Broken Bones, Brain Surgery And Near-Fatal Accidents! Bollywood Stars Seriously Injured On Set
As Sidharth Malhotra shares his leg injury update, revisit the filming accidents that left Bollywood stars facing surgery, lengthy recoveries and lasting scars.
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An action sequence can be rehearsed repeatedly and still go wrong in a matter of seconds. A misplaced landing, a falling prop or a mistimed explosion can leave an actor dealing with consequences long after the camera stops rolling. Bollywood’s history includes injuries that interrupted schedules, required surgery and, in some cases, brought performers frighteningly close to losing their lives. Others left scars that remained visible years later. Behind scenes audiences remember for their spectacle or dramatic impact are accounts of hospital visits, lengthy recoveries and the uncertainty of returning to work after an accident.
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Sidharth Malhotra’s latest injury update has brought that physical vulnerability back into focus. On October 13, he shared an Instagram Story showing his leg in a medical walking boot, captioned, “I took ‘break a leg’ too seriously.” His post did not disclose the cause or a diagnosis. Reports have linked the injury to practice before an event. The update has prompted a look back at the injuries actors have sustained while making films, from rehearsal mishaps to accidents during a take.
Here are some of Bollywood actors’ filming injuries, including accidents during the rehearsals and preparation that went into those productions.
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1. Amitabh Bachchan - ‘Coolie’
Directors: Manmohan Desai and Prayag Raj | Released: December 2, 1983
Amitabh Bachchan’s accident during ‘Coolie’ remains one of Hindi cinema’s most consequential on-set emergencies. On July 26, 1982, while filming a fight sequence with Puneet Issar in Bengaluru, a mistimed physical exchange left him with serious internal injuries. Issar later recalled that the timing went wrong during a sequence requiring physical contact. Big B’s condition deteriorated, and he was eventually taken to Mumbai for treatment at Breach Candy Hospital. The film also featured Rishi Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri and Waheeda Rehman.
Amitabh Bachchan has repeatedly marked August 2, 1982, as the date of his “rebirth”. Recalling his second surgery, he described Jaya being called into the ICU and noticing movement in his toe after doctors’ efforts to revive him. His recovery took months, and the public concern surrounding his condition became inseparable from the film’s history.
2. Nana Patekar - ‘Parinda’
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Released: November 3, 1989
The fire engulfing Nana Patekar’s gangster Anna in ‘Parinda’ had consequences outside the story. In a 2024 interview, the late Nana Patekar recalled suffering serious burns while filming the climax with real flames. He said the fire became much more intense during a subsequent take and burned his skin and facial hair. The scene belongs to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s crime drama starring Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff and Madhuri Dixit, but Nana Patekar’s account makes it difficult to watch the flames purely as a dramatic effect.
Nana Patekar said he spent 60 days in hospital, needed six months of complete rest and could not work for roughly a year. He also stressed that the burns were accidental and that Vidhu Vinod Chopra had not intended for him to be harmed.
3. Hrithik Roshan - ‘Bang Bang!’
Director: Siddharth Anand | Released: October 2, 2014
Hrithik Roshan’s injury during ‘Bang Bang!’ did not immediately reveal its seriousness. His father, Rakesh Roshan, said the actor hurt his head while rehearsing a water stunt in Phuket that involved rising into the air with jet-powered equipment and diving down. Hrithik initially continued working, but persistent headaches eventually led to further medical investigations. By July 2013, doctors had identified a blood clot, and the actor underwent surgery at Mumbai’s Hinduja Hospital. The film paired him with Katrina Kaif in an action-heavy espionage adventure.
The operation took place on July 7, 2013, and doctors confirmed that it was successful. Hrithik was treated for a chronic subdural haematoma and advised rest, affecting the film’s shooting plans.
4. Shah Rukh Khan - ‘Happy New Year’
Director: Farah Khan | Released: October 24, 2014
Shah Rukh Khan was injured on January 23, 2014, when a large door fell on him during the filming of ‘Happy New Year’ at a hotel in Mumbai. Media reports described a song sequence in which the actors were supposed to move through the doorway. During a take, the door came off its hinges and struck him. He was taken to Nanavati Hospital, received treatment and initially returned to the set. The film’s ensemble included Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani and Vivaan Shah.
Although his spokesperson’s first statement described the injury as minor, subsequent reports citing sources said further tests had revealed a shoulder fracture and a knee injury, with rest advised. The incident was also a reminder that an elaborate stunt is not the only source of danger on a set; an ordinary-looking element of the scenery can cause an injury.
