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I am inspired
to add the unbelievable and almost miraculous story of Sanjay Sunil
Dutt, son of Sunil Dutt M.P. and the late Nargis, one of the most
fabulous actresses in the history of Indian cinema to my hit of
modern day miracles. He is one of the select modern day men as miracles,
a story which can be described only as a miracle, nothing else (the
way man is working wonders on every front, in every field will soon
make the word miracle defunct, I am sure).
Sanju `Baba’ was the first of the star-sons, some thing which
was not in vogue at any time. He made a few mistakes and fell from
grace, got into major controversies that questioned the patriotism
of one of the most patriotic Indian families. He was arrested on
charges of a conspiracy to destroy the very nation his family had
dedicated their whole lives to. He was in jail for two and a half
years without being proved guilty. He was fighting to save the honour
of his honest, sincere and most dedicated family.
People thought he would be out because of his father’s influence,
others said he would not be treated like the common criminals. Nothing
like that happened. The cruel authorities, infact, took vicarious
pleasure in playing around with him. Most of them even made fun
of the great star Sanjay Dutt. All-out efforts were made by all
the best lawyers of the country but nothing worked. Sanjay suffered
in ‘Anda cell’, Thane Jail and spent most of his time
in Arthur Road Jail, which had become his second home. He was a
very strong man but even this strong man lost out at times and even
tried to commit suicide. Soon a miracle was worked by God (who else?)
Sanjay was released and it was surprising to see how the people
of Mumbai loved their ‘nayak’. He drove in a open bus
and there were thousands of people lining the roads just to have
a glimpse. Sanjay rushed to the Shirdi temple and then rushed home
fore the first time in two and a half years. He was welcomed like
a prince (I was witness to the whole happening).
He took rest for a number of days and then decided to fight back,
fight back with all his energy, all his confidence and courage.
He was soon back to work. He completed some of the his films left
incomplete and then two great miracles happened. Two films, Khoobsurat
and Vaastav were released and Sanjay was a superstar again. He was
soon flooded with offers by some of the best directors in the country
but he turned most of them down because he had made up his mind
during his days when he was out, if its all. He would do just four
good films in a year, films which would add meaning to his life
and career and bring honour to his family, the industry and the
country. Sanjay is now all excited about his role in Vidhu Vinod
Chopra’s Mission Kashmir. The film is due for release on Diwali
day.
He and all those who love him still hope for a new and bright light
for him which will last and grow brighter as he goes along the way,
stronger, steadier, more and more successful. If there is one man
who deserves all this, it is this man, Sanjay Dutt. Sanjay tries
his best to forget all about the bitter past and goes on to talk
about the days he is living through and the days to come.....
Q. Any man in your place, even the strongest among men, could
have broken down after all that you went through. What kept you
going? Do you believe that your faith in God, that the blessings
of your mother and father and the prayers of your sisters, your
brother-in-law Kumar Gaurav and your little nieces help you to keep
going in the face of the greatest odds?
A. You have known me for a long time. You know how I think,
how emotional I am, how sensitive I am. Yes, if it was not for God,
my parent’s blessings and the prayers of my near and dear ones
and the best wishes of the hundreds and thousands of my fans, who
had tremendous trust in me, I would already have become a part of
the past.
They tried
their worst to ‘kill’ me in all the ways possible, make
me a helpless and handicapped man but I too had the courage to fight
back. I knew I had done no wrong, I knew my conscience was clear
where and I knew it was sure that I was being made a “khalnayak”
by some of my enemies. I was weak of times but there were all those
blessings and prayers and best wishes which kept me in high spirits
even I was down and out.
Q. Just,
yesterday there was a show of Mission Kashmir at the Rashtrapati
Bhavan in New Delhi, especially for the resident. Just some years
ago, you were lying alone desperate in a dark dungeon in Arthur
Road Jail. What were the thoughts that crossed your mind while you
climbed the steps of Rashtrapati Bhavan?
A. I just couldn’t believe what was happening around me.
I was in a haze. I was in a state of delirium. I couldn’t for
the life of me believe that I who was considered and is still considered
a criminal by the court was invited by the President of the India
himself. I also started believing that the high powers in the land
were aware that I was innocent, caught in a trap, built by my enemies
whom I couldn’t visualise or recognise.
It was my greatest moment when the President, Mr. Narayan shook
my hands and patted me. That was one of the greatest moments of
my life. I slept that night like I have never slept before.
India loved me. The people of India wanted all the best things to
happen to me.
They were willing to give me all the love I asked for. I also felt
like the whole enough at Rashtrapati Bhavan was like a dream. I
was only used to nightmares. How did this beautiful dream come in
my life? I still wonder.
