A Documentary About Sanjay Dutt on YouTube

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As many readers probably already know, actor Sanjay Dutt was just sentenced to six years ‘rigorous imprisonment’ for possessing illegal weapons, including an AK-56. Last winter, he was cleared on more serious terrorism/conspiracy charges relating to the Bombay blasts of 1993. My first thought was, oh well — no Munnabhai 3, I guess. (Or, who knows? Intezar karo, Munnabhai?)

But then there are more serious questions — one might be, is it really a fair sentence? Readers, what do you think?

In my view, even if, it’s legally a reasonable sentence, Sanju does have an explanation for owning a weapon in 1993. For one thing, as a film star (and as the son of two very famous actors), his family was a target for the criminal underworld; I’m sure he wasn’t the only one to have these kinds of weapons in his possession at the time. Secondly, as of 1992/3, the Dutts were also apparently getting regular death threats from communalists following their humanitarian work on behalf of Muslims in the areas affected by the 1992 riots. Given the total lawlessness in Bombay at the time as well as his family’s own prominence, both on screen and in politics, one can understand what he might have been thinking.

On YouTube, you can watch a BBC Channel 4 Documentary on Sanju, called Sanjay Dutt: To Hell and Back, that talks about the Dutt family, Sanjay’s troubled youth (did I mention he was a heroin addict in the 1980s?), and the events surrounding the trial. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. (Part 2 is the section that deals the most with the events leading up to the arrest.)

I also think the fact that Dutt has had this trial hanging over his head for fourteen years is pretty severe punishment in itself. While I respect the court’s judgment, today I feel bad for Sanju. The Bollywood actor who should really be in jail is probably Salman Khan: Sanjay Dutt may have been a bad boy, but at least he never killed anyone, eh? (Ok, allegedly killed anyone.)

102 thoughts on “A Documentary About Sanjay Dutt on YouTube”

  2. About the justice system in India, I am completely with Runa on this one, there is no need to go India bashing just yet. After all this is a positive where a film star irrespective of his status has been sentenced to six years RI. Someone in my immediate family was brutally murdered at a high end hotel in mid 90s, the accused were of high social status and played every trick in the book, including countless adjournments, hiring the best lawyers, trying to bribe their way etc. They were caught within three days of the incident and they were all convicted on all counts irrespective of their status and the sentencing is scheduled for later this year. The system may not be perfect but there are definitely things that are working.

  3. Huh??.. Have you mistaken me for someone else?. I’m the only one who supports Bal thackeray here.. the only “Hindutvadi” now .. 🙂

    I saw you picking holes in evidence against Thackery, but let’s admit there are bigger holes in evidence against Afzal. Why aren’t people invoking the victim of circumstances defense in his case.

    Looks like I mistook you for someone standing for quality of evidence 🙂

  4. I think we just exceeded some kind of limit (size/number of characters, most likely) in some buffer on the dating post page. My firefox and IE on Windows XP both refuse to load that page.

  5. I think we just exceeded some kind of limit (size/number of characters, most likely) in some buffer on the dating post page. My firefox and IE on Windows XP both refuse to load that page.

    same here….dammit. now i need to do work…

  6. same here….dammit. now i need to do work…

    me, too. as much as i was enjoying it, i hope SMIntern doesn’t fix the problem…

  7. Also, imams may not have had an equal role to Shiv Sainiks in the riots, but that’s just due to the demographics of the city…if they were in larger numbers, and more confident of success, they would have had a larger role.

    There are enough Muslim Imams in Bombay to raise hell. There are thousands of imams in Bombay and they could have certainly incited people.

    Its interesting that you believe that the imams may not have played an equal role considering the fact that there is NO EVIDENCE to suggest that the Imams played a role which was similar to role played by the Shiv Sainiks at any level.

    As to your reckless speculation here ‘if they were in larger numbers, and more confident of success, they would have had a larger role’, I am sure you have some insight into the minds of the thousands of Bombay Imams which the rest of us are not in privity to.

  8. I saw you picking holes in evidence against Thackery, but let’s admit there are bigger holes in evidence against Afzal. Why aren’t people invoking the victim of circumstances defense in his case. Looks like I mistook you for someone standing for quality of evidence 🙂

    ROFL.. 🙂 .