5. Varun Dhawan - ‘Border 2’
Director: Anurag Singh | Released: January 23, 2026
Varun Dhawan shared footage of a painful accident after the release of ‘Border 2’, explaining that he struck his tailbone against a rock while trying to avoid colliding with the camera. He described it as the worst injury he sustained during the production and said he could barely walk afterwards. The accident occurred during the film’s demanding battle work; Varun also discussed spending 40 days filming the Battle of Basantar portions in Babina with real soldiers. He played Hoshiar Singh Dahiya alongside a cast led by Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty.
He later described a hairline fracture in his tailbone. His account gave audiences a specific glimpse of the physical strain behind the battle scenes: a movement intended to avoid one collision resulted in another. Varun thanked the team for helping him continue that day, but the difficulty he described in walking afterwards underlined how painful the impact had been.
6. Shraddha Kapoor - ‘Eetha’
Director: Laxman Utekar | Scheduled release: December 4, 2026
Shraddha Kapoor’s injury on ‘Eetha’ came during the demanding dance work required for her portrayal of celebrated Tamasha performer Vithabai Bhau Mang Narayangaonkar. Reports in November 2025 said she fractured a toe on her left foot during work on an elaborate Lavani sequence. Accounts described her losing balance after putting her weight on one foot. She was working in traditional costume, including a Nauvari saree and heavy jewellery, for a number associated with composers Ajay-Atul.
Reports said the team initially adjusted the work to close-ups and emotional scenes, but worsening pain led to a temporary pause in filming. ‘Eetha’, which also features Randeep Hooda, is currently scheduled to reach theatres on December 4, 2026.
7. Vicky Kaushal - ‘Bhoot: Part One – The Haunted Ship’
Director: Bhanu Pratap Singh | Released: February 21, 2020
Vicky Kaushal’s facial scar in ‘Sardar Udham’ came from an accident on a different film. While shooting ‘Bhoot: Part One – The Haunted Ship’ at the ship-breaking yard in Alang, Gujarat, he had to open a ship’s door and run out. The hinge broke, and the door fell on him, cutting his face beneath his right eye. He needed 13 stitches. Vicky recalled being on an upper deck and having to make his way down before travelling to a hospital around an hour and a half away. The horror film also featured Bhumi Pednekar and Ashutosh Rana.
With work on ‘Sardar Udham’ due to begin shortly afterwards, Vicky sent a photograph of the injury to Shoojit Sircar. The director reassured him that, if he felt able to shoot, the scar could become part of Udham Singh’s appearance. The mark audiences later saw in the biopic, which premiered on October 16, 2021, was therefore real.
8. Shahid Kapoor - ‘Jersey’
Director: Gowtam Tinnanuri | Released: April 22, 2022
Shahid Kapoor’s preparation for ‘Jersey’ resulted in a serious facial injury while he was practising cricket off camera. He later explained that he chose to bat without his helmet, and a ball struck his lower lip. Recalling the incident during an Instagram Live in November 2021, he said he required 25 stitches and had to take a two-month break from shooting. The film, co-starring Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapur, required him to convincingly portray a cricketer attempting a comeback.
His strongest memory of the accident was the fear that he would never look the same again. He called the decision to leave off his helmet “the stupidest decision”, acknowledging the mistake rather than presenting the injury as a necessary part of the performance.
9. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - ‘Khakee’
Director: Rajkumar Santoshi | Released: January 23, 2004
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was injured in April 2003 when a stunt vehicle lost control during a rehearsal for ‘Khakee’ near Nashik. The vehicle was supposed to approach Aishwarya and Tusshar Kapoor at speed and stop short of them, but it overshot its mark and struck them. Reports said Aishwarya suffered a fracture in her left foot. Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar were also present during the accident, which interrupted the making of Rajkumar Santoshi’s police thriller.
Amitabh Bachchan subsequently described the accident as terrifying, recalling that the vehicle struck her chair and carried her down a crevice into a cactus plant. He said Akshay helped extricate her, and the team rushed her for treatment. His account also described lacerations on her back and the difficulty of arranging her transfer to Mumbai. He admitted that he could not sleep for two nights afterwards.
10. Saif Ali Khan - ‘Kya Kehna’
Director: Kundan Shah | Released: May 19, 2000
Saif Ali Khan’s motorcycle accident during ‘Kya Kehna’ began with a stunt he had practised on a ramp at Juhu Beach. When the team moved to Khandala, the conditions were different: rain and mud made the ground slippery. Recalling the incident on ‘Koffee With Karan’, Saif said an initial attempt went well, but he tried again and the bike skidded before reaching the ramp. He was thrown off, tumbled across the ground and struck a rock, suffering a head wound that required stitches.
