This actor was once stabbed by his friend, bled excessively, was rushed to hospital, was saved by…, his name is…

In his memoir, this actor shared an incident when he was stabbed by his actor friend and how Om Puri came to rescue him.

Naseeruddin Shah is considered one of the most versatile and talented actors that Indian cinema has ever produced. In 2024, the actor introduced his autobiography titled ‘And Then One Day’ and revealed several interesting anecdotes from his personal and professional life. He also opened up about an incident when he was stabbed by an actor friend Jaspal and Om Puri then interfered to rescue him.

Why did Naseerudin Shah’s actor friend stab him?

During the shooting of his 1977 film Bhoomika, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri had gone to have a dinner at a restaurant. Just then, his friend Jaspal, with whom Shah shared a strained relationship arrived at the place.

Naseeruddin Shah shared, “We ignored each other but, eyes fixed on me, he passed to sit on another table behind me, so I thought. After a while, I was reminded of his presence by what felt like a short sharp punch in the middle of my back. I started to rise, wearily preparing myself for another free-for-all. Before I could move, Om with a strangled cry lunged at something behind me. I turned to see Jaspal holding a small knife, its point dripping blood, his hand raised to strike again, and Om and two others grappling to subdue him.”

The senior actor than narrated further, “Om returned to inform me that Jaspal had been taken to the kitchen and was being given the treatment. He wanted to take me to a doctor but was thwarted by the restaurant staff refusing to let us move till the police arrived. When the ambulance came, Om made the cardinal error of climbing in as well without permission and managed to rile the boss-man, thereby asking the cops to be gentle with me. He was ordered to get off and after considerable pleading with the goon in charge was allowed to stay. Neither of us had an idea where we were headed but I prayed it was not the police station.”

Naseeruddin Shah was taken to the hospital

Naseeruddin Shah was then rushed to the Cooper hospital and later to Jaslok hospital as he was bleeding excessively from his injury. “The bleeding had not seized, the pain was getting intense and these cops obviously had not quite understood the situation. After a few cursory questions to us, and some garbled transmissions over the radio in Marathi, we arrived at Cooper Hospital in Juhu,” he wrote.

The actor also mentioned in his autobiography that Jaspal, after the incident, had arrived to meet him at his home. Rather than apologising, he said that whatever happened wasn’t ‘personal.’