Sanjay Dutt on Munnabhai, music and more

He’s one of Bollywood’s most popular actors and a much-loved star. On To Catch a Star this week, CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand chats with Sanjay Dutt.

Rajeev Masand: Why are you so shy when it comes to talking about yourself? Interviews are not your favourite things about being an actor, right?

Sanjay Dutt: Right. I don’t know why I’m shy. But I’ve always been like this.

Rajeev Masand: You have just presented an award to the team of Munnabhai, the Hrishikesh Mukherjee award for a socially relevant comedies. It’s interesting that Munnabhai is a family comedy and is very different from the other comedy films you have done, like the David Dhawan comedies. Do you wonder how you will go back and do those kind of comedies?

Sanjay Dutt: It’s a different genre and it is interesting to do them once in a while. He has his own slot and his films are much like Jim Carrey’s first few, which made no sense but was a laugh riot. So it’s interesting.

Rajeev Masand: Would you feel guilty to go back and do one of the naughty comedies which parents would not like kids to see, especially after Munnabhai which has made you a sort of family hero, isn’t it?

Sanjay Dutt: It has made me a family hero but which comedies are you talking about?

Rajeev Masand: Shaadi No. , perhaps?

Sanjay Dutt: There was nothing vulgur about it and it was a different genre. So it’s interesting.

Rajeev Masand: Are there films that you cannot now believe you did?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes. There are a whole lot of films like that. In the early 80s the ballgame was very different. There were films where I was kicking 10 people and all that stuff.

Rajeev Masand: What are the films you think define you?

Sanjay Dutt: There are a couple of them: Naam, Saajan, Sadak, Khalnayak, Vaastav, Kaante, Mission Kashmir, Munnabhai, of course. Also, Zinda, I don’t know why people did not recognise it but it was a very intense and powerful film.

Rajeev Masand: When you are making a film, do you know how it is going to turn out?

Sanjay Dutt: Absolutely. As an actor, you do come to know about it. In the first schedule itself you come to know how it is going and whether it is exciting.

Rajeev Masand: So what when you a know a film is going wrong midway? Is there a way to salvage the film?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, it has happened to me a couple of times where we have sat down as a family and we have tried to work it out and it has worked sometimes.

PAGE_BREAK

Rajeev Masand: How difficult is acting for you?

Sanjay Dutt: It comes with time, I think. I have been in the industry for 27 years and you mature as an actor. You can never stop learning. My father used to tell me that I’m more like my mother. He was in Mother India too and he told me that you are just like her on the sets. Everybody may feel that you are just fooling around and stuff. But I read the scene once and don’t just sit in a corner and keep reading. But when the camera is on, she was different and when it was off, she was back to herself again. So I guess I’m like her.

Rajeev Masand: What’s been the most difficult role for you?

Sanjay Dutt: Naam was difficult because Mahesh told me, ‘Just be what you are’ and to be yourself in front of the camera is very difficult. You tend to act . So it took me two-three days to get it right, it was difficult.

Rajeev Masand: Do directors get intimidated by big stars? You have worked with directors who are younger than you, and not been in the industry as long as you. So they might feel intimidated to correct you. Does everyone tell you if something is going wrong, or ‘Do it again’?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, they do tell me. I think directors today are pretty up there. But it has happened. It was not intimidation, but more of being too soft. When I was doing Munnabhai MBBS, I saw Raju (Raj Kumar Hirani) sitting in a corner looking sad. So I asked him what was wrong and he said, ‘Can we do one more?’. I said, ‘You should tell me!’ He’s too soft a guy and really sweet.

Rajeev Masand: You were one of the few Bollywood invitees at the recent Aishwarya Rai-Abhishek Bachchan wedding. What would be your words of advice for them as far as marriage is concerned?

Sanjay Dutt: Well, Abhishek is more like a younger brother to me, he’s like family. And I have worked with Ash, she’s a wonderful person. All I can say is that in a marriage there have to be many sacrifices, especially from the woman’s side and from the man’s side as well. It’s not a joke, it’s a lifetime bonding. There is a lot of give and take and a lot of changing oneself. I just wish them all the best and I love them.

Rajeev Masand: Speaking for yourself would you say you have been lucky in love?

Sanjay Dutt: I would say I don’t regret it. I’m pretty okay with it and as of now I’m very happy.

Rajeev Masand: What is life outside of the set? Is there life outside of the set?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, I’m a home body. I love sitting at home and watching movies, going to the gym, playing with my nephews and nieces.

Rajeev Masand: You like kids?

Sanjay Dutt: I love kids.

Rajeev Masand: Talking about kids, what Munnabhai also did was open up a whole new audience for you. The films that you usually did were action films and even a film like Vaastav, which was a great film but not for children. But Munnabhai opened a whole new audience, didn’t it?

