The actor Salman Khan, dubbed “India’s Tom Cruise”, has been sentenced by a Mumbai court to five years in prison for killing a man in a hit-and-run accident in 2002.
It is the latest twist in the tumultuous career of one of the country’s biggest box-office draws.
The district criminal court’s order was greeted with dismay by many connected with the country’s prolific movie industry and if upheld, will derail a number of major projects in the pipeline. Mr Khan, who is often compared with actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the West, is best known for playing macho roles in films like Wanted, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger.
Khan later secured interim bail of two days from Mumbai’s high court and will to court tomorrow to appeal the decision.
Channel 4 News Asia Correspondent, John Sparks reports.