The trailer release of Sanju got the team of the film nostalgic and sentimental as they shared what the man himself, Sanjay Dutt, means to them…
Ranbir Kapoor
“When I was small I had a poster of Sanju sir on my cupboard. And today I’m in his shoes representing him, in front of you. I think in my life I really want Sanju sir to like me. I know I can never be the man he is, the person he is. But in every which way that I go about my career, as a person, I really want Sanju sir to like me because he is a man that I respect a lot and I really look up to him. I really hope he feels that I have represented his life in a very honest and true way.”
Rajkumar Hirani
“As filmmakers, we are greedy for content that is engaging and entertaining; which will make people laugh and cry. When I heard Sanju sir’s story, there’s the story that you all know which has been recorded in the press. But I heard the story in which there was a father-son story and a story of friendship. So, essentially these are the chapters that have not been read anywhere. We have told the story truthfully, showing the right and the wrong.”
Vidhu Vinod Chopra (producer):
“When Sanju went to jail for the first time I didn’t know him. At that time he had been black-listed. I had gone to his house and then announced a film with him. I was also blacklisted by the industry. When Sanju came out of jail he got back to me to inquire about the film. I told there wasn’t any film; I had simply taken a stand because a person is still innocent until he is proven guilty. He came over then and said we should work together. We worked with him on many films like Mission Kashmir, Munnabhai… Sanju is a part of our life. But the important thing I want to say is that when I heard the story from Abhijat Joshi, I felt I didn’t know this Sanju at all. This Sanjay was so much ahead of the person I had known for 15-20 years, that it’s unbelievable.”
Dia Mirza
“I call him Sanju sir and I have done many films with him. In my experience with him, he has been extremely warm, affectionate, kind, generous. When I heard this script it just blew my mind. I couldn’t believe how layered and detailed this narrative was. When you are part of the industry, you hear things about people but when I heard the script, I heard things that I had never heard before and that was just remarkable. For some reason, I feel closer to him and more connected to him now than I ever felt before. We all love him unanimously!”
Manisha Koirala
“The Baba that I know is all heart. I have done three to four films with him and he has always been a prankster, happy, all heart. I’m really looking forward to seeing this film because there are many aspects of his life that I didn’t know about, which I’m keen to watch.”
Paresh Rawal
“I remember on January 5 or 6, 2017 I received an SMS from Akshaye Khanna saying he had never read such spiritual writing in a script. When I was called for Sanju, and I read the script I agreed with that assessment: there has never been a more spiritual script in Hindi cinema. I got the chance to work Rajkumar Hirani, with my favourite actor Ranbir Kapoor, so it was a win-win situation for me. Vinod (Chopra) will agree when I say I didn’t even discuss money. I just feel so lucky to be a part of this film, playing a character about whom I can say that I haven’t seen Mother Teresa but I have seen Sunil Dutt sa’ab.”
Sonam Kapoor ahuja
“I just wanted to work with Raju sir so I said yes to the film. It was as easy as that and I wanted to be a part of a film made by Vinod uncle. Whatever film he offers me, I’ll always say yes. For the next one year, I’ll stand on stage with them only! I’m very happy to be here and I’m very happy to work with Ranbir after 10 years.”
Vicky Kaushal
“Like all of you, I too have grown up watching Sanju sir’s films. My father (Shyam Kaushal), before becoming an action director, was a stuntman. He was a body double for Sanju sir in one of his films. We have a photograph of him at home, wearing the same costume, in between shoots. To now play an important part of his life feels truly blessed.”