Q. Do some of the nightmares that you went through during all the
physical and mental humiliation in jail torment you even today?
A. They do, they do. They have to but what I went through very
few people have gone through and those people have been murdrer,
criminals and men who have sold their souls to sell our great country.
I think I will have to live with some of these nightmares all my
life. Scenes like the night when I decided to commit suicide and
several other scary scenes, scary ever for a tough man like me.
Q. What have you learned from the unexpected tortures, the turmoil
you have gone through?
A. I have learned some of the most tough, some of the most bitter,
some of the most hounding scenes of humiliation. I don’t want
to go in to the past. I don’t even want to dream of the past.
It is all so morbid. I have been tempted to write a book about my
experiences, but, there are better things to do.
Q. Did you, during your brightest and most optimistic moods, feel
that you would one day walk out of this ordeal and that you would
be accepted by filmmakers all over again.
A. There were times when the optimist in me gave up and I felt it
was all over for Sanjay Dutt, the actor. But the optimist in me
triumphed even where I was writhing in pain both physically and
mentally. I knew I was a very hard working actor. The people who
have worked with me knew that I was hard- working, sincere and more
than anything a good man. I had a feeling that they would accept
me again, if I was fit to work again. They loved me and I loved
them. It was my industry and they treated me like their own son.
I was sure they would not reject me outright. I had hope in Sanjay
Dutt.
Q. You could still surrender. You lost thirty kilos in jail. You
had become a shadow of yourself. But you fought back and it is difficult
to believe that the physique, your rippling muscles. I see today
belong to the same Sanjay Dutt who once lived in Arthur Road Jail?
A. No, I didn’t want to give up. I still had the will to fight
back. The first thing I did was rebuild my gymnasium. I started
my exercises regularly and soon I found back all the kilos I had
lost, not only the thirty kilos but added much more which surprised
one and all. I also wanted to develop my physique to prove as an
example for other young men to follow. A good body was very essential
to put up any fight, face any challenge and I had made up my mind
tofind my place again on my own merit, on my own strength and own
my own talent. I was a changed Sanjay Dutt. I started working on
some of my incomplete films and then considered some good roles,
only good roles. I had enough of all the muck.
It was at this time that a young director, Mahesh Manjrekar, was
making a film on AIDS. He wanted my father to convey a message about
the danger about AIDS in his film Nidan. My father heard the story
and said and the message of the story by Mahesh should be from some
young star. He recommended my name. I took the subject seriously
I and Mahesh became good friends during the working of the film.
Then one day Mahesh told me he had a very good script which he had
written keeping me and only me in mind. I had just one narration
from Mahesh and went out of my way to do my best to make Vaastav
a film which could give me a new life as an actor. I had never done
a role so seriously, worked so hard, so intensely. The result was
a new Sanjay Dutt. The awards, the applause, the prayers from some
of the toughest critics, made the blood in me rush in all directions.
Mahesh’s film showed me a new way to bring in me as a new actor.
It told me that I had to do such serious roles, roles that brought
life alive if I had to last long as an actor. I was flooded with
offers to play similar roles film after films but I had decided
not to fall for any such temptation. I decided I would do just four
films in a year and what mattered more to me was only the script
and the director.
People thought I would grab all the films that came in my way as
a revenge for what they had done to me. They tried their best to
make me a stereotyped Vaastav-like character. They were offering
me tons of money but I didn’t want to make them succeed in
tmptation. I was determined to be known as a good actor especially
after the President’s pat. I know the responsibility he has
loaded me with on behalf of the whole of India, all the people who
I think really love me.
Q. What was the reaction of your father and the family to your success
in Vaastav?
A. I had never seen my father so happy in my life. Everywhere he
went, he talked about Vaastav and my performance. My sisters and
the family were proud of me. I was delighted that I could do something
that would do them proud. I had given them enough trouble in the
past. I think my doing Vaastav had made up for .........a part of
it.
Q. A little introusion. Did you finally recognise the right people
from the wrong people, the good people from the bad people, the
fakes and frauds from the geniuses during your darkness days?
A. My darkess day threw divine light on my life. I saw so much truth
and untruth. I saw so many good and bad people. I still feel that
I could write a book on the various characters that I came across
but where is the time? I am now going to concentrate on acting and
try my best to be known as one of the best actors in the country.
