Zayed Khan hurt

Actor Zayed Khan was injured in a brawl at Mumbai nightspot Athena on February 22.

The actor and his friend Malaika were attending Esha Deol's party. The actress had just won the Filmfare Award for Most Promising Female Newcomer of 2002 (Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche with Aftab Shivdasani, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum with Hrithik Roshan and Kya Dil Ne Kaha with Tusshar Kapoor).

Around midnight, Zayed walked in with his girlfriend when three youngsters, who appeared inebriated, started teasing Deol. When Zayed intervened, a fight broke out.

The three have since been arrested.

Said Zayed, "Malaika, Esha and I were having a good time. The songs from my debut film with Esha [Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, directed by Sangeeth Sivan and produced by Pantaloon Rave, which releases March 21] were on and the party was rocking. Suddenly, three drunk youngsters started spraying champagne on Esha, Malaika and me and even got physical with Esha. Prashant, one of my friends, intervened. One of the youngsters hit him with a champagne bottle. I intervened, and someone behind me broke a champagne bottle on my head. This lasted for about five minutes when the cops came in."

"I went to Colaba police station [in south Mumbai], lodged an FIR, and the culprits are now behind bars. Esha and Malaika came to the police station, but I asked them to go away. I was bleeding, but confident I could handle it. From there, I went to St George's Hospital [in Fort, south Mumbai] where I received two stitches on my head. I underwent a CT scan. It came out clear. At some stage I might take back the case, but not before these guys are taught a lesson."

The actor does not know who the youngsters are, "but I gather they are NRI students."