The rocky Bollywood journey of Sanju baba

Actor Sanjay Dutt is the kind of public figure everyone wants to hug when they meet be it an autowallah or a famous Kapoor. "Baba"- as the tinsel town calls him, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. 

But his life has seen such lows before. In fact, his bad boy image didn't just spur from the films. Sanjay Dutt's life has been a whirlwind of tragic moments. But he has always had a comeback like a winner. 

Sanjay Dutt, the son of popular actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis, made his debut with Rocky in 1981. Nargis died of cancer just before the premiere of his first film. In the BBC documentary To Hell and Back, Sunil Dutt shared that Nargis really wanted to attend the premiere of her son's debut film. The actor had even said that she will go even if she has to go on a stretcher but unfortunately, she passed away just days before the premiere. 

This was a huge setback for Sanjay Dutt whose launch in the movie world came with a cloud of sorrow. It is said that it was his mother's death that triggered his drug addiction.

By this time, Sanjay Dutt had gotten notoriously infamous for his brat behaviour. His drug-laden lifestyle that led him to a drug rehabilitation centre in the US had also become public knowledge and he was known as the bad boy of Bollywood. 

Soon after Dutt's involvement in the 1993 bomb blasts of Mumbai and his connection with the underworld came under the radar. His brat image were all factors that made it easier for people to believe that he could have committed the wrongdoings that he was being charged with. He was arrested under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act or TADA as weapons like AK-47 had been found in his possession.

In 1996, his first wife Richa Sharma passed away due to a brain tumour. The two have a daughter, Trishala, who currently resides in the United States with her grandparents.

Sunil Dutt was an active politician in Mumbai at the time and it is hinted that his work in the Muslim slums attracted opposition. Various instances are shared where the Dutt family was threatened with murder and rape. Dutt related his connection to the underworld and weapon with his family's safety and claimed he had nothing to do with the bomb blast.  

Dutt made a comeback and surprised his fans and shut his critics when he was back on top after a few trying years. His film Vaastav: The Reality is still considered as one of Dutt's best performances till date and it also won him his first Filmfare trophy. 

Rajkumar Hirani's Munna Bhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai changed the way he was seen by the world. The role of a don who means well changed Dutt's perception dramatically and made him the audience's darling. His performance and look in Agneepath was appreciated.
2005 was a trying time for Dutt, as his long-standing pillar of support – his father and veteran actor Sunil Dutt passed away.

Sanjay Dutt married Manyata Dutt and the two became the proud parents of twin Shahraan and Iqra. Sanjay was doing extremely well in his career until the hearings for the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts started again.

In 2013, Dutt's five-year sentence was upheld, requiring him to surrender, which he finally did and surrendered in May 2013. He finished his ongoing assignments and could not start any venture until his sentence was finished. He was released after serving his sentence on February 25, 2016.

Sanjay Dutt's life is until that point, was dramatic and emotional rollercoaster that deserved the big screen and that is why Rajkumar Hirani seized the opportunity to turn Dutt's interesting life into a biopic titled "Sanju" in 2018. It was a story of Bollywood bad boy "Sanju Baba" becoming mass favourite nonviolent "Munna Bhai."

The 61-year old actor's health came into focus last Saturday evening when he was rushed to hospital in Mumbai after complaining of chest discomfort and breathlessness. His diagnosis revealed that he was suffering from stage four lung cancers. It is reported that he will soon be going to USA for his treatment. 

On the work front, he will next be seen in Sadak 2 and also be seen in KGF: Chapter 2, in which he will be essaying the role of an antagonist.

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Best movies of Sanjay Dutt

Vaastav: The Reality (1999):

Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar the movie shows how consequences a mistake force an innocent man to get involved in crime.

Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003):

Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, this movie is about a gangster who sets out to fulfill his father's dream of becoming a doctor.

Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006):

Rajkumar Hirani's Munna Bhai embarks on a journey with Mahatma Gandhi in order to fight against a corrupt property dealer.

Khal Nayak (1993):

Subhash Ghai's Khal Nayak is a story of an antihero and a prison guard who goes undercover to restore her police inspector boyfriend's reputation.

Agneepath (2012):

Karan Malhotra remake movie Agneepath is a story of a young boy whose father is lynched before his eyes and fifteen years later he returns home for revenge.