Aishwarya-Abhishek make a picture-perfect case for old-school romance at Diwali party

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan brought a touch of old-school romance to fashion designer Manish Malhotra's Diwali party in Mumbai on Thursday night. Arriving together, the actor-couple paused to pose for photographers, with Aishwarya dressed in red and Abhishek in black.The celebration drew several Bollywood celebrities, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Madhuri Dixit, Kajol and Karan Johar. The outing came as Abhishek prepares for his next film, King, while Aishwarya is yet to announce a new project.Aishwarya wore a red saree with an elaborate gold border. She paired it with kundan jewellery, matching bangles and red lipstick. Abhishek wore a textured black ethnic jacket with black trousers and glasses. Credit: Yogen Shah Credit: Yogen Shah Credit: Yogen Shah Kareena, Saif, Akshay and others attend the partyKareena attended the Diwali celebration in a shimmering gold-and-silver saree, while Saif wore a black kurta. Akshay arrived with his wife, Twinkle, and their son, Aarav. The family wore matching ivory outfits. Madhuri attended with her husband, Dr Shriram Nene, and wore a pink saree. Kajol arrived with her daughter, Nysa. Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Karan Johar and Shalini Passi were also among the guests.More about the coupleAishwarya and Abhishek have been married for 19 years. They first met on the sets of Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke in 2000 and married on 20 April 2007. They have also shared the screen in films including Kuch Naa Kaho, Umrao Jaan, Guru and Dhoom 2. The couple welcomed their daughter, Aaradhya, in 2011. Their wedding was one of Bollywood's most closely watched celebrity events. Before the wedding celebrations, however, Aishwarya was caught off guard by a surprise roka ceremony at her home shortly after Abhishek proposed.In an old interview with Filmfare, Aishwarya said she was unfamiliar with the tradition. “I didn't even know there's something called a ‘roka’ ceremony,” she said. Explaining that she came from a South Indian family, she added, “We are South Indians, so I don't know what a roka is, and suddenly there's this call from their house to ours: ‘We are coming.’”She recalled Abhishek calling her in a hurry to say that his family was already on its way. “We are all coming, and I can't stop Dad. We are on our way, this evening. We are coming to your place,” he told her. Aishwarya remembered responding, “Oh my God!”Her father, Krishnaraj Rai, was out of town and joined the ceremony over a phone call. “So, this roka is happening with a call to my father, who is out of town,” Aishwarya recalled.Her mother, Brindya Rai, was also taken by surprise. By the time Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and other members of the Bachchan family arrived, Aishwarya and her mother were still trying to understand what was happening. “Mum is here, we are here. They've all arrived home, they are emotional and all,” she said.Aishwarya then turned to her mother and asked, “Mom, okay... is this... is this an engagement? Like, what just happened?” The ceremony formalised Aishwarya and Abhishek's engagement before their wedding.What are Abhishek and Aishwarya working on?Abhishek was last seen in Raja Shivaji. He will next appear in Shah Rukh Khan's action thriller King, directed by Siddharth Anand. The film is scheduled to be released on December 24.Aishwarya's last theatrical release was Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan II. She has not announced her next film.- Ends