‘I Was Waiting for My Death’: Shatrughan Sinha Recalls a Terrifying Near-Mugging Incident in New York, Saved by a Fan of His Punjabi Film
Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, who has entertained audiences for over five decades, recently opened up about one of the most frightening experiences of his life—an incident during a visit to New York when he genuinely feared he might not make it out alive. Known for his powerful screen presence and iconic dialogue delivery, Sinha has seen fame across generations, but in a candid conversation, he revealed how an unexpected connection to his Punjabi film Putt Jattan De ended up saving him from a potentially fatal situation.
Shatrughan Sinha, who rose to prominence with memorable roles in classics such as Kaala Patthar, Dostana, Naseeb, and Shaan, has largely been associated with Hindi cinema. However, he also explored regional films, including Punjabi cinema. One of his most notable Punjabi projects was the 1983 blockbuster Putt Jattan De, co-starring Dharmendra, which went on to achieve cult status—especially among Punjabi audiences in India and abroad.
A Night of Fear in New York
Recalling the incident, Sinha said the episode took place during a period when mugging was rampant in New York City. He had been invited for dinner at a friend’s residence late at night and was staying at the Radisson Hotel at the time.
“It was around 1 am,” he remembered. “After dinner, my friend offered to drop me back. The city was extremely quiet, almost eerie. She dropped me a little ahead of the hotel and said, ‘That’s the Radisson, you can walk from here.’ I agreed.”
However, the situation quickly turned unsettling. Sinha was carrying a shopping bag filled with items—something that could easily attract attention. “The street was deserted. There was complete silence. I was alone, holding a bag full of things, and that’s when the fear started creeping in,” he said.
‘I Thought This Was the Night I’d Die’
Moments later, he realised that the building he was approaching was not his hotel. “All the buildings looked the same,” he recalled. “That’s when panic really set in. I started thinking, ‘This could be the night something terrible happens. This could be the night I get killed.’”
Desperate for help, Sinha asked a passerby—a man walking by—about the direction to the Radisson Hotel. “He just looked at me and said, ‘Get lost,’” Sinha said, adding that it was nearly 2 am by then.
What followed intensified his fear. “A car started approaching from a distance. I was standing there, helpless, almost waiting for my death on that dark street.”
A Voice That Changed Everything
The car stopped a little ahead of him, reversed slowly, and then came a voice from inside that instantly changed the situation. “Someone asked, ‘Putt Jattan De?’” Sinha recalled. “Then the person said, ‘Stop right there.’”
What happened next left a lasting impression on the actor. The man inside the car recognised him from Putt Jattan De and immediately realised the danger he was in. “He said, ‘What are you doing here? You could get killed. This area is extremely dangerous,’” Sinha shared.
The man used his radio, and within minutes, 20 to 25 cars arrived at the spot. “They were all our people—Punjabi Sikhs. They surrounded me from all sides and told me not to worry. They said they recognised me and wouldn’t let anything happen.”
The group then safely escorted Shatrughan Sinha back to his hotel.
‘You Are Our Hero’
Deeply moved, Sinha said he offered them money out of gratitude, but they refused. “They said, ‘Not at all. You are our hero. You are Putt Jattan De.’ After that night, I never saw them again.”
Bond With Dharmendra
In the same conversation, Shatrughan Sinha also spoke fondly about his long-standing friendship with Dharmendra, crediting him for encouraging him to take up Putt Jattan De. “We did many films together and were very close friends,” he said. “If he was doing a film, it was almost necessary for me to be part of it.”
He revealed that Putt Jattan De was being made by Dharmendra along with his friend Baldev Khosa, and he took up the project largely at Dharmendra’s insistence. “I respected his word deeply,” Sinha said.
Their bond goes back decades. One of Sinha’s earliest films, Pyar Hi Pyar, featured Dharmendra in the lead, with Sinha playing a small negative role. Even today, their warmth and mutual respect remain intact. Just last month, when Dharmendra faced a health scare, Shatrughan Sinha personally visited Hema Malini and the family, reflecting the depth of their friendship.