All Articles on Sanjay Dutt verdict Here - Page 10

Of good and bad times...

Even as everyone around him is expressing their 'shock' over the sentence, we bring you snapshots of the life of a man who has loved and lost, and yet always comes back for more

Life's come a full circle for Sanjay Dutt again.

Even as everyone around him is expressing their 'shock' over the sentence, we bring you snapshots of the life of a man who has loved and lost, and yet always comes back for more. Will he again?

In 2005, Sanjay Dutt lost the one person whom he always said was a pillar of strength and always stood by him, his father, Sunil Dutt.

But Sanju refused to let this tragedy break him the way it did when he lost his mother, Nargis to cancer. And completely immersed himself in work.

Sanjay's mother, Nargis Dutt, with a very young Sanjay.

She died a few weeks before Sanjay Dutt's first film, Rocky released.

This was the one incident that finally pushed a heartbroken Dutt to doing drugs.

As Dutt himself admitted, I saw my father struggling, and my mother struggled to survive.

And she went through major surgery. We saw how she was. I was big enough to realise. And then came my drugs phase..."

A teenaged Sanju, with his parents Nargis and Sunil Dutt.

Those were happy days for Baba.

School in Sanawar, back home for holidays to a loving and doting mother... Pre-Rocky days too... so Sanjay did not have to contend with stardom, he just had to handle the pressure of being a very successfulstar couple's kid.

Happy and carefree childhood days such as this were a memory that Sanjay cherished and thought about whenever he was in trouble

Sanjay being taken to the TADA court following his alleged involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts a month before.

When he began dating Pakistani belly-dancer Nadia Durrani in 2004, everyone thought he'd found love after all.

But even though he proposed marriage to her, things did not work out.

Sanju fell in love with Rhea Pillai and proposed to her at a Valentine's Day party. They married, and later, in 2005, got divorced too.

Sanjay was once again single, and many were ready to mingle with him.

Dutt Junior meets Bal Thackeray after he was released on bail in '95. Thackeray was one of the few people who stood by him in tough times

And then Manyata came into his life... But his family was dead against her. His daughter Trishala even announced, I don't like Manyata.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bombay_Times/Of_good_and_ bad_times/articleshow/2248482.cms

Jinxed Dutt!

Even as the days wear on, his loyalists mull on the events that shaped Sanjay Dutt's life

Controversy's favourite son has been delivered yet another cruel blow by Lady Fate. Yet another bad deck of cards dealt to him by that great (fate) 'dealer' in the sky.

Sanjay Dutt is back in gaol. Back to prison. Back to that dark, dingy cell that he dreads so much; one that gives him nightmares still.

Of course, one can say it was the foolhardiness of his youth that caught up with him.

Arguments are already being made in favour of, and against the deadly actor. Deadly Dutt, we all had affectionately nicknamed him in the media.

Deadly was the outcome of that one silly mistake he made as an impressionable youth. Yes, even at 33, he was still a child in mind.

And while the powers that be have every right to label him 'immature' and 'irresponsible', he's ended up paying a high price for a momentary lapse of reason.

The sentence has been announced. Six years it is. Even including the 14-16 odd months he's already served, it seems a tough penalty.

Once again, the argument against being that as a role model, he needed to be more careful. But these are arguments. The TV channels will long milk the bytes.

The media will ponder; spot polls will empower the common man to question - 'was the sentence too harsh? YES or NO?' And the aam junta, fans of Dutt, will debate endlessly.

But spare a thought of the man who is walking back towards the darkness of his cell. An ordinary mortal.

A scared mortal. Yes, inspite of the tough exterior, Sanjay Dutt is still 'Sanju baba' a soft, genteel, even frightened soul.

He's died a thousand deaths already. And is probably dying several more.

I can say this with some degree of conviction. Because, probably, I can claim to know the man more than any other media person.

It's close to 21 years now that I've known the man. From my very first day as a cub reporter of a famous glossy, when he'd just returned from rehab and was staring afresh too.

The Leo was a cub too then. We'd hit it off right away and I have proud claim to some of the actors best ever interviews.

Always showing his humane side. The pathos always flowed in every interview I did with Sanju baba.

But then the foolhardiness of the past caught up and he had to answer to the law of the land.

He was imprisoned for much over a year I was the only journalist who met him, at the jail.

