When reel life hero turned into real life protector: Kunal Kemmu once stopped a mid-night burglary attempt even with a broken hand

For actors, action scenes usually stay limited to film sets. But for actor-director Kunal Kemmu, one frightening night in Mumbai turned into something far more real. Years before the shocking attack at Saif Ali Khan’s Bandra home in 2025, his sister Soha Ali Khan had also gone through a terrifying burglary attempt at her own house. And according to Soha, it was Kunal who stepped in and confronted the intruder while she froze in fear.

The actor recently opened up about the incident during a conversation with Yuvaa. Speaking honestly about that night, Soha admitted she could not react the way she wished she had.

“When our house was broken into and Kunal caught the thief many years ago, I stood in the corner and cried. It wasn't my finest moment. I want to be kind to myself by saying that it was the middle of the night and I wasn't prepared, but I definitely could have been more useful. I'm probably not the bravest person. My system tends to shut down when something is happening. I am working on it,” she said.

A break-in that happened at 4 AM

The incident reportedly happened around 4 in the morning in 2011, when Soha and Kunal were at home together. According to Soha, the intruder had managed to enter the house while they were asleep. The situation became even more alarming because the thief had reportedly reached close to their bedroom.

In another interview earlier, Soha had shared more details about the robbery attempt and explained how vulnerable the house was because it was located on the first floor and could be accessed easily from the road.

“My own flat was broken, and burgled 10 years ago, and Kunal caught the thief. So, for my mother, both her children’s flats in Mumbai have been broken into. So, then we feel like, oh, it’s quite close to home, literally. We don’t live in that house anymore, but when I lived there, it was on the first floor,” she recalled.

She further explained that she and Kunal heard unusual sounds outside during the night. When Kunal went to check, he reportedly saw the intruder trying to enter the house. The thief attempted to run away after being spotted, but lost balance while escaping, which gave Kunal enough time to catch him before he was later handed over to the police.

What made the moment even more intense was the fact that Kunal reportedly had his hand in a cast at the time. Even then, he did not hesitate before confronting the intruder directly.

Soha spoke about fear and panic

What many people noticed after Soha’s interview was the honesty with which she described her own reaction. Instead of trying to sound brave, she admitted she was scared and unable to process what was happening around her.

In another interaction, she even called herself a “phattu” while talking about the incident and said she was still working on responding better in stressful situations.

The conversation around the old burglary incident gained attention again after the attack on Saif Ali Khan earlier in 2025. The actor was stabbed multiple times during a robbery attempt at his Mumbai home while reportedly trying to protect his family. He later underwent surgeries following the attack.

Soha later described Saif’s case as a “security lapse”, and said incidents like these shake families deeply because they happen inside homes, the one place where people usually feel safest.

Family, gossip and relationship advice

During the same Yuvaa interview, Soha also shared lighter moments about her family life. Talking about relationship advice, she revealed that she often turns to Saif for a male perspective. “I go to bhai (Saif) for relationship advice because I don't have too many male friends anymore. I feel it helps to get a male perspective, because he always speaks from that lens-not necessarily on Kunal's side,” she said.

Speaking about sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan, Soha joked about her having unexpected information about everyone around her. “She doesn't gossip, but she has the most irrelevant information about people that you would not think ever crossed her mind. She is incredibly observant and must be on some very special WhatsApp group that I would love to join,” she added.

On the work front, Soha was last seen in Chhorii 2. Sources for this story include interviews given by Soha Ali Khan to Yuvaa and Hauterrfly.