It is known that Sanjay Dutt biopic titled Sanju is a highly anticipated film of the year. With posters and trailer that has garnered immense attraction; the audience is very interested to see Ranbir Kapoor tell the tale of the tumultuous life of the Rocky actor. From being a star kid to boarding school to life in movies, drug addiction and legal troubles due to arms and reported relations to the underworld, everything will be shown in the film. But, it could be said that even though Sanjay was a star kid, not much is known about his childhood days.
Before Rocky debut, he was in boarding school completing his school. At the time, Sunil Dutt was making a quick film Reshma Aur Shera in 1971, which would turn out box office disaster and leave them financially weak. Reshma Aur Shera starred Sunil Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan, and other seasoned actors like Vinod Khanna, Waheeda Rehman and Rakhee. According to Yasser Usman’s unauthorized book ‘Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood’s Bad Boy’, senior Dutt had announced that a film which will be completed in just 15 days and will be shot in Rajasthan. Sunil Dutt and Waheeda Rehman were the leading pair with other actors who lived in tents in a small village called Pochina.
During the shoot, a twelve-year-old Sanjay Dutt came back home from school over the holidays. He, then, visited his father in Rajasthan on the sets of Reshma Aur Shera. While he was visiting, Sunil Dut asked if junior Dutt was interested in featuring in qawwali number, ‘Zaalim Meri Sharaab Mein Yeh Kya Mila Diya’ as a background qawwal with the main qawwal, Sudhir Luthra. And that is how Sanjay indeed made his debut as a child artist in the song. Sunil Dutt was so happy and charmed by Sanjay’s performance in the song and he started calling him ‘Chameli Jaan’.
Sanjay Dutt would often write letters to his parents from his boarding school to keep them updated about his school life. After his song debut, Sunil Dutt would start the letters with the salutation, ‘Dear Chameli Jaan’.
As the audience gears up for Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju, we are hopeful that some parts of Sanjay Dutt’s childhood will be featured on the big screen. Written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the film will also star an ensemble cast in addition to Ranbir Kapoor which includes Paresh Rawal, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal, Sonam Kapoor and Dia Mirza amongst others. Produced by Vinod Chopra Films and Rajkumar Hirani Films in association with Fox Star Studios Sanju is set to be released on June 29, 2018.
