Karishma said yes to Sanju only for Raju Hirani

Actor Karishma Tanna is in a happy space — her latest film, Sanju, has got a magnificent response at the box office, and despite having only a guest appearance, she’s feeling quite part of the team and a contributor to this success. She’s also in two songs from the film that are released separately.

A thrilled Karishma says, “Just the feeling of being a part of Raju Hirani’s camp gives you a high. And I did [the film] only because of that. Also, sharing screen space with Vicky and Ranbir in that one scene, as an actor, you get to learn a lot. So, it was a brilliant setup and I have no regrets that I did it.” Had she been asked by another banner or filmmaker, she “wouldn’t have agreed to do a guest appearance”, says the actor, who has long been a popular face on television. Not for a moment, she adds, was there a feeling that her role in Sanju was insignificant in the storyline. Karishma says,

“If you see, everyone had a guest appearance in the film, except Ranbir and Vicky, so I didn’t feel that I had a less important role. And it was a biopic on Sanjay Dutt’s life, so people would come and go [in the plot]. It had an ensemble cast and not a one hero-heroine film.” She recalls how the first conversation with Hirani convinced her to say yes.

In the film, she plays the girlfriend of Vicky’s character but then has a fling with Sanju (played by Ranbir). “When I had first gone to meet Raju sir, he told me that it’s a special appearance, not a meaty role, but he also said that it wouldn’t be as if the character just came and went. This incident must have taken place and it must be very important for Raju sir to put it in the film,” she adds.

Reacting to criticism that the film is an attempt to whitewash Sanjay Dutt’s image, Karishma retorts, “Come on! The entire first half shows how flawed Dutt’s character was and he was such a drug addict that he couldn’t even take care of his family. It doesn’t show him in a sympathetic light or defend his actions. The second half shows how he overcame his problems and focused on his career. It was pretty balanced.”

Karishma Tanna