'Nana Patekar Got Me Out Of Jail': Shah Rukh Khan's Old Video Goes Viral After Actor's Death

An old video of superstar Shah Rukh Khan recalling how veteran actor Nana Patekar helped him get out of jail has resurfaced on social media. In the video, SRK opens up about an incident from his early days in Bollywood, when he threatened a journalist after an article upset his wife, Gauri Khan.

Speaking at Tehelka’s Think 2012 event, Shah Rukh admitted that his behaviour during the incident was unacceptable. He also revealed that Nana stepped in to help him secure bail, an experience that eventually made him rethink his actions.

Why Shah Rukh Khan Threatened A Journalist

The incident reportedly took place in the early 1990s, when Shah Rukh was still establishing himself in the film industry and had recently married Gauri. While shooting for Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, a magazine published an article linking him romantically with one of his co-stars. The report upset Gauri, prompting Shah Rukh to call the journalist responsible.

Although the journalist reportedly explained that the article was intended as a joke, Shah Rukh was not convinced and decided to confront him in person. He carried a ceremonial sword that his father-in-law, an army officer, had gifted him as part of Punjabi wedding traditions.

Recalling the incident, Shah Rukh said, “I behaved very badly. I was jailed. My father-in-law had given me a sword, as they do in Punjabi weddings. I carried that sword to that journalist’s house.”

Explaining why he had taken the weapon, he added, “My father-in-law, who is an army officer, said, ‘Son, you have to protect my daughter’. Nobody was saying anything to his daughter but I thought this is a good weapon, sanctioned by the Indian Army.”

Shah Rukh also admitted that he had threatened people at the journalist’s home and injured a young man’s legs with a kukri.

The police later tracked him down on the sets of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and took him into custody. Since it was already past 6 pm, he could not get bail immediately. When he was allowed to make a phone call, the actor chose to call the journalist rather than his lawyer or family.

How Nana Patekar Helped Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh credited Nana Patekar with helping him get out of jail. He recalled the veteran actor’s support and said the incident also became a turning point for him.

“Nana Patekar got me out of jail, finally, and he was very sweet. On a weekend, there's an evening court that gives you bail or something. I tried to be decent, and I have kind of changed now,” he said.

Nana Patekar On His Bond With Shah Rukh Khan

Nana hadalso spoken about his affection for Shah Rukh. In an interview with The Lallantop, the veteran actor said that the superstar continued to treat him warmly despite the passage of time.

“Aaj bhi bohot pyaar se milta hai. Log bhul jaate hai, woh bhula nahi. Mujhe woh baccha accha lagta hai,” Nana said.

The two actors shared screen space in Aziz Mirza’s Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, which was released in 1992.