Amitabh Bachchan, even in his 80s, continues to enthrall audiences with his roles, including his action-packed appearance in Kalki 2898 AD. However, years ago, he harbored deep concerns over the safety protocols on Indian film sets.
In a 2003 interview with Rediff, Amitabh reflected on a terrifying incident involving Aishwarya Rai while they were filming Khakee. At the time, Aishwarya wasn’t part of the Bachchan family, but the accident had such an emotional impact on Amitabh that he couldn’t sleep for two nights.
Amitabh recalled the accident that happened while they were shooting a crucial scene for Rajkumar Santoshi’s Khakee on a road near Nashik. The scene required a stuntman to drive a car, but things went horribly wrong when he lost control and drove at a speed of 60 to 70 km/h, causing the vehicle to skid.
Amitabh explained that while most of the crew managed to leap out of the way, Aishwarya Rai and her co-star Tusshar Kapoor were not quick enough. The car crashed into the chair Aishwarya was sitting on, sending her hurtling down a crevice.
Akshay Kumar, who was also part of the film, immediately rushed to her aid. Amitabh recalled how Akshay pulled Aishwarya out of the crevice, but she had already sustained serious injuries. Aishwarya’s back was covered in lacerations, and her feet were fractured. The injury was far from minor, despite many downplaying its severity at the time.
Amitabh revealed that the immediate priority was to get Aishwarya to a hospital. Using his influence and connections, Amitabh arranged for Anil Ambani’s private plane to transport her from Nashik to Mumbai. However, they faced a logistical challenge since Nashik didn’t have a night landing facility. Permission had to be sought from Delhi for the plane to land at a nearby military base, 45 minutes away from the hospital where Aishwarya was being treated.
Reflecting on the incident, Amitabh expressed his frustration over the lack of proper safety protocols on film sets, highlighting the ‘sab ho jayega’ (everything will be fine) attitude that prevails in the industry. He lamented how people brushed off the accident as a minor incident, even though Aishwarya had endured significant trauma. Her injuries were serious—her back was wounded with cactus thorns, and the bones in her feet were broken. Yet, the media at the time downplayed the severity of her condition.
Amitabh shared how deeply worried he was after the accident, describing how he couldn’t sleep for two nights, distressed by what he had witnessed. He questioned the industry’s casual approach to safety, noting that such incidents highlight the need for stronger safety measures on sets.
Aishwarya eventually recovered and continued her illustrious career. In 2007, she married Amitabh’s son, Abhishek Bachchan, in a private ceremony at the Bachchan family home in Juhu. The couple welcomed their daughter, Aaradhya, in 2011. Recently, Aishwarya and Aaradhya made headlines for attending Paris Fashion Week and the SIIMA awards, where Aishwarya received an honor.
