Shah Rukh Khan’s car injures lensman, actor opens arms

Mumbai: A young freelance photographer experienced an unexpected act of kindness from Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan after getting injured in the early hours of Thursday.

Around 12.30 am on Thursday lensmans Deepak Mukhiya (20) was waiting with dozens of his counterparts outside Bollywood starlet Alia Bhatt’s Juhu residence to catch a glimpse of Khan.

Mr Mukhiya had been asked by his employer to shoot the actor at a close angle. Khan’s arrival at the spot in his black BMW, which pulled in slowly, created a frenzy among the photographers, including Mr Mukhiya, and in the ensuing commotion, the latter ventured  in front of the car.  The vehicle hit Mukhiya’s leg and he fell down. To his utter surprise, the car halted and Khan emerged from of it and assured the wounded man that he would take care of his treatment expenses.

“It was my fault. I was surprised to find Shah Rukh Khan coming out of the car to comfort me. I was speechless,” Mr Mukhiya told The Asian Age.  “Shah Rukh asked me to sit in the car with him. He told me, ‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be in a haste. I will take care of your treatment. Don’t worry’,” he said. On the actor’s instructions, Khan’s manager ferried Mr Mukhiya in the actor’s car to Vile-Parle based Nanavati Hospital.

The doctors at the casualty ward treated Mr Mukhiya for a minor fracture on his right knee and hair-line fractures on three toes.

Mr Mukhiya left the hospital around 3 am. “I am overwhelmed at how well Shah Rukh behaved with me. He is so kind. He is a gentleman to the core,” Mr Mukhiya said.

Dr Sunil Jain of Nanavati Hospital said, “Deepak came to us at one o’clock in the night with a minor injury on his right leg. After an X-ray was done it was revealed he fractured his right knee and his toes has hairline fractures, but they  will heal soon. Deepak, who is recovering well, was discharged after an hour.”

Mr Mukhiya did not approach the police over the accident.