Bollywood anxious over Dutt’s verdict

If Sanjay is held guilty he can be imprisoned for a maximum of five years. Since he has already spent 18 months in custody the final sentence that he receives will be adjusted against the time he has spent in prison already. However, one of the biggest worries in the industry today also revolves around the fate of Sanju's movies if he is convicted and goes to prison.

Sanjay has finished shooting for Sanjay Gupta's Dus Kahaniyan and Inder Kumar's Dhamaal but as far as Gupta's Alibaug, Abaas-Mustan's Mr Fraud, Raj Kumar Hirani's Munnabhai Chale Amrika and Sanjay Gadhvi's Kidnap are concerned, Dutt's sentence could bring their movies to a standstill.

Dutt's movies have always been big budgeted and therefore a sentencing without doubt will put the producers in jeopardy. According to trade analyst Komal Nahta, Dutt's sentencing will mean a big delay and huge loss for his directors. "As far as his incomplete movies are concerned, it will be tough for them if he is sentenced," says Nahta, "If he is sentenced then the producers will either have to wait or replace him. Right now Sanjay Dutt is doing Dhamaal, which he has already shot for so that will remain unaffected. But he's also doing Mr. Fraud and Alibaug which may get postponed if he will be sentenced."

Munnabhai series director Raj Kumar Hirani is currently in the US researching for the third instalment of this movie. But his assistant Dileep says that they aren't very worried about the sentencing. "As far as what the result will be I don't think we are anyone to comment on it. And with regards to the movie we are still in the scripting stage. So I think even if he does get a sentence, it shouldn't affect our movie. We haven't really given this so much thought," says Dileep.

Vikas Mohan of Super Cinema says Sanjay's sentencing will have a ripple affect on the entire industry. "If he gets sentenced then the whole industry is going to suffer. He has film commitments at the moment and has signed on other films too. Recently he signed a contract with Adlabs for 3 crores and all these projects amount to over 10 crores. When the money involved is so much everyone will be waiting as there is a lot to lose," says Mohan.

Mohan echoes the sentiments of most in the industry when he says that he wouldn't like to see him go to jail. "Obviously the industry feels that he should not be sentenced. People feel that Sanjay should not face problems anymore. He has already gone through a lot and suffered for 18 months in jail. The industry is praying that nothing drastic happens," says a hopeful Vikas.

Thursday, July 26, 2007