The recent knife attack on Saif Ali Khan and attempted robbery at his house is not a stand-alone incident where someone associated with the Bollywood industry has been assaulted. Previously, many celebrities have been tragically injured, insulted, or even lost their lives in similar attacks. Here’s a brief on the same:
Saif Ali KhanBefore the dawn of January 16, 2025, Khan was reportedly attacked by an intruder in Satguru Sharan, his Bandra residence. According to the police report, the staff nurse at the house confessed that he demanded ₹1 crore ransom when confronted. The actor was stabbed six times, two of which were life-threateningly deep, and one was near the spinal cord, raising questions about his long-term health. He was immediately sent to Lilavati Hospital, where the COO confirmed his injuries. The intruder is right now in police custody and the investigation is in progress.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
During the shoot of ‘Padmavat’ in 2017, Bhansali was allegedly attacked by members of the Rajput community group Karni Sena. The intruders reportedly disrupted the shoot and slapped the director in front of his cast and crew, which occurred at Jaipur’s Jaigarh Fort. The protesters reportedly alleged that the film has explicit scenes between Queen Padmini and Alauddin Khilji, played by actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. The allegations are not confirmed, but the Rajput Karni Sena demands that Bhansali should “delete such scenes”, as per NDTV. The intruders even filmed the assault on their mobile phones.
Salman KhanIn April 2024, Salman Khan was reportedly attacked by an arrested gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang members. Five shots were fired by two men on the bike near Khan’s Mumbai residence, The Galaxy Apartments, where one bullet shot allegedly hit his balcony. According to the reports, the plan was orchestrated by Bishnoi’s younger brother, Anmol, and the members followed Khan for five days to race his movements.
Gauhar Khan
Gaurhar Khan was allegedly insulted and assaulted when a man slapped her on the stage of ‘India’s Raw Star’ for not complying with religious sentiments in 2014, while she was performing. She maintained her calm and continued to host the grand finale of the reality show. The attacker was arrested by the police, following the incident. According to the reports, the man allegedly said that he assaulted her because she wore a short dress, and being a Muslim she was prohibited.
Rakesh Roshan
After the success of ‘Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai,’ Rakesh Roshan was shot – twice by the assailants near his office in Tilak Road, Mumbai. Despite being wounded, he drove to the police station to report the attackers, and the police drove him to the hospital. According to the reports, this attack was orchestrated by the underworld, which influenced the film industry. One bullet hit him on the arm, while the other scraped his chest.
Gulshan Kumar
In 1997, Gulshan Kumar was reportedly shot by the underworld, after he refused to comply with extortion demands outside the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir in Andheri, Mumbai. The long-haired attacker shot a bullet that grazed his forehead. With the help of aides, he got shot 16 times, leading to his demise which shocked the entire film industry as one of the most influential personalities of Bollywood was murdered in the broad daylight. According to India Today, the music director allegedly entered into a conspiracy with Abu Salem, and later Kumar started getting extortion calls. According to the reports, Nadeem Akhtar Saifee, the Indian music composer was allegedly involved in Kumar’s demise.
Shahid Kapoor
While shooting his film Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Haider’ in Kashmir, Shahid Kapoor and his co-star Irrfan Khan were reportedly attacked in January 2014. A fire-pot (kangri) was thrown by some youth in the crowd, while the actors were shooting a kidnapping sequence. The youngster threw the pot on Khan, and the ash in the air touched Kapoor as well. However, the police managed the situation and the rest of the shoot was resumed.
