A Bollywood star is ‘out of danger’ after being attacked at his home in Mumbai
Popular Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan underwent surgery and is out of danger after he was stabbed by an assailant at his home overnight, his team said.
The attack took place early Thursday morning in an upscale neighborhood in the Indian city of Mumbai, where Khan lives with his family.
The city police told BBC Marathi that the actor was injured after an argument broke out between him and an unknown man who entered his house in the middle of the night.
The police have formed teams to investigate the matter.
“Khan has come out of surgery and is in danger. He is currently recovering and doctors are monitoring his progress,” Khan’s team said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters after the surgery, Dr. Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital, where Khan was admitted, said that the actor “suffered a severe injury to the thoracic spine due to a knife inserted into the spine”.
“An operation was performed to remove the knife and the leaking spinal fluid was repaired. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team,” he said.
Khan is married to Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan and the couple has two children. His team said it was safe.
His wife said afterwards on Instagram stories that it was “an incredibly challenging day for our family”, and that they were “still trying to process it”.
He “respectfully and humbly” asked the media and the paparazzi to “avoid endless speculation and coverage”.
“While we appreciate the concern and support, the constant surveillance and attention is not only frustrating but also endangers our safety,” he added.
“I ask that you respect our boundaries and give us the space we need to heal and deal with the situation as a family.”
The details of the attack are still unclear. Police said an “unknown person” entered the actor’s home.
“After that, an argument broke out between Khan and the gangster,” Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam told BBC Marathi.
Khan’s team said it was a case of “attempted burglary” but did not elaborate.
We ask the media and fans to be patient, it is a matter for the police,” they said.
Khan, who made his Bollywood debut in 1993, works extensively in Hindi cinema and is known for his quick wit and comic timing.
Among his popular movies are romantic comedies like Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho and recent action dramas like Tanhaji and Devara: Part 1.
His role as the antagonist in Omkara, the critically acclaimed 2006 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, was critically acclaimed.
Khan comes from a family of old Nawabs who ruled Pataudi, a small princely state on the outskirts of Delhi, and is married into a family of film stars.
His father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was a cricketer who captained the Indian team in the 1960s. His mother Sharmila Tagore is a veteran actress who has been acting in popular Hindi and Bengali films since the age of 14.
Her sister Soha Ali Khan also acted in films for some years.
Khan’s wife Kareena comes from a family of famous actors, directors and producers who have been working in Bollywood for nearly a century.
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