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The devastating fire on the set of The Sword of Tipu Sultan remains one of Indian television’s most tragic incidents.
Discover the tragic story behind The Sword of Tipu Sultan set fire in 1989. Actor-director Sanjay Khan, who played Tipu Sultan, suffered severe injuries but courageously returned to complete the series.
The tragic events that unfolded on the set of The Sword of Tipu Sultan, one of Indian television’s most iconic series, still send shivers down many people’s spines. Sanjay Khan, celebrated as one of the handsomest actors of the 90s, took on dual roles for this project—both directing the series and portraying Tipu Sultan, the revered 18th-century ruler of Mysore. However, on February 8, 1989, disaster struck when a devastating fire broke out at Premier Studios in Mysore, where the show was being filmed.
With inadequate firefighting measures and a lack of proper fire safety standards, the fire claimed the lives of 52 crew members. Sanjay Khan himself suffered severe injuries, with third-degree burns covering over 65% of his body. The 78-year-old actor-director had to undergo a grueling 73 surgeries and spent 13 months in the hospital, yet he returned to complete the series.
Ananth Mahadevan, who played Pandit Purnaiya in the series, shared his haunting memories of that day in an interview with Siddharth Kannan. “The day I had to fly to Mysore to the studio, my driver didn’t come to drop me at the airport. I ran, took a taxi and somehow reached the airport on time. When I reached Bangalore, no one came to receive and I didn’t know where to go. Hence, I hired taxi to drop me at Premier Studios, it was a three-hour drive.”
Continuing, he said, “That taxi broke down thrice on the way. It felt like there were ominous signs that ‘Don’t go, just stop’. I didn’t know, it was a lifetime role for me! I reached on the sets at 5pm in the evening. Sanjay Khan was directing a Diwali scene. The roof top was too low and it was a village setup with hay all around. I told Khan sahab that we could have done this in film city in Mumbai also. He asked me to go see a palace nearby, I came back after a while and was sitting outside, I wanted to go to the hotel room and relax. With other 4-5 people, we reached the hotel and someone told us, ‘Bahut badi aag lagg gayi hai set par (There has been a big fire on the set)’.”
Ananth further detailed the traumatic aftermath, describing the scene he encountered upon returning. “I saw a pile of dead bodies with so many fire engines there. Someone asked me to run away because the crowd might go mad. It was the most traumatic night for me. Next morning, the news spread like wildfire, but nobody knew if we were alive. We called our family and friends to let them know that we were alive. Everyone told me that you lost your job and your role, this will never be revived. I was in depression and didn’t know what to do.”
About six months later, the production resumed under the direction of Akbar Khan, Sanjay’s brother, who was recasting roles. “Another person’s photograph was placed for my character. I went to Akbar’s house and told him that his brother chose me to play that role. He gave me a vague answer but my photo was immediately put up replacing the other actor,” he explained.
Reflecting on Sanjay Khan’s recovery, Ananth shared, “I went to the hospital where he was admitted and I saw him inside through the ICU glass. They were doing surgeries to figure how much he can be treated. They shot 25 episodes without him and Sanjay Khan’s entry happened after those six months. He got over the mental trauma, physical trauma, the wounds, and represented himself as Tipu Sultan,” and continued, “It requires a lot courage, he managed to pull it off as one of the most brave acts. He was burnt from top to bottom, including his face. He had to be admit for some kind of rehab, I met him after he came to Bombay. He rose from the flames like a phoenix.”