Bollywood director threatened

Orphan boy raised by Kal Ho Na Hou00a0 director sent to jail for sending threatening SMSes, calls

Nikhil Advani, the 39-year-old director of Kal Ho Na Ho may well take inspiration from his own life for his next film. An 18 year-old orphan boy, who Advani 'adopted' and raised, was put behind bars on Wednesday for threatening to kill Advani's four-year-old adopted daughter.


Nikhil Advani with actress Deepika Padukone

The complaint filed by Advani at the Bandra police station on Wednesday stated, "The boy was threatening me. He he came to my office and said he would kidnap my daughter and kill her."

Advani first met Abdul Sayyed Pathan alias Sannata, who was then four years old, outside St Andrew's Church, Bandra, in 1998. He sent the boy to an orphanage, and sponsored his education, say sources close to Advani.

"The boy was sent to boarding schools in Matunga, Borivali and Surat, but he used to come running back to Advani, who finally let the boy stay with him in 2004," said a source who did not wish to be named.

Things began to go downhill in August. Sannata was arrested and sent to Arthur Road jail for three months for stealing a laptop and two cameras worth Rs 1.12 lakh from Advani's office in Almeida Park, Bandra. He was released on November 26.

"Sannata must have blamed the daughter for his decreased importance in Advani's house. After his release from jail, he visited Advani's office and threatened him," said a police officer at Bandra police station.

While Advani brushed off the threats initially, he decided to take action when Sannata began sending threatening SMSes. Sannata is in custody in Byculla jail till December 15, after which the case is expected to come up at the Bandra court. If convicted, he could face up to seven years of jail with a fine, or both.

When contacted, Advani refused to comment.