'Killed Me Inside': Sanjay Dutt Recalls Being Handcuffed In Front Of Sunil Dutt

Sanjay Dutt is among the few actors who are known for their critically acclaimed work as much as for their personal choices and controversies. The Lage Raho Munna Bhai star recently appeared on Shekhar Suman's talk show, Shekhar Tonite, and spoke about his time in jail and personal ups and downs.

Sanjay Dutt On Being Handcuffed In Front Of His Father

Speaking about being handcuffed in front of his father, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt shared, "When for the first time, the police came and put handcuffs on me, my dad went into shock. With tears in his eyes, he said, 'What are you doing with my son?'"

The actor hugged his father tightly and told him not to be bothered by the handcuffs. "Don't be like that. It is just a procedure; please don't be upset," he said, consoling Sunil Dutt. 

He put up a strong facade for his family. "In reality, it was killing me from the inside. But I had to be strong for him. That's how I got through this trial. It went on for 24 years," he added.

Sanjay Dutt acknowledged that he led a privileged life, but when he was in jail, he never felt above any other inmate. "You know, for so many years, I have never been someone who is egoistic about my stardom," he said, adding that he always respects the person in front of him, without caring about their background. He credited his schooling and upbringing for his grounding nature.

"So many times, we have sat on the ground on a set and have eaten food. I sat with workers so many times to eat food on set. I don't care about these things," he asserted.

How Did Sanjay Dutt Kept Himself Sane In Jail

The actor was convicted under the Arms Act for illegal possession of weapons linked with the 1993 bombings in Mumbai. He was sentenced to five years in jail. Speaking about this time, Shekhar Suman noted, "Sanjay Dutt was put in an anda cell, yet he kept his sanity."

He asked the actor if there was ever a time when he had suicidal thoughts. The Agneepath star said, "Never." Suman then asked him about the moment he felt the weakest while in prison.

Dutt responded, "I knew my dad and family went through a lot because of me. But I never felt weak."

Laying the actor's struggles bare in front of the audience, the host said, "He lost his mother. He lost his father. He lost his first wife. He went to a rehabilitation centre. He overcame stage-four cancer. He went behind bars multiple times. But yet, he is intact."

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