As the debate about depiction of public figures in bio-pics continues, Sunil Dutt's attempts to bail his son out recounted.
When
a film about a public figure is made, many questions relating to the
accuracy or inaccuracy of portrayals arise. In a vibrant democracy,
multiple truths often jostle with each other, so that we can
determine for ourselves which one (or ones) we prefer. We must also
ponder if any biographical film, condensing a life into
two-and-a-half hours, takes certain departures from reality. In this
sense, Sanju,
a biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt is no exception.
In
a particular scene in Sanju, Dutt is seen playing court to a
political figure in Delhi, months after he was charged with the crime
of possessing an AK-56 rifle and hobnobbing with those suspected of
carrying out the bomb blasts in Bombay (now Mumbai) on March 12,
1993. The politician in the movie is rather indifferent and
dismissive of Dutt’s plea.
In
real life, it was actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt who had indeed
courted a political figure. He had once informally told a gathering
of journalists – including the author – that he had approached
Sharad Pawar, who became chief minister of Maharashtra soon after the
bomb blasts, begging for leniency for his son. Sunil Dutt recalled
bowing before Pawar, tears rolling down his cheeks, when he noticed
that the politician was faintly smiling, enjoying his ordeal. Stunned
and disillusioned, Sunil Dutt subsequently met Shiv Sena supremo Bal
Thackeray, who eventually came out in support of Sanjay Dutt,
declaring publicly he did not believe that any member of the Dutt
family could be ‘anti-national’.
It
was widely believed in political circles that Sunil Dutt’s family
was being targeted by a section of the Congress leadership for
resigning in a huff from his Lok Sabha membership after the Babri
Masjid demolition and the communal riots in Mumbai. In fact,
throughout Sanjay Dutt’s arrest, Pawar was suspected to be behind
the family’s ordeals. In those troubled times, it was Shiv Sena
supremo Balasaheb Thackeray who stood by the actor, despite their
glaring ideological differences. Sunil Dutt would later acknowledge
Thackeray’s help with a deep sense of gratitude.
Samajwadi
Party leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Sanjay
Dutt attend workers’ meeting at the party’s headquarters in
Lucknow, March 14, 2009. Photo credit: Reuters.
