Actor Sohail Khan found himself at the center of online criticism over the weekend after a video of him riding his Rs 17 lakh motorcycle without a helmet on the streets of Mumbai’s Bandra went viral. Netizens immediately reacted to the clip, with many of them pointing out the importance of road safety and the responsibility of public figures in terms of following traffic rules.
Sohail Khan apologizes for driving without helmet in Mumbai, cites claustrophobia: “I mostly drive late at night…”
Responding to the criticism, Sohail issued a detailed apology on social media and admitted his mistake. In his note, the actor admitted that he was wrong not to wear a helmet despite the personal inconvenience. He wrote, “I would like to request all bike riders to please wear a helmet. I sometimes avoid wearing a helmet because I feel claustrophobic, but there is no excuse for not wearing it.”
Talking about his long-standing passion for riding, Sohail said that it dates back to his childhood days when he used to ride BMX bicycles. He said he usually travels late at night, when traffic is minimal, and maintains a slow speed with his car to reduce risk. However, he clarified that these precautions do not justify breaking traffic rules. “I assure fellow riders that I will make a genuine effort to overcome my claustrophobia and wear a helmet, so please bear with me,” he said.
The actor also apologized directly to the traffic officials and said that he will follow all the rules from now on. He saluted riders who consistently wear helmets despite the discomfort, calling it necessary for safety and reiterating that “it is better to be safe than sorry.”
Interestingly, this incident has brought Sohail Khan back into the public eye after a long gap. The actor has largely stayed away from films in recent years. She returned to acting in 2017 after a gap of seven years tube lightWhere he was seen with his brother Salman Khan. Since then, Sohail has been away from the big screen, making this controversy one of the few that have made headlines for him in recent years.
