him by accepting the sweets. The least I expected was that either Amitabh or someone from the family would call me up before sending the sweets.”
Abhishek Bachchan, addressing the incident years later on the popular talk show 'Koffee With Karan,' shed light on the reason behind the private wedding. The actor revealed that his grandmother Teji Bachchan, had been critically ill at the time, which led the family to opt for a small, intimate ceremony. “Very honestly, people are forgetting a very, very major reason why our family wanted to keep it very intimate,” Abhishek said. “There was an ailing grandmother at the hospital, and my father said, ‘You know, we do not feel good about going out there and having a big celebration,'” he added.
Though the family wished to include everyone in spirit, not everyone took the gesture positively. “We sent cards with sweets to industry friends as a way to seek their blessings. Everyone understood—except one person,” Abhishek shared on the show. “Shatrughan uncle returned it and that was okay. We respected his choice. You can’t make everyone happy.” Interestingly, Sinha and Amitabh Bachchan had once shared strong camaraderie, starring together in iconic films such as 'Kaala Patthar,' 'Dostana,' 'Shaan,' and 'Bombay to Goa.' Which is why his reaction to the wedding gesture left many surprised.

The wedding of Abhishek and Aishwarya, which took place on April 20, 2007, remains one of Bollywood’s most cherished and widely followed events. The couple, who are now parents to daughter Aaradhya Bachchan, continue to be among the most admired celebrity pairs in India.