When Mahesh Thakur revealed how Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu were taken into custody from Hum Saath Saath Hain set in alleged Blackbuck case in 1990

The late 1990s were a turbulent time for Bollywood, not just for its stars but for its loyal fan base as well. A storm that shook the industry came during the shooting of the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain in Rajasthan. A police raid on set, leading to the arrest of some of Bollywood’s biggest names, has left a lasting memory. Mahesh Thakur, who starred in the film, recently opened about what exactly transpired that day when Salman Khan and four others were taken into custody.

Mahesh Thakur’s account sheds light on the real-time emotions and chaos that unfolded as the actors were drawn into a serious legal battle over their alleged involvement in the illegal hunting of black bucks. It was an event that garnered tremendous media attention and overshadowed the otherwise smooth journey of the film.

Mahesh Thakur and Neelam

The Incident that Shocked Bollywood

Thakur recalled the day vividly. The police arrived on the sets of Hum Saath-Saath Hain and took five of the cast members into custody. The actors in question included Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam Kothari, Tabu, and Sonali Bendre. They were all accused of being a part of the illegal hunting of protected black bucks during their stay in Rajasthan.

“It was a very uncomfortable time. The media was feasting on the incident because it involved some of the biggest stars of Bollywood,” Thakur said, adding that the stars were in the middle of filming when the authorities arrived. The entire set was thrown into disarray, with the police picking up the stars and taking them to the police station for questioning.

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The Ones Left Behind

Mahesh Thakur, who was on set that day but not among those arrested, once spoke about the anxiety and confusion felt by the rest of the cast and crew. He mentioned that the police arrived without warning, leaving the rest of the actors, including Mohnish Bahl, Karisma Kapoor, and himself, untouched. “We were shooting a song when the cops showed up, picked up everybody, and took them to the station,” he recalled. “Neither me, Mohnish Bahl, nor Karisma Kapoor was involved. We three were not involved. Only the five of them.”

The atmosphere on set turned tense as everyone tried to comprehend what was happening. “It was not a good thing what we saw and experienced,” Thakur admitted. “But thankfully, all that is in the past now, and we have moved on.”

A Night in Custody

For Salman Khan, that night became a major part of Bollywood’s history. According to Thakur, Salman had to stay overnight at the police station. “I think Salman bhai was there overnight with the cops,” he mentioned. The actor’s family, including brothers Arbaaz and Sohail Khan, arrived to support him. “Then his family came—Arbaaz and Sohail. Salman was okay the next day. He is a cool dude, he was fine. Even Saif,” Thakur added, attempting to convey the resilience shown by the actors during the ordeal.

The other actors involved in the case, including Sonali Bendre, Tabu, and Neelam Kothari, were released later that night, but the media frenzy that followed was relentless.

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The Media Frenzy

The involvement of such big names in a case of this magnitude made the incident prime fodder for the media. Thakur described how the press blew the entire incident out of proportion. “Because it was so ambiguous, news waalon ne kaafi uchchale hai, kuch nikala toh nahi tha (the media blew it up),” he said, expressing how the media fueled the narrative, adding layers of speculation to what was, in essence, a straightforward police investigation.

“People were hyping it because Salman and Saif’s names were associated, so the media enjoyed it. But the fact is nothing came out at the end of it, but the media fed a lot of negativity,” he said. The incident became one of Bollywood’s most notorious headlines, especially given the involvement of superstars who had a massive fan following.

Production Delays and Buffer Days

The aftermath of the arrests led to major disruptions in the production schedule of Hum Saath-Saath Hain. The Jodhpur schedule had to be canceled, and the entire cast was sent back. “The Jodhpur schedule got canceled, and the entire cast was sent back,” Thakur noted. However, the foresight of director Sooraj Barjatya allowed them to manage the shoot without too many hiccups.

Thakur explained how Barjatya had pre-scheduled eight buffer days for the film’s shoot, which worked in their favor when the cast members were taken away for legal proceedings. “Sooraj ji had taken eight extra days from us, apart from the 99 days of shoot. He said he would finish our shoot in 99 days. When the case happened, the eight extra days worked in favor of the film because they were all combination dates,” Thakur said.

The buffer days allowed the crew to complete the film without any significant delay. “We used those buffer eight days to shoot, otherwise getting dates from everyone and shooting it would have been very difficult,” he added.

Moving On

In the years that followed, the Hum Saath-Saath Hain black buck case continued to linger in the courts, but for Thakur and many others involved, it became something that they had to move past. Despite the legal wrangling and media spectacle, Hum Saath-Saath Hain went on to become a major box-office success.

For the stars involved, including Salman Khan, the black buck case has remained a major chapter in their careers, both in terms of its legal implications and its impact on their public image. However, as Thakur mentioned, “Thankfully, all that is in the past now, and we have moved on.”