The Award-winning British Indian musician Nitin Sawhney, who had to withdraw from Australia’s premier world music festival WOMADelaide due to a medical emergency, has revealed that he ‘had a heart attack’ a few days ago.
Known for musical scores in over 70 films, including for a screen adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s 1981 Booker Prize-winning Midnight's Children and Warner Bros’ Mowgli, Sawhney took to X on Wednesday and shared the news with his fans and well-wishers.
He wrote, “I was rushed to hospital and the NHS put a stent in one of the arteries leading to my heart, after which I was kept in to await a similar operation (which I was referring to in my quoted post) on another artery. Both ops have gone well and the NHS were fantastic. I will need a third, bigger operation next month but one day at a time I reckon…
“I weight train 3-4 times a week, regularly kick-box, eat healthily, and had no history of heart disease. When I spoke to the doctor, he said it was probably a genetic predisposition… Basically, as a British Asian, I have a significantly higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease or heart attacks. My dad had a triple heart bypass, my mum has had two attacks and three of my uncles had heart attacks with one dying on the spot.”
He further added, “It’s a terrifying feeling. Your chest feels like someone is sitting on your chest holding a 200kg weight and your head feels like it’s spinning out of control as you struggle to remain conscious. In my case, I completely blacked out, falling onto a glass ornament from a standing position, smashing the coffee table with my face as I collapsed into a pool of blood and broken shards, penetrating both cheeks, my nose, and the area just beneath my eyes. Later a plastic surgeon had to carefully remove pieces of glass from my face with tweezers after 4 injections to my face.”
Though Sawhney had to bow out of WOMADelaide, he is looking forward to his UK tour next month. “I’m ok… and (quick plug) we’ll still be touring the UK in April (Glasgow, Birmingham, Brighton, and London between the 7-11 https://aegpresents.co.uk/event/nitin-sawhney/). Obviously, we had to defer playing @WOMADelaide until next year. We also have to defer my performance with @the_halle on May 4th to later in the year as that will be soon after my third heart operation,” he wrote.
Sawhney, 59, also took the opportunity to talk about an alarming rise in fatalities from heart disease recently, particularly amongst British Asians, and said, “The point is there has been an alarming rise in fatalities from heart disease recently, particularly amongst British Asians. So… if you are Asian or, to be honest, in any vulnerable group… get your heart health checked out. It could save your life. You might not see something like this coming… I didn’t.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.