‘I am a Pathaan, just shoot me’: Shah Rukh Khan refused to bow to underworld threats

Shah Rukh Khan, a renowned Bollywood actor, was no stranger to threats from the underworld during his early career. Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta recounted an instance when Khan defiantly told his attackers, "I am a Pathaan, just shoot me if you want" in response to their demands. Khan's unwavering resolve earned him the respect of those who had previously threatened him.

Due to the intensity of the threats, Khan lived under police protection for three years after the incidents. In an interview with comedian Ruby Wax, Khan shared that he faced such threats during the 1990s as well, where gangsters would demand certain films or face dire consequences. Bollywood's vulnerability to underworld influence was not new, as the connection between the film industry and Mumbai's criminal underworld persisted for decades, with instances of financing, interference, and intimidation.