Click to play videoMumbai: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt has joined the Samajwadi Party and is planning to contest Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
His decision to enter politics has created a rift in the Dutt family. Sanjay Dutt's sister Priya Dutt, a Congress Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai-North-West in Maharashtra, does not agrees with his decision to join the Samajwadi Party.
Even though Sanjay has denied any misunderstanding, but there still appears to be a rift between the two. He doesn't seem to approve of his sister Priya using their father's surname even after marriage. The film star spoke on a range of issues with CNN-IBN's Rohit Chandavarkar.
On a women's surname
I have not said anything about the women's rights. I have talked about the traditions. I have talked about my opinion. I have no stronger or bigger name than the Nehru name. When Indiraji (former prime minister Indira Gandhi) got married, it was not Indira Nehru. Honourable Indira Gandhi she was. I mean that was the thing. Rest it is upto an individual.
On links with Lucknow
My father after partition came to Lucknow. He stayed in Lucknow in Ameenabad for three years and worked in All-India Radio. Lucknow was the first place where he got his bread and butter.
On former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atalji has been my prime minister. Not only mine but the prime minister of the entire nation. He is very, very senior leader who all of us respect. He is like a father figure to me and most of us.
On Samjawadi party General Secretary Amar Singh
Amar Singhji has stood by me like a rock for the last 12 years. In thick and thin, whether he was in power, not in power. It is not about power that he stood by me. It was because he loved me like a younger brother.
On Gandhi family
My whole family is basically inclined to the Gandhi family. It's always been there from Panditji's (Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru) time. The association my parents had with Panditji or with the honurable Indiraji, with Rajivji (Rajiv Gandhi), Sonia (Sonia Gandhi) maam.
On acting
My first love is cinema. It is not that I am going to leave my acting career and just jump into politics. I know I will have to balance it in a right way.
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