All my time from now on is for films, films and only films and only
good films. All the good things like money and glamour and glory
are important, I know, but my bitter experiences have put my priorities
in the right order. Like my father and mother always told me that
you can be rich and famous and full of fortune. They can touch your
feet whenever you want but you must try to be a man of the soil,
with your feet firmly on the ground. If you fly with pride, you
will fly awa, they said. They also taught me the importance of the
freedom to do the right thing, so I don’t do the wrong things,
whatever the temptation, whatever the sources. They also told me
how very important it was to be a good and honest man more than
a rich millionaire or successful filmmaker or anybody but being
a good man and being good to humanity were the only things that
made you last, things that will keep you happy all the time.
Q. And now that you have proved and have been accepted as a good
actor, what do you think about the expectations people have about
you in Mission Kashmir?
A. First of all, I don’t understand why people have great expectations
from actors? An actor works sincerely on the raw matter that is
supplied to him and as long as he does that he is sure of doing
a good job. He is totally unaware of the expectations of the people
while he is doing a good job. Like I fell in love with the script
of Mission Kashmir at first sight. That was just the kind of role
and film I wanted to do at that particular time to test the true
actor in myself. And, moreover I always wanted to work with director
Vidhu Vinod Chopra. I accepted the role without any questions. It
isundoubtedly Vidhu’s best films today. Everything about the
film is perfect. A filmmaker cannot go beyond the stage of perfection
Vidhu has gone through. Vidhu worked with several writers to come
up with a perfect script. He made his own additions as a writer
too and what was unbelievable was his willing to accept suggestions
any one from the unit.
Everyone down to Priety Zinta was free to make suggestions in the
script and, just imagine a little girl like Priety was even given
the right to interfere in the editing of the film if he thought
she was right and the best thing about the Vidhu as a great director
is that he is a great listener. He listens till he is convinced
or not convinced but he listens and keeps on listening. This is
not modesty but this is one of the best things. I have worked in
both in its totality and as an individual actor. I have grown several
inches after doing this passionately-made film, made by the passionately-made
filmmaker. Vidhu had got all the other stars to work very hard,
work that they will remember that through out their working lives.
He says he is a story-teller and not a great filmmaker or genius
and I must say that he is a great story teller. He has a bagful
of stories. If one doesn’t satisfy people or his unit he comes
up with another and then another till every one is satisfied. The
risks he has taken, the risks he has made us to take without any
flaws will be seen soon when the film will release.
Q. Do you believe in the story Vidhu tells in Mission Kashmir?
A. I fully believe in it. Every India will believe his story because
it is a story which comes from within his heart, the story from
his own land, his own paradise on earth and how the mercenaries
and militants have mould and mutilated it and showing very little
hope of it being redeemed.
Q. Since you have worked with Hrithik, what do you think of the
whole lot of newcomers who have flooded the talent market?
A. Good, very good. We have to have more and more newcomers if we
have to have good Indian cinema but these newcomers have to be very
careful. The compitition is very tough. It is almost growing into
some kind rivalry. These days, it is not just necessary to be a
good or great actor but it is very essential to be a every good
man or woman. It is the good men and women who will last more than
good actor and actress, take it from me. I can give you so many
examples.
Q. What are some of the films you are doing now?
A. All I can tell you so that I am doing only good films and they
are all is planning stages, or on the floors.
Q. What is the greatest regret in your life?
A. My mother seeing only the days when I gave her enough reasons
to worry till the end. My real regret is that she is not here when
I am going to my best times which she always wanted to see, which
she was so anxious to see.
Q. What do you think of your father?
A. I would not be there without him and even if I was there, I would
not have been what I am, and where I am today. Just imagine a semi-paralysed
man pushing himself into a crowd to prevent a communal riot, just
imagine a man with so much pain going from place to place trying
his best to solve all kinds of problems. He is still not well and
he is in America for treatment. But I know that he will come back
strong and steady and will fight all the battles he has left incomplete,
his battles against AIDS, brothels, slums and every problem which
hurts and humiliates humanity. I have just one major regret and
that I will never be able to do half the work that he has done and
he is doing even while he is sick and sixty-eight. I think a man
like my father is born once in a way.
Q. Suppose you were given another life, would you like to lead the
same life that you have lived till now?
A. No, not at all. I have had enough being one Sanjay Dutt. I don’t
think I have any, temptation whatsoever to live the same kind of
life again.
PS.: Sanjay,s mood changes. His face falls I can feel the
collective pain that he has gone through on his pink sweating face.
He tries to hide his feelings. He can’t. He now wants to forget
the Sanjay Dutt of the last forty years. He wants to start life
anew, he wants to be a happy family man. He wants to spread happiness
all around. He also wants to enjoy both as a man and as a actor.
The very facts that Sanjay who felt shy doing stage shows, comedies
and dances are proof enough that he is going to go all out to make
the best of all that he had lost for reasons which are still one
big mystery.
Ali Peter John
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