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By Sharad Rai
The recent life-threatening attack on Saif Ali Khan has sent shockwaves through the entire film industry. The attack took place in his own secure 11th-floor flat in Satguru Sharan, Bandra, where he was stabbed six times. A 3-inch knife broke and got stuck in his spine, and after five hours of surgery, doctors at Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital confirmed that his life was no longer in danger. Imagine the horror his wife Kareena Kapoor, mother Sharmila Tagore, daughter Soha Ali Khan, and son Ibrahim Ali Khan must have experienced when they rushed him to the hospital. It was a silent, panic-filled moment that was later witnessed by the faces of other family members like Soha and Kunal Khemu, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Randhir Kapoor, Babita, and Karisma Kapoor at the hospital.
As the news spread, fear and insecurity were visible on the faces of Bollywood stars. Ravi Kishan, Raveena Tandon, Pooja Bhatt, and many other stars have expressed concerns about the rising insecurity in the film industry following this attack. Indeed, Bollywood seems to be standing on the edge of fear and panic.
Not long ago, gunfire erupted at Salman Khan's house in Bandra, and there was also an attack on his friend Baba Siddiqui, who lost his life. At that time, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised enhanced security, and as the current Chief Minister, he repeated those assurances.
The situation is not limited to just Saif Ali Khan. Govinda was once shot in the leg by his own revolver, and his wife Sunita Ahuja is still not satisfied with the explanation. Just recently, Johnny Lever and Mastaq Khan were kidnapped during an event outside Mumbai. It’s well-known that these stars aren’t among the highest-earning actors, and there are fears they may have been targeted for more severe harm.
The history of attacks on Bollywood stars is long. Shah Rukh Khan received several death threats in 2023, prompting the government to provide him with Z-plus security. Before that, in 2012, he was slapped in an attack, and in the early days of "Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai," Rakesh Roshan's office was shot at. In 2001, during a legal case related to "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke," Preity Zinta received a threatening call demanding 50 lakh rupees. Earlier this year, Poonam Dhillon's house was robbed, and in 1982, Amitabh Bachchan was attacked in Kolkata, resulting in serious injuries. The most shocking incident occurred in 1997, when music mogul Gulshan Kumar was killed in a Shiv temple attack.
The attack on Saif Ali Khan is a serious matter that cannot be brushed aside. Artists belong to the public, and the government must take special measures to ensure their safety. It is a thought-provoking issue: why do stars keep falling victim to such attacks? If stars, who are given security cover, are not safe, what can be said for the rest of the film industry and the general public?