Sunil Dutt

Sunil Dutt is no more but Congress passed on his torch to his daughter Priya Dutt. Priya carries on his legacy after winning an election. She also carries on a defamation case against her father’s rival Sanjay Nirupam who contested election against him, talked about the number of days Dutt spent in the parliament (perhaps exaggerated the number), about Dutt’s failing health (perhaps exaggerating it) and age (again, perhaps adding few years here and there). Dutt won the election but, perhaps irked with the challenge that forced him to try extra hard to win even in a secure constituency where he had never lost, he filed a defamation case. Priya refused to forgive Sanjay Nirupam even after he joined their party and sent feelers to her.

The last known performance of Sunil Dutt was playing father to his real life son Sanjay Dutt in Munnabhai MBBS. It was an average performance like most others.

If Sunil Dutt survived successfully as an actor and as a politician it was, at least partly, because of preservence. He took up production to give himself good roles, something most others started doing after him.

Balraj Dutt, popularly known as Sunil Dutt, began his career as a clerk then became a radio compere before he bagged his first film, 'Railway Platform' in 1955, co-starring Nalini Jaywant. He became a star with Mehboob Khan's 'Mother India' and simultaneously fell in love with Nargis when he saved her from death by fire. Soon, they got married.

He then did several films where the heroine had the better roles, like 'Sujata', `Bandini`, 'Sadhana', 'Amrapali' and 'Mera Saaya'. His first film as a producer, 'Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke' in 1963 dared to show the heroine actually commiting adultery. In his next production, 'Mujhe Jeene Do' in 1963, he played a dacoit who kidnaps the heroine and also kills for profit. He risked playing a cripple in 'Khandaan' and the buffoon in 'Padosan'. After his film 'Reshma Aur Shera' bombed at the box-office, Sunil began playing safe with films like 'Heera' and 'Zakhmee'. His wife's untimely death from cancer saw Sunil Dutt joining politics.

Life as a politician took an about turn when his son Sanjay Dutt was arrested under TADA for being in possession of an authorised AK47 gun and for storing a large number of unauthorised weapons in his bungalow.

After being in jail for 18 months - during which Sunil ran from pillar to post - Sanjay was released on bail. But in the meanwhile, Sunil Dutt took a battering since he had to bow to Bal Thackeray to get his son released.

Dutt made extra efforts to create an image in the world of politics. His USP was long walk and he did padyatra from Mumbai to Amritsar to focus on the situation in Punjab. This was a leaf out of the life of Mahatma Gandhi and even as it added to his stature, caused unease among the Gandhis. Not known to permit anyone to grow beyond a certain point, Gandhis cut him down to size. Rajiv Gandhi didn’t give him an appointment when Dutt wanted to present his findings to him and avoided any further mileage to him. Neverthelss, Dutt rose in this party slowly and during his last term was even made the Minister for Sports.