Sanjay Gupta reveals reason behind fallout with Sanjay Dutt; calls Vivek Oberoi 'ungrateful'
Recently, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta recalled why he had a fallout with popular Bollywood actors Sanjay Dutt and Vivek Oberoi.
Director Sanjay Gupta, known for his stylish action films in Bollywood, has a notable filmography that includes hits like Aatish, Kaante, Kaabil, and Shootout At Lokhandwala. His collaborations with actor Sanjay Dutt, especially in films like Aatish: Feel the Fire (1994), have been well-received. However, their partnership faced a setback due to a fallout between the director and actor. Sanjay Gupta recently discussed this issue in an interview with Siddharth Kannan.
Sanjay Gupta opens up on his fall out with Sanjay Dutt
During a recent interaction with Siddharth Kannan, Sanjay Gupta spoke about his fallout with Sanjay Dutt. When the filmmaker was asked what went wrong, he mentioned that there wasn't anything inherently wrong in their bond. According to him, the issues arose due to certain individuals around them who tried to sow discord and misunderstandings between Sanjay Dutt and him. This led to four years of silence between the two, during which neither of them publicly spoke against each other.
He added, “But in those four years, you may look for it, you will not find a statement by me against Sanjay Dutt and you will not find a statement against me by Sanjay Dutt. Both of us did not open our mouths. The world pitted us against each other but we did not open our mouths. I sat without work for three years. People had stopped taking my calls because there were people calling up people and saying, ‘Sanjay Dutt has asked you not to work with Sanjay Gupta.' Sanjay Dutt never said that.”
He also alleged that producer Dharam Oberoi spread false information, claiming that Sanjay Dutt had instructed others not to collaborate with Sanjay Gupta. Regarding Dharam Oberoi, Sanjay Gupta stated that Dharam Oberoi even briefly served as Sanjay Dutt's manager. During that time, he reached out to people, and when someone in the position of Sanjay Dutt's manager contacts others, they tend to believe it. Sanjay Gupta emphasized that Sanjay Dutt had never attempted to take away his work opportunities.
He added, “I remember, I had shut my office down at one point. And I was actually going to give it on rent and I said, ‘Now it is over.' I had started working on a friend's hotel in Lonavala – I was redoing it and planning to run it – because I had to run my house. My wife was pregnant,” the filmmaker shared. He added that it was the birth of his son that pushed him to get back to filmmaking, as he wanted to leave his son “a legacy.”
Sanjay Gupta mentioned that even during their disagreement, he didn't let others speak ill of Sanjay Dutt in his presence. He revealed that the rift was set aside when he and Sanjay Dutt met at Amitabh Bachchan's 70th birthday celebration. During the encounter, they embraced, and both shed tears, marking a resolution to their differences. He said, “I am talking to John [Abraham] and I suddenly hear from the back, ‘Hey Gups'... Sanju was walking in and he saw me. He called out to me… He just came and hugged me and we both started crying. It [the fight] was over…” He suggested that a collaboration might be on the horizon, indicating that a script for the sequel to Zinda is currently in development.
Sanjay Gupta recalls about his fallout with Vivek Oberoi
In a similar vein, Sanjay Gupta discussed his rift with actor Vivek Oberoi, shedding light on the cause of their disagreement. He said, “I just felt that Vivek Oberoi at that moment in time had been very ungrateful… We did Shootout at Lokhandwala…and all the actors agreed to be part of Dus Kahaniyaan. Only Vivek said, ‘My career is going in a certain way. I don't think I should do an anthology.' I said, ‘Vivek, you are doing it for me. I have given you a Shootout At Lokhandwala. I have created this character for you.”
Sanjay Gupta mentioned that he didn't compel Vivek Oberoi; instead, he chose to "to stay away" from the actor. The director also noted that they didn't collaborate for an extended period. He mentioned that at a party, the actor approached him expressing his interest in collaborating again. During a Diwali celebration at the director's home, Vivek requested to hear the narration of Shootout At Wadala.
Upon listening to the story, he immediately agreed to be part of the project, as per Sanjay Gupta. Sharing Vivek's response, the director said, “He got up. He had tears in his eyes, he hugged me. He hugged my wife. He said, ‘I have come back home and I am doing this film.” However, after confirming his involvement in the project, Vivek Oberoi withdrew, stating that he had committed to another project, the director disclosed.
He mentioned that this is where he became upset. He expressed that it was not fair for someone to visit his home, listen to the narration, congratulate his wife and him, express enthusiasm about the project, and then later announce, "I am not doing it." The director also disclosed that Vivek Oberoi opted for Zila Ghaziabad instead.
He added, “So, I was upset with him for a brief time.” He mentioned that in the film industry, friendships and enmities are not permanent. Sanjay Gupta also revealed that the character intended for Vivek Oberoi in Shootout At Wadala was ultimately played by Sonu Sood.
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