    It is not my fulltime job to pick holes in the evidence either for/against someone. I just read the “Frontline” article and realised that there is nothing much against Bal Thackeray (atleast from what is mentioned in a “certainly” anti-Bal Thackeray article)

  10. There are enough Muslim Imams in Bombay to raise hell. There are thousands of imams in Bombay and they could have certainly incited people.

    Are you attributing this restraint to calmness, maturity and love of communal harmony, or maybe simply logisitics and choosing a course which was a better strategy for their community? I don’t have any special insights into the inner minds of the imams…just a deep distrust of their motives, politics, and ideology. Just as I do for the Shiv Sena.

  11. Suketu Mehta’s chapter on Sanjay Dutt is worth reading. He is a troubled soul dogged by misfortune. He has acted foolishly on many occasions, but always paid far bigger price than most.

    I think there’s a class bias against Sanjay Dutt, whose family is from a upper class background and people like the Dutts were always resented by the Mumbai middle class.

    monimoni, Not sure what’s the basis of your assumption. People across the board had enormous respect for Nargis and Sunil Dutt. You can google their charity work. Sunil Dutt’s Northwest Mumbai constituency was virtually untouchable for years — much to the chagrin of Shiv Sena and some of his own party bosses. In fact Dutt seniors were the reason people tolerated Sanjubaba‘s foolishness for so long.

  12. Shodan,

    You are right about Sunil Dutt’s goodwill, his daughter got elected after his demise from the same constituency. There was some talk of Sunjay contesting the election, but was shot down in the favor of you the younger sister.

  13. In fact Dutt seniors were the reason people tolerated Sanjubaba’s foolishness for so long.

    I meant the Shiv Sena sympathizers who make up the lower and middle class of Bombay and hold lots of official positions. They’re traditionalists who are not impressed by movie stars. I wouldn’t expect them to respect an inter-religious, liberal couple like the Dutts.

  14. moni,

    Like Shodan mentioned, one of Sunjay Dutt’s biggest supporters was Bala Saheb. I am not sure if you know any of the “middle and lower class bombayites” but Sunil Dutt had overwhelming support in Bombay.

  15. Then why is he being scapegoated? I still think there’s class-ism involved, with Sanjay representing the Westernized upper classes.

  16. Then why is he being scapegoated? I still think there’s class-ism involved, with Sanjay representing the Westernized upper classes.

    westernized indians never seemed very westernized to me….

  18. Moni,

    See Runa in 34, and I am really not sure I understand your argument for a class bias. Congress is in Power in Maharshtra right now not Shiv Sena even though Shiv Sena supported Sunjay. Sharad Pawar had a beef with Sunil Dutt and he left congress a while back. Sunjay’s sister is an MP from their dad’s constituency. I am not sure what classes are persecuting Sanjay for being a representation of westernized Indians.

  19. Moni,

    For more see the link Samir has linked to in no. 6, Sanjay Dutt for the transcript of phone conversations between Sanjay and Chota Shakeel.

  20. Are you attributing this restraint to calmness, maturity and love of communal harmony, or maybe simply logisitics and choosing a course which was a better strategy for their community?

    Yes, I am. I have no reason to believe that the random Imam in Bombay wants to incite people to kill.

    I don’t have any special insights into the inner minds of the imams…just a deep distrust of their motives, politics, and ideology. Just as I do for the Shiv Sena.

    So you believe that all Imams in the millions of mosques around the World (there are over 100,000 imams in India itself) are as suspect as the fascist Shiv Sainiks. You obviously have a deep mistrust of Muslims and their institutions.

  21. Amardeep – “Keep in mind that when the Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal, and the radical Imams in Bombay incited people to violence, 900+ people died in riots. What happened this spring with DSS is not on that scale.”

    Next time, following the Dera Sacha Sauda’a assertion of their fundamental right, if the Akal Takht instigates violence, which results in bloodshed, I hope you will advocate legal action against the Granthis. God knows they deserve more.

