Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan who have worked with director Mani Ratnam share
more than a professional relationship with him.

Aishwarya had debuted in his Tamil film Iruvar and Abhishek first worked with
him in Yuva. However, their bond strengthened on the sets of Guru. Since then,
Mani Ratnam has adopted both of them. The couple too has reciprocated in a
similar manner. When Mani suffered from a health crisis recently, they left
behind everything to attend to him and monitor his medical progress. This
gesture from Abhi-Ash moved Mani so much that he has become incredibility
possessive and emotional about them. He's already planning a third film with
them after Raavana.

Commenting on the Abhi-Ash relationship with the maverick filmmaker, a source
says, "Abhi and Ash are also very attached to his wife Suhasini. The day
Aishwarya heard about Mani's hospitalisation in Chennai, she immediately flew
out of Hyderabad to see him and rushed back for her shoot the same evening.
Abhishek too couldn't focus on anything else till Mani was out of hospital.
Somewhere Mani has formed a deep emotional bond with Abhi and Ash."

Since Mani's illness, Aishwarya and Abhishek have almost taken charge of Mani
and his wellbeing. "They won't allow him to resume shooting until they're sure.
And they'll allot dates as and when his health allows. Abhishek and Ash have
also promised Suhasini they'll make sure Mani doesn't strain himself," the
source added.

In fact Mani is so attached to the couple that he has begun to feel the presence
of one or the other is lucky for his films. The source said, "Mani was planning
to make Lajjo with Aishwarya and Aamir Khan. But he was compelled for reasons
beyond his control to take Kareena Kapoor. Mani was not happy with this. When
Lajjo got shelved, Mani turned around and said to Ash, `See it's because it was
an unfair thing to do to you that this happened.'"