Mumbai: Sanjay Dutt is being lauded for his performance as Pakistan encounter specialist Chaudhary Aslam Khan in Aditya Dhar’s spy-thriller ‘Dhurandhar .
The film, starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role, is inspired by underworld dons, coveted missions and patriotism.
With the film leaving cash registers ringing, retired IPS officer Rakesh Maria recalled an emotional moment between Sanjay and his father Sunil Dutt after being convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blast case.
Maria also recalled pulling Sanjay by hair and slapping him before arresting him in the blast case.
In a conversation with Desi Studios, Rakesh revealed that Sanjay’s name came up in the case through Hanif Kadawala, proprietor of a famous restaurant in Bandra, and Sameer Hingora, then president of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA).
“They refused the allegation against them, but they asked to speak to me and the first thing they told me was, ‘Why don’t you arrest big people?’ I asked them, ‘Which big people have I not arrested?’ They tell me, Sanju Baba, I thought what does Sanjay have to do with this?” the former Mumbai police commissioner said.
He further shared that Hanif and Sameer wanted a quiet place to take out the weapons, which were used in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, from the car’s
cavity, and the actor’s house was suggested for the same.
“They come to Sanjay Dutt’s house. Sanjay had already received the call. Sanjay told them to park the car there and unload the things,” Maria claimed.
Recalling confronting Sanjay, Maria said, “He sat down in the room 2:30 am and at around 8 am, I entered the room. I asked him, ‘Will you tell me your story or do you want me to tell your role?’”
He added, “Sanjay told me that he is innocent and he’s not involved in this. The pent-up emotions, stress of the last few days, suddenly got through me and he was sitting on the chair in front of me. I just walked up to him and he had long hair at that time. I just gave him a slap and he toppled a little back and I caught hold of his hair and pulled him up. I asked him, ‘If he would talk to me like a gentleman, or should I…?’ Then he asked to speak to me alone. Then he narrated the whole thing to me. He told me, ‘I made a mistake, please don’t tell my father.’ I told him, ‘How can I not tell your father? You have made a mistake. Be man enough’.”
By the evening, Sunil Dutt along with Rajendra Kumar, Mahesh Bhatt, Yash Johar and politician Baldev Khosa met Maria.
“They all told me that Sanjay is innocent and he could not do these things,” he said.
Recalling the first time Sanjay faced his father after being convicted in the blast case, the former police officer said, “Sanjay Dutt is brought into the room, he sees his father, he howls like a child and goes and falls down at Sunil Dutt’s feet and tells him ‘Papa galti ho gayi mere se (Dad, I made a mistake)’. I wouldn’t wish this thing to happen to any father. Sunil’s face went pale.”