Sanju : The Second Thought
Sanju, one the much awaited movie hit the theatre last Friday. I should start with appreciating “Manyata Dutt” The-Pillar of strength of Sanjay Dutt, she stood with him unbiased no matter what he did and why he did, that too in today’s one sided judgemental “mentality” when leaving/breaking relationship is easier choice rather than understand and supporting that too out of self perception. The way Manyata Dutt stood with him even today is truly appreciating.
Sanju, write-editor-director Rajkumar Hirani’s biopic of Sanjay Dutt is much bigger than Sanjay Dutt. Story skip Dutt junior’s childhood and take us through his work on his debut film, his mother’s illness, his rocky relationship with his father, alcoholism and drug addiction, the allegations of involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, his arrest under now lapsed TADA, the acquittal on terror charges and conviction under the Arms act, his jailing and ultimate release.
Hirani – have cherry picked facts and bathed their selectiveness in larger doses of affectionate indulgence for their protagonist, for instance, we were told that Dutt acquire three AK-56 rifles and bullets without license out of fear for his dad’s and his sister’s safety following threats to Dutt Sr for his missionary work among Muslim riot victim in 1992–93 in Mumbai. This is a claim Dutt had made on the record in real life, however the film fails to mention that he had also gone on the record to admit that he already owned three licensed firearms which he reportedly told the police he purchased for his love for hunting, so why did he need any more weapons? (Note: He later withdrew the latter statement).
Hirani play this game throughout the film. He make no bones about Dutt’s unprofessionalism, his irresponsible behaviour towards his parents and his lies.
The objective of the film is two-fold: to project Dutt as a misguided but well intention man, and to spacegoat others for his failing. The most well-strategised choice of spacegoat is Media, which is skewered in closing song featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Real Sanjay Dutt himself.
Movie do have its moving portions right through, interestingly all of them involving the Late Sunil Dutt- perhaps because these are the only parts that came from a place of genuiness and/or Sanjay Dutt’ friend Kamlesh Kanhaiyalal Kapasi.
First one is played by Paresh Rawal who undoubtedly has films best written role and later is played by Vicky Kaushal who is thoroughly convincing.
Sonam Kapoor has not much to do in Sanju, where as Anushka Sharma as Sanjay Dutt’s biographer Winnie Diaz has a decidedly unchallenging role.
Sanju belongs to Ranbir Kapoor, who drown out his own personality so completely in favour of the baba persona, that in that closing song when he appears as himself – slim, handsome and not looking ravaged like his character – I had to remind myself that this is actually what he looks like. Ranbir Kapoor delivers an immersive performance especially in scenes of emotional intensity.
