Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan, 50, has admitted that accompanying his wife, Aishwarya Rai, 52, to high-profile red carpet events leaves him feeling overwhelmed and deeply self-conscious. Speaking during an appearance on the podcast hosted by Lily Singh, the actor said he feels completely out of place at glamorous public events.

“Have you seen my wife? Have you ever seen her on a red carpet? It’s the most daunting thing for me to go on a red carpet, period. And if I have to do it with her, it’s terrifying. They’re all professionals, and they’re so good at it. I’m like a block of wood. I don’t know what to do. Should I keep my hands in my pockets? I’m very awkward. So they always end up saying, ‘One more smile, please.’” he said.

Nervousness mistaken for anger

Abhishek recalled that his discomfort has sometimes been misinterpreted as annoyance. He recounted an instance where photographers confronted him, asking, “Sir, humne kya galti ki hai? Aap itne naraaz kyun dikh rahe hain? (Sir, what mistake have we made? Why do you look so upset?)” Thinking he was upset with them, they sought an explanation. “And I’m like, sorry,” he added, explaining that the tense expression was simply nerves.

Aishwarya Rai is a long-time fixture at the Cannes Film Festival, often attending with the couple’s daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan. Her elaborate red carpet appearances routinely draw international attention, something Abhishek says only heightens his anxiety.

Also read: Abhishek Bachchan opens up on marriage with Aishwarya Rai; ‘I don’t want to be in a partnership…’

A longstanding partnership, mostly kept private

The actors first met in the early 2000s and went on to work together in films including ‘Dhoom 2’ and ‘Guru’. They married in April 2007 and welcomed their daughter, Aaradhya, in 2011. Despite their fame, the couple has largely kept their family life out of the public eye.

This year, they will mark 19 years of marriage.

Abhishek’s upcoming projects

Abhishek is set to appear in ‘King’, directed by Siddharth Anand and led by Shah Rukh Khan. The cast also includes Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Raghav Juyal, Saurabh Shukla, and Jaideep Ahlawat. The film is slated for release on 24 December 2026.

He also features in the historical action drama ‘Raja Shivaji’, based on the life of Shivaji Maharaj and directed by Riteish Deshmukh. The ensemble includes Sanjay Dutt, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Bhagyashree, Fardeen Khan, Jitendra Joshi, Amole Gupte, and Genelia Deshmukh, who also produces the film. It is due for theatrical release on 1 May.