On the anniversary of the birth of the late actor and politician Sunil Duttit is only fitting that he revisits this lesser-known but touching chapter of his life as a father. a long time ago Sanjay Dutt Emerging as one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, he was battling personal demons that threatened to derail his life and career. During that difficult time, Sunil Dutt made repeated appeals to the filmmaker Rajiv Rai to give his son another chance after dropping *Yudh* from the film.Rajiv Rai, who shared a close friendship with Sanjay and the Dutt family, had earlier spoken about the painful decision. At the time, Sanjay was struggling with substance abuse, which began to affect his professional commitments. Despite their strong bond, Rajiv felt compelled to prioritize the film and Sanjay’s well-being.Recalling those days, Rajiv 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 completed a large portion of the shoot, his deteriorating condition became a growing concern. Rajiv revealed that the actor eventually needed treatment and rehabilitation in the United States. Wanting to intervene before things escalated, he discussed the situation with Sunil Dutt. “Sanjay was not well. He needed rehab in Florida. I spoke to his father and told him to get out of this,” Rajiv recalled.For Rajiv, removing Sanjay from the project was not a professional decision, which he felt was necessary for his friend’s future. “If I hadn’t taken this drastic step then, he wouldn’t have made a difference in his life. I had to forget my friendship with him,” he said.What made the situation even more painful was Sunil Dutt’s decision to protect his son’s career. According to Rajiv, the veteran actor was very upset by the circumstances and repeatedly asked him to reconsider.Rajiv recalled, “I would sit with Dutt saab, and he didn’t want me to get rid of Sanju. He kept asking me to give him another chance. He was very angry about the situation too. But I told him he needs an electric shock.”Despite the decisions, Rajiv insisted that his decision was never driven by anger or resentment. Ultimately, she said, it was done with Sanjay’s best interests at heart, even if it was at the expense of their friendship.Reflecting on their relationship, she said, “Things weren’t working professionally between me and Sanju, and it was for his own good. We may love him for that or hate him for that, but I don’t know, because we’ve 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 Hindi cinema’s most remarkable stories of resilience and redemption.On the anniversary of Sunil Dutt’s birth, the episode serves as a reminder that beyond being a famous actor and respected public figure, he was a devoted father who did everything he could to support his son during one of the darkest periods of his life.
