Saif Ali Khan, famous Bollywood actor, is stabbed at home in Mumbai

Bollywood star actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times at his home in an affluent Mumbai neighborhood on Thursday, Indian police officials said.

Mr Khan, a prolific actor from a family of prominent celebrities, was injured in the early hours of the morning in the Bandra neighborhood by an intruder who managed to escape, according to the police. He was taken to hospital, where doctors said he was recovering and in stable condition.

Police were investigating the attack, and believe the attack was part of a robbery attempt, said Dixit Gedam, a deputy commissioner of the Mumbai police. Police were looking for a suspect who had been identified, he said. “We know the intruder used fire to get into the house,” Mr. Gedam said.

Mr Khan suffered a major injury to his spine, as well as deep wounds on his arm and neck, according to Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital, where he was being treated. He had undergone an operation to remove a knife and repair the leaking spinal fluid.

Mr Khan, 54, has acted in more than 70 films in a career spanning three decades, with roles ranging from fun and romantic heroes to dark and gritty villains. His mother, Sharmila Tagore, was a celebrated actress, and his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who had royal lineage, was the captain of the Indian cricket team. Mr. Khan is also married to another prominent actor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and his daughter, Sara Ali Khan, is also an actress.

The actor’s representatives released a statement asking fans and the media to remain patient while police investigate.

As news of the stabbing spread, opposition politicians in Maharashtra, the state of which Mumbai is the capital, were quick to criticize the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for what they said was a situation of impaired law enforcement.

“If celebrities are not safe then who is in Mumbai?” Priyanka Chaturvedi, a Member of Parliament from Maharashtra, he wrote on social media.

Actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhat called for a greater police presence in the neighborhood, writing on social media“The city and especially the queen of the suburbs have never felt so unsafe before.”

Last July, two gunmen opened fire outside star actor Salman Khan’s house, also in Bandra. Police arrested two men in that shooting, and said the suspects were connected to jailed gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi.

In October, a former Maharashtra state minister, Baba Siddique, was shot dead by three gunmen near the office of his son, also a politician, in Bandra. Mr. Siddique had close links with Bollywood stars.