MUMBAI ,February24 2012: Bollywood superhero Saif Ali Khan has filed a counter complaint against a South African NRI, who had on Wednesday got the actor arrested, accusing him of having beaten him and his father-in-law at a posh south Mumbai eatery. Saif had surrendered before the Colaba court on Wednesday night hours after Iqbal Sharma, the NRI, had filed a complaint against him. He was later released on bail. The brawl happened late on Tuesday night at Wasabi, the Japanese restaurant at the Taj Mahal hotel. “I was hit first,” Saif told reporters outside his Bandra apartment on Thursday. “And as shocking as it may seem, the elderly gentlemen hit me. I’m not sure what provoked him.” Denying that he was drunk and started the fight, Saif accused sections of the media for portraying him in negative light. Many television channels have projected him as yet another Bollywood brat, who has been involved in thrashing up fans, journalists and others. Claiming that he acted in self-defence, Saif said he however, regretted that the entire episode had taken place. “I could have reacted differently,” he admitted. “I could have been a little more Gandhian in my approach. But I’m afraid I reacted in a way any gentleman would have reacted.” He also apologised for his violent reaction. The police are now recording the statements of other witnesses at the restaurant and also trying to substantiate the claims and counter-claims by going over CCTV footage at the hotel. The incident happened during the early hours of Wednesday, when Saif, along with his girlfriend, Kareena Kapoor (also a leading actor), her sister Karishma and other Bollywood personalities including Amrita Arora and Malaika Arora Khan, were having dinner at the restaurant. Sharma, the South African NRI, told the media that the group was very noisy and he and his family members urged the hotel staff to request Saif and his friends to talk softly. But despite reminding them thrice, the Bollywood celebrities continued to remain noisy. Sharma told the police that when he went down the stairs, Saif was walking up. He accosted him and allegedly abused him. The actor also allegedly punched Sharma on the nose, while two of his friends allegedly roughed up his 69-year-old father-in-law. The NRI went to a hospital where they told him his nasal bone had been fractured. After treatment he went to the Colaba police station and lodged a complaint against Saif. However, when the police went to his Bandra apartment on Wednesday morning, he was not at home. Saif later went to the Colaba police station along with his lawyer and surrendered. He denied that he had tried to avoid getting arrested and said he had complete faith in the judicial process. Interestingly, next month his film, Agent Vinod, is due for release. Saif and Kareena are in the lead roles in the film being produced by his Illuminati Films. On Thursday, Bollywood’s rumour mills were rife with speculation that the entire episode could have been staged to garner publicity for the film.
