by Mick the Ram

Popular Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has undergone surgery after being attacked with a knife in his own apartment in the western Mumbai suburb of Bandra, from which he received six stab wounds – two being very deep.

His team of representatives reported that it was an attempted burglary and Mr Khan had confronted the intruder in order to protect his wife Kareena Kapoor-Khan, who is also an actor, and their two children, who were also in the property.

The 54-year-old was taken to the nearby Lilavati hospital in the early hours of the morning and Nitin Dange, one of the doctors who operated on the actor, confirmed that surgery was performed to remove the knife which was lodged in his spine, causing a major injury to the thoracic spinal chord and needed to repair leaking spinal fluid.

Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team and later Niraj Uttamani, the hospital’s chief operating officer, was able to clarify that Mr Khan was out of danger and stable, but would continue to be monitored.

A female employee who worked at the Khan home was also attacked and was being treated, the police said, although no details of her condition were revealed.

Footage captures attacker who escaped the scene

New surveillance footage seems to show the suspected intruder who violently stabbed the Bollywood star, fleeing the actor’s home in the moments after the attack.

He appears in a clip captured in the stairwell of the actors property at 2.33am, and at one point he even looks directly into the camera.

Police leading a massive investigation into the attack have yet to identify him, but the image is very clear, so the hope is he will soon be recognised and apprehended.

Huge star of multiple films

Saif Ali Khan is one of the country’s leading actors, having featured in more than 70 films and television series, making his debut back in 1993.

He primarily works in Hindi cinema and often plays comedic roles, his quick wit making him one of the most recognisable faces in the industry.

Among his popular movies are romantic comedies such as Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho and recent action dramas such as Tanhaji and Devara: Part 1.

His role as an antagonist in Omkara, a 2006 critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, was widely appreciated.

Plea for media to give family space

Ms Kapoor said that it had been “an incredibly challenging day” and that they were still “trying to process it all”.

She “respectfully and humbly” asked the media and paparazzi to “refrain from the relentless speculation and coverage”, adding: “While we appreciate the concern and support, the constant scrutiny and attention is not only overwhelming but also poses a significant risk to our safety.”

Continuing she remarked: “I kindly request that you respect our boundaries and give us the space we need to heal and cope as a family.”

Concern for general safety

Clyde Crasto, spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, commented: “If such high-profile people with such security can be attacked in their homes, what could happen to common citizens?”

Famous family

Mr Khan comes from a prominent family who ruled Pataudi, a small princely state on the outskirts of Delhi.

He is the son of former 1960’s India cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and iconic Bollywood actress Sharmila Tagore.