Amitabh Bachchan on his long and close relationship with Bal Thackeray:see4news

Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan were among those who visited critically ill Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray late last night. Mr Thackeray, 86, is on life support at his Bandra bungalow Matoshree, where security has been stepped up. Mr Bachchan was injured and his kurta torn as he and Abhishek fought their way through the gathered crowd of Sena workers. He later tweeted: T 932 - Yes both Abhishek and me were injured with cuts, but are fine and back home ... the doctors at 'Matoshree' attended on us !

Bal Thackeray had visited Amitabh Bachchan in hospital when Mr Bachchan suffered a near-fatal accident while shooting Coolie in July 1982. Mr Bachchan tweeted: T 932 - When I fought for my life after 'Coolie' accident, he came to visit me in hospital, with a cartoon he had drawn - Yamraj defeated !

Mr Thackeray also helped rush Amitabh Bachchan to hospital after the accident, Big B tweeted: T 932 -When I was flown in to Mumbai from Bangalore in semi conscious state after 'Coolie' accident, it was his ambulance that took me to BC

T 932 - Yamraj - God of Death, defeated by me..wish I was as proficient a cartoonist as he, for tonight I would wish to draw that for him !

Mr Bachchan went on to make a full recovery and complete shooting Coolie which was released with an altered ending. Mr Bachchan's character was meant to die in the film but director Manmohan Desai rewrote the ending saying the man who had cheated death in real life could not be allowed to die on-screen.

Mr Bachchan's association with Mr Thackeray goes back to when Amitabh and Jaya were a newly married couple. Mr Bachchan tweeted:

T 932 - When Jaya and I married, he called us to his house .. and the rituals that were conducted was of the 'bahu' coming home !

Bal Thackeray has been in failing health for a while now. At 2 am, his son Uddhav emerged from Matoshree to say, "Earlier too Balasaheb was in such a crisis. I have not lost hope. You too must not lose hope. All efforts are on. Please pray."

Amitabh Bachchan also tweeted: T 932 - Balasaheb Thackeray : a fighter all his life, fights his life !! Prayers needed now !

Sanjay and Maanyata Dutt also visited the Thackeray residence.