Actor Sanjay Dutt recently turned a request to speak in Marathi at a Mumbai event into a light-hearted moment, using a reference to his time in Pune's Yerwada Jail to explain why he could not address the gathering in the language. The request came from Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who had earlier urged the actor to speak in Marathi.
Sanjay Dutt Refuses Maharashtra Minister's Request To Speak In Marathi
Sanjay said, "Pratap bhai. Main 6 saal jail me raha, Yervada mein. Tab bhi Marathi nahi seekh paaya. Main thoda seekha tha." He explained that despite spending six years in Yerwada Jail, he could not learn Marathi, although he picked up a little of the language. His comment left Sarnaik bursting into laughter.
Check out the viral video:
Sanjay Dutt On His Long-Standing Friendship With Pratap Sarnaik
Sanjay then put his arm around the minister and expressed his gratitude for being invited to the event.
The 67-year-old actor said, “Main Pratap bhai ka aabhaari hoon ki mujhe yahan bulaye. Hamara rishta bahut purana hai, 25 saal ho gaye hain." Dutt also talked about his long-standing association with Sarnaik, describing their relationship as one that goes back around 25 years.
Earlier, Sarnaik had told the audience, "Aajkal main sab logon ko Marathi sikha raha hoon," referring to his department’s recent ruling that autorickshaw and taxi drivers in Mumbai need a functional understanding of Marathi phrases to continue working in the city.
Sanjay was jailed in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and was released from Yerwada Central Jail on February 25, 2016, after serving his sentence.
Work Front
On the work front, Dutt was most recently seen in a cameo in the Arabic film 7 Dogs (2026), in which he shared the screen with Salman Khan.
Next, Sanjay has Khalnayak Returns, a sequel to his 1993 classic Khal Nayak. The original film starred Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Rakhee Gulzar, and Jackie Shroff.
