Amid Separation Rumours With Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Drops "Bachchan" From Her Name At An Event

Rumours about Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's separation have been swirling online. Amid this, the actress attended the Global Women's Forum in Dubai on Wednesday, where she delivered a speech on women's empowerment. As Aishwarya took the stage, a large screen behind her displayed her name as "Aishwarya Rai | International Star," omitting the "Bachchan" surname. Several videos and photos from the event have been doing the rounds on social media.

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In an earlier interview with The Hindu, Abhishek Bachchan thanked Aishwarya for looking after their daughter Aaradhya. He recalled how the actress chose to step away from her acting career when he was born to dedicate herself to raising her children. "My mother stopped acting when I was born because she wanted to spend time with the children. We never felt the void of Dad not being around. I think at the end of the day after work, you come home at night," he said.

When director Shoojit Sircar highlighted the sacrifices Jaya made for her children, Abhishek drew a parallel to his own life, particularly about his actor-wife Aishwarya. He said, "In my household, I'm lucky I get to go out and make movies but I know that Aishwarya is at home with Aaradhya and I thank her immensely for that but I don't think the kids look at it that way. They don't look at you as a third person, they look at you as the first person," he said."

Rumours about Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's divorce have been circulating on social media for quite some time now. These rumours gained traction when the couple arrived separately at a high-profile wedding In July. The speculation intensified when Abhishek liked an Instagram post discussing the increase in "grey divorces," which further fuelled the divorce rumours.

The post, which Abhishek Bachchan liked, revolves around the idea of "Why love stops being easy." It also states, "Couples who have been married for long are now parting ways. What has prompted their decision and why are grey divorces on the rise?"

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan married in April 2007. The two welcomed their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan in November 2011. So far, the couple have not confirmed nor denied the divorce rumours.

On the professional front, they worked together in several films such as Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (2000), Kuch Naa Kaho (2003), Dhoom 2 (2006), Umrao Jaan (2006), Guru (2007), Sarkar Raj (2008), and Raavan (2010)."