MUMBAI: Sanjay Dutt always wanted to be like his father. Now when he actually adopted one of Sunil Dutt Saab’s roles, Sanju broke down and wept at the likeness.
Sanjay Dutt’s plans of remaking his father’s immortal dacoit drama Mujhe Jeene Do have now been incorporated into the new Ajay Devgn starrer Son Of Sardaar (SOS). It’s reliably learnt that Sanjay Dutt’s character in SOS is modeled on his father in Mujhe Jeene Do, down to the clothes and hair and make-up.
Says a source, “It wasn’t the original plan to cast Sanju as a replica of his dad from Mujhe Jeene Do. When Sanju signed on for SOS he didn’t even know what his role was. He just did it blindly for his friend Ajay Devgn who’s producing the film. No particular look or get-up was planned for Sanju initially. But then Agneepath came. In the film the special look went a long way in making Sanju’s character a success. That’s when Ajay suggested a special get-up for his pal Sanju to director Ashwin Dheer.”
While the various looks were being discussed Sanju suggested his Dad’s Mujhe Jeene Do look which had fascinated him from the time he was a child.
Director Ashwin Dheer concedes that the Mujhe Jeene Do look went a long way in giving character and personality to Sanjay Dutt in SOS. “Mr Dutt plays Sonakshi Sinha’s over-possessive brother. Yes, his look and character bear a definite resemblance to Sunil Dutt Saab in Mujhe Jeene Do. In fact we put Mr Sanjay Dutt on a horse after a very long time. It’s uncanny how much he resembles his father in SOS. When I pointed it out to Mr Sanjay Dutt he got very emotional.”
This is not the first time that Dutt had donned his Dad’s Bandit King avatar. Way back in the 1980s Sanjay Dutt did Jeene Do which was a straight homage to his Dad’s Mujhe Jeene Do.
Dutt later felt that at time he was too young to carry it off.
Says Dheer appreciatively, “Now is the time when Mr Sanjay Dutt is discovering the wonder that was his father and is able to convey his deep admiration in his performance.”
Dutt has a hand-to-hand fist-to-fist combat with Devgn at the climax of SOS where again Sunil Dutt’s personality is fully visible.
