On the birth anniversary of late actor and politician Sunil Dutt, it is appropriate to revisit a lesser-known but deeply emotional chapter of his life as a father. Long before Sanjay Dutt emerged as one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, he was battling personal demons that threatened to derail his life and career. During that difficult period, Sunil Dutt reportedly made repeated appeals to director Rajeev Rai to give his son another chance after being dropped from the film *Yudh*.Rajeev Rai, who has a close friendship with Sanjay and the Dutt family, had previously spoken about the painful decision. At the time, Sanjay was struggling with drug abuse, which was beginning to affect his professional commitments. Despite their strong bond, Rajeev felt compelled to prioritize the film and Sanjay’s well-being.Recalling those days, Rajeev said, as quoted by Moneycontrol: “I shot 14 reels with Sanjay Dutt.
In my heart, he is still my best friend. “I can never forget those days, because they were the best days of my life.”Although Sanjay has already completed a major portion of the shoot, his deteriorating condition is becoming a growing concern. Rajeev revealed that the actor will eventually need treatment and rehabilitation in the United States. Wanting to intervene before things got worse, he discussed the situation with Sunil Dutt.
“Sanjay wasn’t feeling well. He needed rehab in Florida. I spoke to his father and told him to get him out of this,” Rajeev recalls.For Rajeev, removing Sanjay from the project was not just a professional decision, but one he believed was essential for his friend’s future. He said: “If I had not taken this drastic step then, he would not have made the changes in his life. I would have forgotten my friendship with him.”What made the situation even sadder was Sunil Dutt’s determination to protect his son’s career.
According to Rajeev, the veteran actor was deeply saddened by the circumstances and repeatedly urged him to reconsider.“I was sitting with Dutt saab, and he did not want to remove Sanju. He was constantly asking me to give him another chance. He was very upset about the situation too. But I told him that he needed the electric shock,” Rajeev recalls.Despite the repercussions, Rajeev insisted that his decision was never motivated by anger or resentment.
He emphasized that the matter was ultimately done keeping Sanjay’s best interests in mind, even if it came at the cost of their friendship.Reflecting on their relationship, he said, “Things didn’t work out professionally between me and Sanju, and that was to his advantage. He might love me for that or hate me for that, but I don’t know, because we never talked about it.”Sanjay Dutt eventually returned from rehab and rebuilt his life and career, overcoming many setbacks along the way.
His journey remains one of the most prominent stories of resilience and redemption in Indian cinema.On Sunil Dutt’s birth anniversary, this episode serves as a reminder that in addition to the famous actor and respected public figure, there was a devoted father, doing everything in his power to help his son during one of the darkest periods of his life.