At the hospital, where he went for check-ups. He wrote to me too. Well written letters – all of which I still proudly preserve.

This time, when the sentence was coming up, I worried. I spoke to astrologers who advised that he should donate gudh (jaggerine) for 40 days, and I told him so.

Even if it made me appear foolish.

Unfortunately, at every step, his 'goodluck' has waltzed with his bad'. Once again, even as Munnabhai 3 is ready to regale, he's back in jail. Tragic!

Hopefully, he'll win the appeal. And return to being the star he is however much chastened.

Hopefully the wonderful blessings of his parents from above, will see him through again. We can only pray for a young man, with the weight of the world upon him.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bombay_...how/2248449.cms

Munnabhai v/s Khalnayak

Sanjay Dutt's conviction has given rise to a heated debate as to whether the actor deserved a second chance or did he attract the right judgement

Oh, no! would sum up the popular reaction on Tuesday as millions of viewers glued to television screens responded to what was, for once, actually 'breaking news'.

It was something like the minutes after India was knocked out of the World Cup.

It may well have been correct, it may have been the result of a fair and square process, it may even have been deserved, but somehow it was not easy to reconcile to.

Sanjay Dutt probably had more people thinking and speaking sympathetically of him in the moments immediately after the verdict than at any other point in his life.

Why did we react this way to a reasonably well-documented, properly investigated, thoroughly scrutinised and dissected judicial trial? Is it about Sanju baba, or is it about us?

'He's the sweetest guy'

This is what Neha Dhupia says, and much of the industry echoes it.

Sanjay's abiding image in the public eye has been of the man who made an innocent mistake and has already suffered more than adequately for it.

So even as the satta bazaar was more accurate in its general backing of a conviction, the common man's wishful thinking was that there would finally be a happy ending to this script.

The goodwill that Sanju baba enjoys in the industry rubs off on his public profile.

Suniel Shetty's explanation that Baba thinks from the heart and that is why he generally gets into trouble would have sounded bizarre in any other context.

All Leos who think from the heart needn't necessarily dabble in AK-56s. But with Sanjay, even that sounds reasonable.

The Dutt surname, the closeness he shares with friends and family, all go to make people identify with him as a good, even vulnerable, guy.

His wanting to make a phone call to his daughter after the sentence was pronounced is the instinctive reaction of someone who cares, not that of a criminal mind analysing the implications of the verdict.

Lawyer Pinky Anand, while reiterating the seriousness of his crimes, admits that personally I feel sorry for him, because in the last few years, Sanjay has made efforts to appear as a good guy devoted to his family.

So many of his most memorable screen roles, from Naam to Lage Raho Munna Bhai, have told the tale of the sentimental man with no evil in his heart who just sometimes gets on the wrong side of the law.

And they have fitted him to a T. Arms Act or not, how can people not love him?

'He's got less than he deserved'

The Sanju-is-a-great-human-being discourse, however, serves to obscure that he's got as fair a deal as anyone else in the case.

Sanjay said to the judge, Sir, I made a mistake 14 years ago. Now, he is being asked to pay the price.

The process has been torturous but it has been equally fair or unfair to all.

Lawyers and policemen have understandably a less sentimental take on the issue.

A very happy YC Pawar, Mumbai's former joint commissioner of police, asserts that there was never a question that Sanjay Dutt would have got away unpunished.

The atmosphere was falsely created. I think even now, he has got less punishment than he deserved.

Supercop KPS Gill thinks that the problem is that we tend to identify film stars with the roles they play and therein comes the sympathy.

People must understand that these on-screen characters are very different from what these stars are in real life.

The mixed blessings of stardom?

The question of whether Sanjay has got a fair deal or not is unlikely to die down soon.

The fact is that he stands convicted.

The fact equally is that there is substantial public sympathy for him.

Even the judge acknowledges that his crimes have not been anti-social, ghastly, inhuman, immoral or pre-planned.

Has he had a raw deal because of who he is, a star, who's toppling invariably draws attention? Or are we as a society, quick to forget and forgive?

From Salman's reckless driving to Rahul Mahajan's party gone wrong to Sanjay Dutt's quest for a sense of security by way of arms.

Do we let bygones be bygones and the only thing that's left in our collective psyche for our celebrities is sympathy?

