Kareena Kapoor has opened up about one of the most difficult chapters in her family’s life, revealing that her son Taimur was the one who encouraged Saif Ali Khan to forgive the man accused of stabbing him during the January 2025 attack at their Mumbai home.

In a conversation with Barkha Dutt on her YouTube channel Mojo Story, Kareena discussed Saif’s decision to forgive the attacker and the complicated emotions surrounding the incident.

“I don’t think anybody would have thought that this could happen. Justice is different for everyone. My son Tim and Saif both believe that he should be forgiven. It was actually Tim who told Saif, ‘Abba, forgive him.’”

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Kareena said the family’s reaction was shaped in part by what they were told about the accused’s circumstances. According to her, that was when Taimur told his father to forgive him.

She said, “One of the cops came home and told us that he said he was looking for money. That’s what he actually told the nanny at home as well – that he wanted Rs 1 crore. He said he was looking to send it to his mother. That’s what he confessed, that he wanted the money because his mother needed to have surgery. Obviously, we were like, this would not have happened if things had not panned out this way. So that’s when Tim was like, ‘Forgive him.’”

Kareena Kapoor on Saif’s pain after the stabbing

While Taimur’s response was one of forgiveness, Kareena acknowledged that the incident left Saif with physical and emotional pain, making the question of justice far more complicated for her.

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“The fact is that Saif did suffer, so how do I get justice for that? The pain that I felt for so long? So it is obviously very complex.”

Saif was stabbed multiple times after an intruder entered the family’s Bandra residence in the early hours of January 16, 2025. The actor was taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery after sustaining serious injuries, including a wound near his spine. He was discharged from the hospital several days later.

What Saif Ali Khan said about forgiving his attacker

Saif had previously spoken about his feelings towards the accused while talking to Barkha Dutt. The actor said he wanted to forgive him.

He said, “I even want to forgive this guy because I think he made a huge mistake, and I don’t think he was even looking for a fight. I probably shouldn’t have jumped him. I could have talked him out of it, and it could have been all right. Now he’s probably going to spend a long time in jail. I would be happy to forgive him.”

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Saif also looked at the incident through the lens of economic inequality and suggested that the accused may have been motivated by financial desperation.

“I think it’s really a question of haves and have-nots. It’s the kind of inequality that’s led to this. I know it’s unfair, what happened. I think he was just looking for a meal or a buck or something. And if I had put the light on and he had seen what he was doing, he might have said, ‘Oops, I’ve made a big mistake.’”

In a recent conversation with Bombay Times, Saif again expressed empathy for the attacker and suggested that desperation for money may have been a factor.

“These things happen because of inequality. Because someone is looking for money and he is desperate. I don’t think he knew where he was or what he was doing. If he had known, it wouldn’t have happened. It’s a very unfortunate incident. He was very unlucky, because I think he is in a lot of trouble for a long time. I was almost paralysed. I couldn’t feel my leg for a while. It nicked my spinal cord but didn’t cut it,” Saif said.

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He also spoke about how he dealt with the aftermath of the stabbing, admitting that while he and his family moved on, the experience still affects him.

“I think the person most affected was my wife, who is generally a very sensitive person. We kind of got over it quite quickly. It was insane though. I am still not 100% over it because if I see a knife, it just makes me react,” he said.

The attack on Saif Ali Khan

The January 2025 incident occurred at the family’s Bandra home, where an intruder entered the premises and confronted the actor. Saif suffered several stab wounds while attempting to protect his family.

The accused, Bangladeshi national Shariful Islam Shehzad, was arrested by Mumbai Police days after the attack.

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Kareena’s latest release

On the work front, Kareena Kapoor’s latest film, Daayra, released in theatres on September 18. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film also stars Prithviraj Sukumaran. The story is reportedly inspired by the killing of four Hyderabad men who were taken to the spot where they had allegedly raped and killed a young woman. Kareena plays DCP Ajooni Kohli, while Prithviraj portrays DCP Raman Kumar.