Sanju (2018)

Since the early 90s, I have watched Sanjay Dutt’s movies and read about him in film magazines. I found him more realistic in ‘Khalnayak’ than ‘Saajan’, though I watched both mainly for Madhuri Dixit-Nene and in 2019, I went to see their pairing in ‘Kalank’.

As for Sunil Dutt, Sanjay’s father, I was happy to see him feature in the remixed song with Deepika Padukone in ‘Om Shanti Om’. My main memory of him is associated with ‘Mera Saaya’.

Watching ‘Sanju’ was difficult, mainly because it brought back so many memories. All those years ago, despite attempts by multiple film directors, I could clearly say, “I don’t understand anti-heroes” and didn’t spend time on knowing why a terrorist takes to arms, why drug addicts take to drugs, why people reconcile with lawbreakers many years later or why evidence is the cornerstone of justice. Simpler times, where one could effortlessly move on from one song to another, one movie to another. There was no question of watching the movie again, unless Doordarshan miraculously obliged.

While ‘Sanju’ has performed really well at the box-office and won accolades for Ranbir Kapoor, watching it left me feeling unsettled. I am experiencing fatigue related to jail scenes, police atrocity and underworld presence, and this movie had all of this. The movie does a good job of clarifying why Sanjay Dutt isn’t a terrorist, how stress can trigger episodes of drug abuse, how parents can bring up their children well and yet lose them to outside influences, how wives can be understanding and supportive of philandering husbands. Lots of fictional characters have found their way into the movie, and I stopped looking for reality once I realized this. 

Movie-watchers are from all age-groups, and I think about the children who would have had access to ‘Sanju’, much like me with ‘Saajan’ all those years ago. I have more admiration for ‘Saajan’ now – an orphaned disabled poet found a happy ending. Social media suggests Sanjay Dutt has found his happy ending too.