‘MY INHERITANCE ISNOTA BURDEN, IT’S A GIFT’
After 38 years in Bollywood and five films in the pipeline, actor Sanjay Dutt is only getting hungry for more meaty roles
Every performer adopts a certain methodology while choosing a project. For an actor, it is sometimes the role, sometimes the script, or sometimes the team, which draws him towards the film. For Sanjay Dutt, it’s the balance of all these elements. “Character and story go hand-in-hand. If the character is amazing but the story isn’t, then it’s a futile endeavour and vice versa. For me, both of them are equally important. However, if I strongly feel for a character, I might do it, irrespective of the length of the role in that film. As actors, our hunger for playing challenging role increases with every character that we portray on screen,” says Sanjay.
Having spent 38 years in the industry, Dutt is still going strong with five upcoming releases — KGF 2, Panipat, Sadak 2, Shamshera and Torbaaz. And the actor says that the length of a role has never really bothered him. “It really doesn’t matter, but the gravity of the role does. I’ve done double-hero films at the peak of my career, so I don’t have any insecurity. I get attracted to strong characters backed by powerful stories,” adds Dutt.
Well, that explains why the 60-year-old actor is still offered meaty roles and filmmakers are keen on collaborating with him. Dutt’s talent and amiable nature, many contemporaries feel, is a legacy that he carries forward well from his parents — two legendary actors, late Sunil Dutt and late Nargis Dutt. So, does he still feel the burden of expectations every time his film hits the theatres? “Though expectations have ridden high on me because of my family, I’m grateful for it. I don’t see my inheritance as a burden, but as a gift. I cherish this gift by giving my best in all the films I do,” says Dutt, humbly.
The actor has had a chequered life and feels grateful for the constant support received from his fans. Expressing gratitude, he says, “I feel blessed when audiences start expecting so much more from their favourite actors. It makes us push our envelope and raise the bar. It throws you out of your comfort zone and helps you deliver something new, every time.”