Sanjay Dutt: Well, my name has changed from Baba to Munna right now so that’s the biggest reaction I can ever get. But now kids do shake my hand and look at me not as Sanjay Dutt but as Munna and that is a great pleasure.

PAGE_BREAK

Rajeev Masand: Do you now become weary when it comes to playing negative roles? You were very accepting of negative roles. Do you perhaps find that you don’t want to do too many negative roles?

Sanjay Dutt: Like I said, it depends on the script. I want to play a really, really bad guy.

Rajeev Masand: Are there actors who you see and admire around you?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, there are great actors around. Aamir, Shah Rukh are great. Abhishek is getting there. Hrithik was great in Dhoom 2. I’m sorry if I have left out anyone but we have some really good talent in this country.

Rajeev Masand: I remember you had said that you would like to work like Aamir at some point, doing just one film at a time. Are you getting closer to that?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, I am getting closer to that and eventually I think I will be doing only two films at a time.

Rajeev Masand: What’s the last really good Hindi film you saw?

Sanjay Dutt: I really liked Parzania. I liked Dhoom 2 as well. I really liked the action and found it all very stylized.

Rajeev Masand: You mentioned a film like Parzania. Would you be open to do non-mainstream films?

Sanjay Dutt: Absolutely. Zinda was a non-mainstream film. It was a dark film and Gupta had the guts to make it.

Rajeev Masand: What kind of films do you watch? A lot of actors say that they don’t watch too many movies from the industry. How much of what is being made in the industry do you watch?

Sanjay Dutt: I don’t watch much. I watch things that interest me. I watch a lot of Hollywood films, like 300. I was blown out of my mind watching that film.

Rajeev Masand: Very few people know that you are an internet buff. I spoke to a few people who said that you come up with stuff like world music pieces on the net and you chat online a lot. That’s a side of you few people know.

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, I do surf the net a lot, especially as far as movies and music are concerned. I chat with my daughter and email friends.

PAGE_BREAK

Rajeev Masand: What kind of music interests you? Apparently you have eclectic tastes and not necessarily the popular stuff?

Sanjay Dutt: I’m more into blues rock, modern jazz. A lot of blues, I got into it and it comes from the heart, they have some great bands and great lyrics.

Rajeev Masand: Have you ever learnt to play an instrument?

Sanjay Dutt: I’m dying to learn and if I have the time I will start learning the guitar for sure.

Rajeev Masand: Why the guitar? Why does everyone say they want to learn the guitar? Is it the ultimate macho thing?

Sanjay Dutt: No, it’s not about being macho. For me, I have always wanted to learn it, right from school but I never got a chance to.

Rajeev Masand: I saw you do the air guitar on Shah Rukh’s show (Kaun Banega Crorepati).

Sanjay Dutt: Yes.

Rajeev Masand: Who are your music idols?

Sanjay Dutt: Walter Trout, Santana, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Metallica, B B King, Albert Collins among others.

Rajeev Masand: So your iPod is filled with mixed stuff.

Sanjay Dutt: Yes.

Rajeev Masand: You have also helped in trying to bring some of these people to India, like Walter Trout?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, I have.

Rajeev Masand: You have also sung in films. What does it take? I know you do it largely for your friend Sanjay Gupta but were you very conscious the first time?

Sanjay Dutt: I was very conscious the first time. I didn’t want to do it but once you do it you start enjoying it.

Rajeev Masand: But then after that everyone keeps asking you to do it.

Sanjay Dutt: Yes.

PAGE_BREAK

Rajeev Masand: You also sang a song with Asha Bhonsle. How was the experience?

Sanjay Dutt: It was beautiful. I said I can’t sing with Ashaji. She’s such a great singer and I thought I would be very nervous.

Rajeev Masand: So were you nervous?

Sanjay Dutt: No, I didn’t sing it with her. I sang my part separately.

Rajeev Masand: So you just shot the video together?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, we did.

Rajeev Masand: It must have been fun, right? She’s so funky and young at heart.

Sanjay Dutt: Absolutely. She’s great. I had a great time.

Rajeev Masand: Tell me, does your daughter give you constant feedback on what she likes, doesn’t like? She’s a fan of the Munnabhai films, isn’t she?

Sanjay Dutt: Yes, she does tell me and voices her opinion very strongly. I sometimes listen to her. I’m very proud of her. She's at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is studying forensic law. So she’s with the FBI on crime sites so it’s pretty interesting. She’s 18 now and goes to college. I got her a car and it’s really nice. I wish I could go to New York and be with her.

Rajeev Masand: What excites you so much about this job to do it for so many years?

Sanjay Dutt: It’s just portraying different characters that excites me. In Zinda, the character was a man who was locked up for 14 years and he digs his past to find out why. In Munnabhai, he wants to become a doctor and ends up changing the system.

Rajeev Masand: Well, best of luck, let’s hope we see you in interesting roles in interesting films.

Sanjay Dutt: Thank You.