Sanjay Balraj Dutt is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Hindi cinema. The son of veteran actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis, he made his acting debut in 1981 and has since appeared in over a hundred films across genres, ranging from romantic dramas and action thrillers to comedies and historical epics. His career has been marked by both critical and commercial success as well as a prolonged legal case linked to the 1993 Bombay bombings.
Key facts
| Full name | Sanjay Balraj Dutt |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 July 1959, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra |
| Father | Sunil Dutt |
| Mother | Nargis |
| Siblings | Priya Dutt, Namrata Dutt |
| Spouses | Richa Sharma (m. 1987; d. 1996), Rhea Pillai (m. 1998; div. 2008), Maanayata Dutt (m. 2008) |
| Children | Trishala Dutt; twins Shahraan and Iqra Dutt |
| Occupation | Actor, film producer |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Debut film | Rocky (1981) |
| Production house | Sanjay S. Dutt Productions |
Background
Sanjay Dutt was born into one of Hindi cinema's most prominent families. His father, Sunil Dutt, was a leading actor of the 1950s and 1960s and later a Member of Parliament from Mumbai North West and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports. His mother, Nargis, was among the most acclaimed actresses of Indian cinema, best known for her role in Mother India (1957). Sanjay was educated at The Lawrence School, Sanawar in Himachal Pradesh.
His mother's death from pancreatic cancer in May 1981, only days before the release of his debut film, was a defining personal event. The Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation, established in her memory, has remained associated with the Dutt family.
Career
Early career (1981–1990)
Sanjay Dutt made his lead debut in Rocky (1981), directed by his father. The 1980s saw him appear in films such as Vidhaata (1982), Naam (1986), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988) and Kabzaa (1988). Naam, directed by Mahesh Bhatt, is widely regarded as a turning point that re-established his standing as a leading man.
Stardom (1991–2000)
The 1990s consolidated his position with films including Saajan (1991), Sadak (1991), Khalnayak (1993), Aatish (1994), Daud (1997) and Vaastav: The Reality (1999). Vaastav, directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor and is considered one of his finest performances.
Munna Bhai era and 2000s
His role as the lovable Mumbai don Murli Prasad Sharma in Rajkumar Hirani's Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and its sequel Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) became iconic. The latter introduced the concept of "Gandhigiri" into popular discourse. Other notable films of the decade include Mission Kashmir (2000), Kaante (2002) and the Dhamaal series.
Later career
After serving his prison term, Dutt resumed acting with Bhoomi (2017). Subsequent work includes Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018), Kalank (2019), Panipat (2019), Sadak 2 (2020), Shamshera (2022), KGF: Chapter 2 (2022), in which he played Adheera, and the Tamil film Leo (2023).
Legal proceedings
Sanjay Dutt was arrested in April 1993 in connection with the 1993 Bombay serial blasts case, on charges relating to illegal possession of weapons. He spent extended periods in custody during the trial. In 2006, a TADA court convicted him under the Arms Act and acquitted him of conspiracy and terrorism charges. In March 2013, the Supreme Court of India upheld the conviction, sentencing him to five years' imprisonment, of which a portion had already been served. He was released from Yerwada Central Jail, Pune, in February 2016 after completing his sentence with remission.
Personal life
Dutt married Richa Sharma in 1987; she died of a brain tumour in 1996, and they had a daughter, Trishala. His second marriage, to model Rhea Pillai in 1998, ended in divorce in 2008. He married Maanayata Dutt the same year, and they have twins, Shahraan and Iqra.
In August 2020, Dutt disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer; he announced remission later that year.
Awards and recognition
- Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Vaastav: The Reality (2000)
- Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Critics) – Khalnayak (1994)
- Multiple Screen, Stardust and IIFA awards across categories
- The biographical film Sanju (2018), directed by Rajkumar Hirani with Ranbir Kapoor in the lead, dramatised his life and was among the highest-grossing Indian films of its year.
Significance
Sanjay Dutt's career spans more than four decades and reflects the shifting registers of Hindi cinema, from the family melodrama of the 1980s to the gangster film of the 1990s and the social comedy of the 2000s. His public life, intertwined with that of his family's involvement in Indian cinema and politics, and his protracted legal case, have made him a frequently studied figure in writing on Indian popular culture.