The question is open to debate.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bombay_Times/Munnabhai_vs _Khalnayak/articleshow/2248393.cms

Munshi's remark on Sanjay Dutt sparks row

Bureau Report
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 (Mumbai)

Union Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi's statement in support of actor Sanjay Dutt has sparked a political row, with opposition parties hitting out at him for interfering in the judicial process.

The Congress party too has disassociated itself from his remarks.

Earlier, the TADA court sentenced Dutt to six years in jail for his role in 1993 Bombay serial blasts case.

The Shiv Sena says these statements amount to blatant political intervention in the judicial process.

''If a minister of the stature of Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi pressurises our judiciary in this manner, what message does it send to our common people?'' said Sanjay Raut, editor, Saamna.

Many are surprised by Dasmunhsi's strong defense of Dutt. Though Dutt's family has been closely associated with the Congress, the party has tried to keep a distance from his troubled relationship with the law.

In fact, ironically, Dutt's first arrest came at a time when Sharad Pawar was Congress Chief Minister in Maharashtra.

And his reprieve was granted only after Sunil Dutt pleaded with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

''Balasaheb has supported him 14 years earlier because one is not a criminal till proven guilty. Now he has been convicted by the court and we have nothing to say,'' said Raut.

This, says the Congress, is an example of the Sena's doublespeak on Dutt.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN2007 0021078

Uncertainty hangs over film projects pinned on Sanjay Dutt

Mumbai, Aug. 1 (PTI): After Sanjay Dutt was sentenced to six years imprisonment in the 1993 serial blasts case, more than Rs 100 crore riding on him will now remain in limbo as the actor's future remains uncertain.

"More than Rs 100 crore is riding on Sanjay Dutt and his sentencing is a definite setback for directors like Sanjay Gadhvi, Abbas Mustan and Rajkumar Hirani, who have major projects planned with him," editor of Trade Guide, Taran Adarsh, said here.

"Some of his major projects include 'Kidnap' with Gadhvi, 'Mr Fraud' with Mustan and of course the third instalment of the Munnabhai series with Hirani, all of which will now be on hold," Adarsh said.

Industry sources said while it was too early to comment on Dutt's future in the industry, they did concede that some of the projects would suffer to a great extent if Dutt did not find a way to escape the jail term.

"Unless he gets some relief from the Supreme Court, a lot of money will be in limbo. The Munnabhai series which has been highly successful will have to be put on hold. The next film with Munnabhai in America, is unlikely to go on floors soon," a source said.

Dutt was also set to work on close friend Sanjay Gupta's next project, but sources close to him said he was aware that jail may be a possibility and hence had avoided shooting for his films until the sentencing came through.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/009200708010339.htm

Dutt verdict to cost Bollywood Rs 25 cr

BS Reporter / Mumbai August 01, 2007

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt's conviction would lead to a loss of Rs 20-25 crore for producers whose films are under production. The films include Kidnap, Mr Fraud and Alibaug.

"The three filmmakers had a budget of Rs 50 crore to 60 crore for the films, which they would have invested going forward," said trade analyst Komal Nahata. Director Sanjay Gadhvi's (of Dhoom 2 fame) Kidnap has been nearly 20 per cent complete, Abbas-Mustan's Mr Fraud is only 10 per cent done and Alibaug is almost 30-40 per cent complete. However director Sanjay Gupta, who is making Alibaug, has little to lose since the film is Sanjay Dutt's home production. Its only Sanjay Gadhvi and Abbas-Mustan who may lose big money.Other producers had only announced new movies with Dutt but were waiting for the verdict before they started the work.

The filmmakers will either shelve their films or replace Dutt. "It is too early for production houses to take a call. One has to wait and watch," said film analyst Taran Adarsh.

Added a source from the film fratenity, "The movies cannot be made without him which implies that they are stuck."

According to industry estimates, the budget of Kidnap is in the range of Rs 25 crore to Rs 30 crore, while Mr Fraud's budget is between Rs 20 crore and Rs 25 crore and Alibaug's budget is around Rs 10 crore to Rs 12 crore. Mehbooba and Dhamaal are two films that are slated for release later this year.

