Salman Rushdie has long known that his writing has made him a target for those who seek to silence opposing voices, but recently he has found himself on the receiving end of violence in a manner he could hardly have imagined. On August 12, 2022, while delivering a talk at New York's Chautauqua Institution, Rushdie was stabbed 15 times by a man wielding a knife and then disarmed by members of the audience before being rushed to hospital. The brutal attack left him with severe injuries, including tendons severed in his left hand and loss of his right eye.
A new documentary based on Rushdie's memoir about the incident, 'Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,' directed by Alex Gibney, premiered at the Sundance film festival to a standing ovation. In the 27-second footage shown from Rushdie's perspective, he describes the attack in gruesome detail, his face swollen and stitched together with visible stitches across his abdomen.
For Rushdie, revisiting that day was not easy, but it became a necessary act of defiance against the forces of hate. "It's about a larger thing, of which this is an example," Rushdie explained to the Sundance crowd, referring to violence unleashed by tyrants on culture. "Violence is that thing. The unscrupulous, using ignorance, to attack culture."
The documentary explores the aftermath of the stabbing and its connection to a broader cultural struggle against authoritarianism. Gibney pointed out that recent protests are eerily reminiscent of the 1988 backlash sparked by Rushdie's novel 'The Satanic Verses,' which was deemed blasphemous by many Muslims. The fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie's death took on a life of its own, with people worldwide expressing their willingness to kill him himself.
Rushdie's decision to document his recovery has been praised as an act of resilience and courage, not just against personal trauma but also as a testament to the power of human connection. In the aftermath of his attack, he discovered that even in the face of violence and hatred, people can still come together to save lives.
"We need to document this," Rushdie said during his first coherent moment after regaining consciousness. "If you don't understand what happened then, you don't understand what's happening now." The film serves as a powerful reminder that culture is a target of tyranny but also our greatest source of strength and inspiration.
Ultimately, the documentary shows how even in the darkest moments, there can be hope for humanity's capacity to overcome. As Rushdie himself said, "We are that, too – people rushing to defend me against an ideologically driven man with a knife. And yet they all agreed to do that, to risk themselves in order to save me."
A new documentary based on Rushdie's memoir about the incident, 'Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,' directed by Alex Gibney, premiered at the Sundance film festival to a standing ovation. In the 27-second footage shown from Rushdie's perspective, he describes the attack in gruesome detail, his face swollen and stitched together with visible stitches across his abdomen.
For Rushdie, revisiting that day was not easy, but it became a necessary act of defiance against the forces of hate. "It's about a larger thing, of which this is an example," Rushdie explained to the Sundance crowd, referring to violence unleashed by tyrants on culture. "Violence is that thing. The unscrupulous, using ignorance, to attack culture."
The documentary explores the aftermath of the stabbing and its connection to a broader cultural struggle against authoritarianism. Gibney pointed out that recent protests are eerily reminiscent of the 1988 backlash sparked by Rushdie's novel 'The Satanic Verses,' which was deemed blasphemous by many Muslims. The fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini calling for Rushdie's death took on a life of its own, with people worldwide expressing their willingness to kill him himself.
Rushdie's decision to document his recovery has been praised as an act of resilience and courage, not just against personal trauma but also as a testament to the power of human connection. In the aftermath of his attack, he discovered that even in the face of violence and hatred, people can still come together to save lives.
"We need to document this," Rushdie said during his first coherent moment after regaining consciousness. "If you don't understand what happened then, you don't understand what's happening now." The film serves as a powerful reminder that culture is a target of tyranny but also our greatest source of strength and inspiration.
Ultimately, the documentary shows how even in the darkest moments, there can be hope for humanity's capacity to overcome. As Rushdie himself said, "We are that, too – people rushing to defend me against an ideologically driven man with a knife. And yet they all agreed to do that, to risk themselves in order to save me."
15 stab wounds and he's lucky to be alive 
its not just the physical pain but also the mental trauma and fear of being silenced by those who disagree with him. i think its amazing that he's come out stronger than ever, sharing his story as a way of fighting back against hate and tyranny 
and btw how can we even put into words the amount of courage it takes to keep on writing after going through something like this? 
i mean i know some people love the heat but 15 times stabbed and losing an eye is kinda extreme even for the most avid spice lovers... anyway back to rushdie, his documentary sounds super intense and i love that he's documenting his recovery as a way to fight against hate 
what kind of monster would do something like that?? anyway, salman rushdie is so strong for speaking out against hate and culture is literally a powerful thing that can bring people together 
his recovery documentary is like a beacon of hope in the darkest times 
it shows us that even when we're hurt, our connection with others can be what saves us 
. it's crazy to think about how that one moment can stay with you for years, but also how you can use it as fuel to speak out against hate and tyranny 
.
he's still alive and got a second chance at life... shouldn't we be focusing on the people who actually suffered? like the guy who stabbed him with that knife or his family who has to deal with this trauma for life 
and the fact that his attack was so brutal is a stark reminder of how far we still have to go 
.
... I mean, who tries to silence him by stabbing him 15 times? 
), it's heartbreaking to see someone who's dedicated their life to promoting diverse voices and perspectives go through something like this.
... the documentary about his attack is getting some serious love, and for good reason! It's a powerful reminder of the importance of free speech and standing up against hate. I mean, Rushdie's ability to recover from that traumatic event and even use it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of intolerance is truly inspiring 
. If you haven't seen the documentary yet, it's definitely worth checking out... and if you have, let me know what you thought! 
but at the same time you can feel the weight of what happened to him it was so brutal and violent 
and i think thats why the doc is so powerful its not just about rushdie's recovery its about how people came together to save his life and stand up against the hate 
like what happened with the satanic verses novel all those years ago 
its crazy how it can all come back around like this
can you believe this guy's still putting himself out there for the sake of art? I mean, Salman Rushdie has been open about being a target for hate because of his writing, and now he gets stabbed 15 times... talk about a plot twist 
... like, how do you keep making the same mistakes, folks? 
? I mean, it's not all doom and gloom – people really did come together to save his life, so there's hope for goodness 
.
. I'm just glad Rushdie is okay... well, mostly okay 
... but hey, at least he's still got that iconic cheeky smile 
. It's like the world has come together to support Rushdie in a way that shows how far we’ve come, but also how much we still have to fight against hate & ignorance 
. I know some ppl love Salman Rushdie's work and others hate it, but the fact remains he got stabbed like 15 times 
. And what's with the backlash against him? The guy was just trying to express himself and now ppl are calling for his death 
. I think it's cool that Rushdie decided to document his recovery, it shows he's still got the guts to speak out even after going through that traumatic experience 
. It's a reminder that we should always stand up for what we believe in, even if it means risking ourselves 
. But at the same time, I have to give Rushdie credit for his bravery in sharing his story.
. And can we talk about how brave it is of those people in the audience who intervened and saved his life? They're true heroes 
