Karisma Kapoor once called period after split from Abhishek Bachchan ‘traumatic’, revealed why she stepped away from limelight: ‘I was forced to…’

Their wedding generated a lot of buzz in the late 90s, with Karisma Kapoor always being spotted accompanying the Bachchan family at all major events. On a few public platforms, Jaya Bachchan would also refer to Karisma Kapoor as her “future daughter-in-law”. But, despite the excitement within the family, Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan’s engagement only lasted a few months.

Why did Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan break up?

The reason behind their split remained private, with both families maintaining a dignified silence amid the rumours. But, there was a time when Karisma Kapoor referred to the cancellation of her engagement as “traumatic”, wishing that no girl should ever go through it. In an interview with Rediff in 2003, Karisma Kapoor not only opened up about her broken engagement with Abhishek Bachchan but also about her decision to step away from the limelight in its aftermath.

Karisma Kapoor breaks her silence on broken engagement with Abhishek Bachchan

“It was deliberate. I withdrew into a shell. I just was not ready to go public with my grief. I chose a dignified silence because that is the kind of person I am. I have always been a woman of few words,” she said, adding, “The beginning of this year was traumatic for me. I wouldn’t wish any girl to go through it. I was forced to deal with my hurt and pain on my own. I guess time is the best healer. Though I have been through a lot, I have come to terms with whatever has happened. All I will say is, whatever is destined is bound to happen. I was emotionally unprepared to confront my problems. Life deals you different cards. You have to just go with the shuffle.”

Karisma Kapoor eventually married businessman Sunjay Kapur in 2003, but they parted ways after 10 years together. Sunjay Kapur passed away on June 12, 2025. Abhishek Bachchan, on the other hand, went on to marry Aishwarya Rai in 2007.