Abhishek Bachchan has revealed the personal connection behind his love for Jaipur, saying the city became special to him because it was where he and Aishwarya Rai began dating.
The Dhoom star has a deep connection to Jaipur, where he shot parts of his debut film Refugee and where his romance with the Devdas starlet.
Explaining his decision, Abhishek said, “I picked up the Jaipur team. Jaipur is where I shot a part of my first film. It was an auspicious thing to start something new. It was also a city where Aishwarya and I started dating, it has an emotional part.”
The Jaipur Pink Panthers name also carries sentimental meaning for Abhishek, linking his daughter’s love of pink with Aishwarya’s role in The Pink Panther 2.
He added, “Pink because it was my daughter's favourite colour at that point of time and 'Pink Panther' was a film which Aishwarya made. If you see, our Pink Panther has blue-green eyes which are the same as my wife's. So there is a personal connect to everything about Jaipur Pink Panthers.”
Founded in 2014, Jaipur Pink Panthers were among the eight original Pro Kabaddi League teams, with Abhishek Bachchan taking ownership of the Jaipur franchise.
His sporting interests have since expanded beyond kabaddi, with Abhishek also associated with ISL side Chennaiyin FC and co-founding the European T20 Premier League, set to begin in August 2026.
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are a prominent Bollywood power couple, married on April 20, 2007, they share a daughter named Aaradhya Bachchan.
Abhishek Bachchan next film
Bachchan is set to star in King alongside Shah Rukh Khan, with the film scheduled to release during Christmas 2026.
He is reportedly playing the villain, alongside a cast including Deepika Padukone and Suhana Khan.
