Hindi film celebrities such as Javed Akhtar, Kangana Ranaut and Swara Bhasker have criticised the attack on renowned novelist Salman Rushdie, calling it an "appalling" and "barbaric" act.

Rushdie, 75, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen by a man on stage at a literary event in upstate New York on Friday. The author is currently on a ventilator with a damaged liver and may lose one of his eyes.

Police are working with the FBI and local authorities to determine the motive.

Noted writer-lyricist Akhtar said he hopes a strong action will be taken against the attacker.

"I condemn the barbaric attack on Salman Rushdie by some fanatic. I hope that NY police and the court will take the strongest action possible against the attacker," he said in a post on Twitter.

The Mumbai-born controversial author, who faced Islamist death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses" in 1988, was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar on stage on Friday while he was being introduced at the event of the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York.

Sharing a new article about the attack on her Instagram Stories, Ranaut said she is shocked beyond words.

"Another day, another appalling act by jihadis. The Satanic Verses is one of the greatest book of it's time... I am shaken beyond words... Appalling (sic)," the actor wrote.

Bhasker called the attack "shameful" and "dastardly".

"Thoughts and prayers for #SalmanRushdie. Shameful, condemnable and dastardly this attack! #SalmanRushdieStabbed," she wrote.

In a Twitter post, filmmaker Onir raised concerns about the threats artistes face worldwide.

"Strongly condemn the terrorist attack on #SalmanRushdie . The artist and his voice is under serious threat by religious extremists worldwide. Stand with #SalmanRushdie," he tweeted.

Filmmaker Gauravv K Chawla, best known for directing Saif Ali Khan-led Baazaar , commented on a post by a journalist and said, "The crazies have truly taken over the world!"

Actor Ranvir Shorey replied to Chawla's post and called the attacker "predator".

"They aren't crazies. They go for the neck. They're predators (sic)," Shorey said.

Rushdie, who won the Booker Prize for "Midnight's Children", was airlifted from a field adjacent to the venue to a hospital in northwestern Pennsylvania where he underwent surgery.