Preity Zinta, his co-star in the film, helped him through the hospital arrangements and the treatment that followed. Their later recollection of the ordeal also explained how the experience brought them closer as friends. Preity later recalled being frightened by the size of the wound and having to sign hospital paperwork while Saif was being treated.
11. Kangana Ranaut - ‘Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi’
Directors: Krish Jagarlamudi and Kangana Ranaut | Released: January 25, 2019
Kangana Ranaut suffered two widely reported injuries while making ‘Manikarnika’. The first occurred during a sword-fighting sequence with Nihar Pandya in Hyderabad in July 2017. Producer Kamal Jain said the action had been rehearsed, but the timing went wrong when Kangana was supposed to duck, and Nihar’s sword struck her forehead. The cut between her eyebrows required 15 stitches, and she was taken to hospital. The film cast her as Rani Lakshmibai, with Ankita Lokhande and Danny Denzongpa among the supporting actors.
A second accident followed during the Jodhpur schedule in November 2017. While performing a jumping sequence connected to a horseback landing, she landed awkwardly and injured her ankle. Reports described a ligament tear, a cast and an advised period of rest.
12. John Abraham - ‘Shootout At Wadala’
Director: Sanjay Gupta | Released: May 3, 2013
John Abraham suffered burns during a gunfire sequence for ‘Shootout At Wadala’, in which he played gangster Manya Surve opposite Anil Kapoor’s police officer. A report said a gun loaded with a blank cartridge was discharged at a much shorter distance than intended during the climax shoot at Mumbai’s Haffkine Institute. The close-range discharge injured John around his neck and collarbone, and a doctor was called to the set.
John Abraham subsequently said his neck had been burnt, the wound near his collarbone remained painful and his ears rang for about 24 hours. He also spoke about the fear of what could have happened, while Anil acknowledged the incident and said John had been fortunate.
13. Alia Bhatt - ‘Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva’
Director: Ayan Mukerji | Released: September 9, 2022
Alia Bhatt injured her shoulder while filming an action sequence for ‘Brahmāstra’ in Bulgaria in March 2018. Her mother, Soni Razdan, confirmed the injury and said early reports suggested ligament damage and a haematoma, with rest needed before Alia could undertake further action work. The film paired her with Ranbir Kapoor and also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna. Although much of its fantasy spectacle was created through visual effects, the performers still had physical sequences to execute during filming.
Photographs from the end of the Bulgaria schedule showed Alia’s arm in a sling. The first schedule was completed, but the injury required a change in what she could safely perform during recovery.
14. Shilpa Shetty - ‘Baazigar’
Directors: Abbas–Mustan | Released: November 12, 1993
Shilpa Shetty’s account of filming her rooftop death scene in ‘Baazigar’ reveals an injury that stayed with her long after her debut. The sequence, in which Shah Rukh Khan’s character pushes her character Seema from a building, required her to perform with a harness. Recalling the shoot at a film festival, Shilpa said the scene was filmed repeatedly and that the harness left a scar on her hip for approximately eight to ten years. Kajol also starred in the thriller, whose pivotal rooftop sequence established the danger beneath its leading man’s charm.
Shilpa also remembered how inexperienced she had been on the set, approaching her first film like a student and feeling nervous about dialogue delivery. The rooftop sequence became one of the thriller’s defining moments, but for its young debutante, the repeated harness work left a much more personal reminder.
15. Sooraj Pancholi - ‘Kesari Veer’
Director: Prince Dhiman | Released: May 23, 2025
Sooraj Pancholi suffered burns while filming ‘Kesari Veer’, the historical action drama in which he played Hamirji Gohil. Reports in February 2025, citing production sources, said the accident occurred during a stunt at Mumbai’s Film City that required him to jump over a pyrotechnic explosion. According to those accounts, the effect went off earlier than intended, beneath him, burning his thighs and hamstrings. The film also starred Suniel Shetty, Vivek Oberoi and Akanksha Sharma.
His father, Aditya Pancholi, separately confirmed that Sooraj was receiving treatment. Speaking to PTI, he said the producer had told him they were filming patchwork involving fire when it became difficult to control. Production reports said an on-set medical team attended to the burns. For Sooraj, the film’s large-scale action came with an injury that required care beyond the performance itself. His father’s update also confirmed that treatment was underway, bringing the concern back to the actor’s recovery.
These films reached audiences as finished stories, but the injuries behind them often required months of recovery or left marks that lasted for years.
