Saif Ali Khan reveals why he refused wheelchair, ambulance upon discharge from hospital post knife attack: ‘Let me walk’

Saif Ali Khan said that he reached the hospital and asked for a stretcher, instead of a wheelchair. The actor added that he was refused it at first.

Actor Saif Ali Khan has opened up about the knife attack on him at his Mumbai home earlier this year and recalled how he refused to take a wheelchair at the hospital. Speaking on the latest episode of Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle, Saif also shared that he refused to return home in an ambulance after getting discharged from the hospital. Saif was part of the show, hosted by Kajol and Twinkle Khanna, along with actor Akshay Kumar.

Saif Ali Khan was attacked in the early hours of January 16 this year at his Bandra home in Mumbai.

Saif Ali Khan reveals he refused to take wheelchair after knife attack

Saif said that he reached the hospital and asked for a stretcher, instead of a wheelchair. The actor said, "We walked into the hospital, and they were sleepy in the emergency area. I told a guy, 'Can we get a stretcher?' He said, 'Wheelchair?' I said, 'No, I think I need a stretcher.' He said no. And then finally I said, 'Hey', because he wasn't waking up, 'I'm Saif Ali Khan. It's a medical emergency'. And we went, 'Oh.' "Then you know all the pandemonium broke loose."

At this, Akshay Kumar said, "Hats off to you for fighting. It was so brave of you. It doesn't happen, let me tell you, you have been a real hero, at least for your son and your family."

Saif on why he ditched ambulance while returning home from hospital

Next, Kajol shared how she was amazed when she saw a video of Saif walking out of the hospital after getting discharged. Talking about the time after his surgery was done, and it was a week in the hospital, Saif, "When it was finished, there were some people from there and a lot of advice on how to go. The media was curious. Nobody was listening to me. I said, 'If the media is curious, we should settle it. Let me just walk out of the hospital because I can walk'."

Saif talked about how no one listened to him

Saif shared why he thought it would be better not to take a wheelchair or ambulance while returning home from the hospital. "It was very bad (pointed to his neck where he stabbed). But it was ok. They stitched it up, and I was there for a week. The back was okay, and it was painful to walk, but I could walk. The wheelchair was not required. Then somebody said, 'You should go in an ambulance,' somebody said, 'You should go in a wheelchair.' My instinct was, why create any kind of panic or worry, even with family, fans, well-wishers, anyone? And just walk out to send a picture message, that you're okay. That was the idea. But then there was so much feedback on that, 'This is fake and that's true'."

Twinkle said she later spoke with Saif's mother and veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, who shared that she insisted he go home in a wheelchair. Sharmila said if he had listened to her, "there would have been no controversy."

All about the knife attack on Saif

Saif was attacked in the early hours of January 16 this year at his Bandra home in Mumbai. He was stabbed six times by the assailant, who was later arrested. The actor was immediately hospitalised and underwent spinal and plastic surgeries at the Lilavati Hospital. He was discharged on January 21.

About Saif's upcoming projects

Saif was recently seen in Netflix's film Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins. It also starred Jaideep Ahlawat, Kunal Kapoor, and Nikita Dutta. Directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins is streaming on Netflix from April 25. He will next be seen in Priyadarshan's film, Haiwaan. It also stars Akshay Kumar and Saiyami Kher.