Veteran actress Smita Jaykar, who portrayed Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s mother in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, recently discussed the blossoming romance between the actress and Salman Khan in the film, which also enhanced the musical romantic drama.

“Yes, they fell in love there. Their relationship thrived during that time. And it significantly benefited the film. Both of them had those dreamy eyes, and their romance was evident on their faces. That contributed greatly to the film’s success,” Jaykar recalled in an interview with FilmyMantra Media.

“Salman is quite the rascal. I can’t speak for how he is now, but back then, he certainly was. He is a genuinely nice person, very generous at heart. I’ve never seen him lose his temper on set. Who doesn’t get angry? However, people often blow it out of proportion when it comes to celebrities. If someone provokes you, it’s natural to get upset, right? We don’t always know the other person’s perspective—what they did to trigger that anger. Aishwarya is incredibly beautiful. Even without makeup, she looked stunning. Very humble and down-to-earth—at least during the time I knew her,” she added.