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Did Rajkumar Hirani ‘whitewash’ Sanjay Dutt’s image in Ranbir Kapoor starrer Sanju? Director reveals truth
Rajkumar Hirani recently opened up about the 'whitewashing' accusations surrounding Sanjay Dutt's image in the Ranbir Kapoor starrer Sanju. Check out the details inside!
Rajkumar Hirani recently discussed the motivation behind making Sanju, a film based on Sanjay Dutt’s life, starring Ranbir Kapoor. He responded to accusations of ‘whitewashing’ Sanjay Dutt’s image, firmly denying the claims.
Rajkumar Hirani recently shared the inspiration behind making Sanju during a conversation with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers. He explained that the idea for the film came after a meeting with Sanjay Dutt, who was out on parole at the time.
Despite having worked with him on two films, the director wasn't close to Sanjay, but on that particular day, Dutt opened up to him. He began sharing personal stories, including about his father, and it was during this conversation that Hirani felt compelled to tell Sanjay’s story on screen.
He shared that after that initial meeting, Sanjay Dutt reached out to him several times over the following days, sharing more of his life stories. Hirani realized that Dutt’s experiences were so fascinating that they could potentially form the basis of a film. At that point, however, there were no discussions about Sanju.
He was still focused on writing Munna Bhai, but the stories Dutt shared, particularly the father-son dynamic, caught his attention. As he spoke with the actor's family and friends, the idea for the film began to take shape.
Rajkumar Hirani addressed the allegations that Sanju was made to 'whitewash' Sanjay Dutt’s image. He recalled an interview where a journalist questioned him about the intent behind the film. Hirani said, "During an interview once, I was asked if I made Sanju to whitewash Sanjay Dutt’s image. I was like, 'What is your problem with him?'"
The director further clarified that he had no personal agenda to make a film about the actor. He emphasized that his sole motivation was the compelling story he discovered. He explained that he wasn’t an out-of-work director desperate for a project to 'whitewash' someone’s image.
Despite not being close friends with Dutt, Rajkumar became captivated by the narrative. He went beyond just hearing Dutt’s side, reaching out to his friends, family, and even the police. He questioned them about the gun incident, asking if there was any deeper connection, to which they responded that it was simply a foolish mistake on Dutt’s part, with no sinister link.
Rajkumar Hirani also addressed the widespread rumors about Sanjay Dutt, particularly the one claiming that a truck full of RDX was found at his home. He explained that this perception was fueled by a news item, but after thoroughly reading the High Court and Supreme Court judgments, he found no truth to it.
He mentioned that even Sanjay denied the charges, and as the story intrigued him, he decided to make the film. Hirani also revealed that after the success of Sanju, he received multiple calls from people asking him to make films to clear their names.
In the same interview, the filmmaker discussed his film Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan, and its box office performance. He explained that before making any film, he and his writing partner, Abhijat Joshi, always strive for a unique idea that hasn't been seen before. Dunki came about after learning about the world of people in Ludhiana trying to leave India without passports or visas.
While the story was both sad and funny, Hirani admitted that predicting audience reaction was difficult. He stressed that while they put in the same effort for every film, sometimes success is greater than expected, and other times less so. When asked about a film that underperformed at the box office, Rajkumar promptly said, Dunki.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more!
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