MUMBAI: As per the Supreme Court’s decision today, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has been given a four week period to either file a review petition against his 5 Year imprisonment verdict or surrender himself.
Meanwhile, the actor had signed for several films this year, which are still under-production and are bound to suffer massive losses from this verdict.
The upcoming releases featuring the 53-year-old actor include ‘Zanjeer’ tentatively scheduled for May 2013 and ‘Policegiri’ for June 2013. Other projects in line were ‘Unglee’, ‘Power’, and ‘Ghanchakkar’. Next year’s projects included ‘Munnabhai Chale Dilli’ and ‘Peekay’.
All the concerned filmmakers seem to echo the same reaction: They don’t know what to do.
T. P Aggarwal’s ‘Policegiri’ starring Sanjay Dutt and Prachi Desai in the lead role was currently being shot in Hyderabad and Chennai.
Says Aggarwal, “This news is tragic. I will meet him (Sanjay) tomorrow and will see what to do. We are only thinking positive, let us see what happens… Just 12 to 15 days shoot is left. For the remaining portion, we will see if we can shoot with Sanjay. Even if not it’s okay…We may consider approaching court to allow him to shoot.”
As for the ‘Zanjeer’ remake, whisper is that the makers who were already uneasy about the Supreme Court’s verdict, had made plans to extend Sonu Sood’s role as Sher Khan from the Telugu version of ‘Zanjeer’ into the Hindi version. However, Producer Amit Mehra clarified, “We have completed shooting for Zanjeer. The verdict is shocking and I feel shattered. I am not worried about his (Sanjay’s) presence for post-production and other formalities… My concern is that he fights back.”
‘Munnabhai Chale Dilli’ – the third installment of the Munnabhai franchise also hangs suspended. Director Subhash Kapoor said, “I can’t imagine ‘Munna Bhai’ series without Sanjay Dutt. But unfortunately, things are not in our hands. In the next two days, we will have a chat and discuss what needs to be done. Our film has not yet gone on floors, but just imagine about other producers and directors, who have done films half-way with Sanjay.”
Some filmmakers stand in a better boat, though. We hear that Rajkumar Hirani has luckily finished shooting Sanjay Dutt’s part in the Aamir Khan-Anushka Sharma starrer ‘Peekay’.
As for Dharma Production’s ‘Unglee’, a source tell us that in view of the upcoming verdict some preparations were made. “Rensil had modified Dutt Saab’s role according to his availability,” said the source.
Not making any comment about the status of this film Karan Johar tweeted, “I am truly shattered to hear of Sanju’s sentence… the nicest guy I have known just doesn’t deserve this… My heart goes out to him.”
Says an insider from Dharma Productions, “Bollywood is distraught over the SC judgement today. The shooting of ‘Unglee’ concerning Sanjay Dutt’s part is complete and only some portion of it is remaining to be completed.”
The producers and filmmakers associated with Sanjay Dutt’s projects will be suffering a colossal loss of money.