Sanjay Dutt and actor Arshad Warsi's duo created a cult when Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Munnabhai MBBS hit the silver screen in 2003. Its sequel in 2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai raked around Rs 69.97 crore,according to boxofficeindia.com. The production house had also announced its plans to release its third in the series Munnabhai Chale America.

http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld/storypage.php?left nm=lmnu9&subLeft=&autono=292957&tab=r

B'wood to wait for Sanjay

MUMBAI, JULY 31: The 14-year wait is over but not on a note that would cheer Bollywood. The six-year sentence for Sanjay Dutt has left the film fraternity grappling with its likely monetary consequences.

After the roaring success of Munnabhai MBBS, Dutt's born-again star status had producers and directors making a beeline to sign him for big projects. And he has several of them in the wings. There are Abbas-Mustan's Mr Fraud, Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap and Sanjay Gupta's Alibaug and Dus Kahaniyan. In Hansal Mehta's Woodstock Villa, also a Gupta production, Dutt makes a guest appearance. Two more Munnabhai films are also waiting.

"Sanjay has about Rs 100 crore riding on him," said trade analyst Taran Adarsh. While the actor had just started shooting for Alibaug, he was half way through with Mr Fraud and Kidnap.

In most cases, the directors and producers are ready to stall their productions as a gesture of solidarity towards their dear friend and superstar.

"There will be no Alladin without Sanjay Dutt. I'll wait for him," said director Sujoy Ghosh who was supposed to direct the lavish fairy tale film with Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Riteish Deshmukh in the lead.

"At present, I'm more concerned and upset by the fact that a dear family member is going to jail," said Gupta.

The status of Mr Fraud, which had already been delayed with the shooting dates coinciding with Dutt's court case hearings, becomes all the more uncertain. "We could not make much progress with the shooting because of Sanjay's court case," Mustan had said.

Meanwhile, Dutt also has two old releases coming up in the next few months: Both Indra Kumar's Dhamaal, which also features Arshad Warsi and Deshmukh, and Afzal Khan's Mehbooba with Ajay Devgan and Manisha Koirala, are long overdue. "However, the fate of these movies are not likely to be affected by Dutt's sentence," Adarsh said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/207898.html

Dutt verdict stuns Bollywood

Eishita Chaturvedi/Dharmesh Thakkar/Ravi Tiwari
Wednesday, August 1, 2007: (Mumbai):

The entire film industry is stunned by the verdict on their beloved Sanjay Dutt, who enjoys tremendous goodwill among his colleagues.

Most of the stars feel that the sentence was too harsh.

And keeping the sentiments aside, the A-list Bollywood star's time in jail will mean huge losses to the industry.

At the Dutt neighbourhood in Pali Hil screen legends Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu are heartbroken.

"Dilip Kumar and I are heartbroken. We are very close to the Dutt family. I feel the punishment is too harsh. People have forgotten the circumstances of those times. We were getting repeated threats. We need police patrols at nights.

What kind of justice is this? We don't have the strength to help Sanjay. Even Sunil Dutt is no more. Sanjay, I admire the way you are holding up," said Saira Bano.

Not far away the usually outspoken director, producer Mahesh Bhatt struggles for words to express his sense of disappointment.

It was in Mahesh Bhatt's Naam in 1986 that marked his successful return to Bollywood after a year-and-a-half in drug rehab.

"I am with Sanjay Dutt. Whatever he did was in his misguided youth. He will always have my support," said Bhatt.

Many of Sanjay's close stars especially those from the cult Munnabhai series were too upset to speak to the media. Several of them even switched off their phones.

"It's too harsh. He has been through enough," said Kunal Kohli, director.

Subhash Ghai who was shooting in Switzerland sent in an SMS.

There is shock and grief throughout the film industry. And there is also worry of financiers and producers of nearly Rs 50 crore that rides on Sanjay Dutt.

http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?section=Movies&id=ENT EN20070020994

How they dare Put SANJAY IN JAIL 😭
i dont understand why the industry dont do anything besides SUNIL. like the industry should stop doing films, stop all shows like saregamapa, indian idol, all drama's and say we are not gonna make them till sanjay doesnt come out. THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE HIM OUT!!!!!

if i was in india i would go inside the jail and sit with in inside of the jail and say if he stays in jail then i will too, till he doesnt come out. what WILL THEY DO THEN. or if they still dont then i would want to kill that dumb DON who got him in this, EVEN IF I HAD TO HARM MY LIFE. sanjayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I LOVEEEE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU 😭

~kimi~

yes yaa, mee 2 think he will be freeeeeeee...thnks