  23. ACD,

    Not to deny Shiv Sena has strong fascist tendencies.

    Also, not to paint all Imams as hate mongers, not at all.

    However, some Imams in India have openly played role of “instigators” from time to time. Even Shah Imam Bukhari in his day have had acted as a demogogue. All this goes back to Direct Action Day, and the politics of religion in India from early 20th century. I hope you keep all this in mind and context.

    In west, UK, and even NYC, have Imams that are openly calling for violent jihad.

    Now coming to Mumbai, we talked about it few months ago, it is true Shiv Sena was itching for a fight, but the December riots started from a mosque in response to a babri masjid victory march by Sena (sure victory march was chest thumping that should have not happened but India is free country), and as early as January, they were huge shipments of weapons to Mumbai by Mumbai mafia for a complete show down. Thank god, it never happened. I think I had a Thelekha link for the story.

    As I said earlier, a fascist organization belong to majority (be it Hindus in India or any place in the world) will always have an upper hand in a showdown with the minority.

    In the politics of hate, a less grey for that incident is not a saint or saintly.

  24. I still think there’s class-ism involved, with Sanjay representing the Westernized upper classes
    , I met him randomly in a bar in the US and we chatted for hours, like 2 ordinary people.

    monimoni, And I am forced to think that the reason that Sanjay is drawing support here is precisely because he is assumed to represent the Westernized upper classes whom you seem to identify with. So who is showing classism?

    Anger at the Indian judicial system is justified at times – but you would do better directing that anger towards cases where the innocent are punished.(Unfortunately, you are not likely to meet them randomly in a bar). No justification for anger at this case where someone who is guilty has been tried and sentenced.

  25. However, some Imams in India have openly played role of “instigators” from time to time. Even Shah Imam Bukhari in his day have had acted as a demogogue. All this goes back to Direct Action Day, and the politics of religion in India from early 20th century. I hope you keep all this in mind and context.

    I dont disagree with anything you are saying. I would also agree with you on ‘Direct Action Day’ though I am not sure if the Imams had anything to do with it. I am not suggesting that the Imams in India are all little MLKs. However by and large the Imams are not inciting violence against the majority community in India and so to be presumptively suspicious of imams in my mind is unwarranted.

    In west, UK, and even NYC, have Imams that are openly calling for violent jihad.

    Thats mostly true for some imams especially in the UK.

    As I said earlier, a fascist organization belong to majority (be it Hindus in India or any place in the world) will always have an upper hand in a showdown with the minority.

    Very well put. I agree completely. Between, have you seen the movie ‘Final Solution’ by Rakesh Sharma and what do you think about it?

  26. Between, have you seen the movie ‘Final Solution’ by Rakesh Sharma and what do you think about it?

    I bought that movie for 50 dollars. It made me laugh at the rhetoric by fanatics and almost cry at the consequences. The scene by the school boy is touching.

    I find/ found the hindu fascists sickening. I also agree that an extremist organization belonging to the majority population has a potentially bottomless source of supporters, and collaborators (police and all). But I am not going soft peddle (or do kutchi, kutchi) to the same team belonging to the minorities.

    But I think the “politics of hate” in India has a long history – in that history, direct action day stands as a singular point even it was not immam induced – with upwards of tens of thousands (more than 50,000-60,000 in Bengal itself) killed in few days. The same thing happened during the time around direct action day period, muslim league ruled governments (at that time even India was British ruled, at the state and local level, congress, muslim league and other parties had power sharing arrangements as per elections) would make sure police looked the other way while the massacres went on. Another classic (somewhat different though) case is Punjab in early 80s – people would pulled down the buses and killed, editors shot in broad daylight – the the local and state government was shit scared to do anything against Brindanwalla and his ilk.

    No team deserves kutchi, kutchi.

    I agree that in general immams in India are not calling for hatred.

  27. westernized indians never seemed very westernized to me….

    Yaar, give them some latitude.

  28. westernized indians never seemed very westernized to me….

    Have you even ever met them?……the likes of Nawab of Patuadi, Nirad C. Chaudhari, S. Chandrashekar, Satyajit Ray, Imran Khan (a Pakistani though), Zaheer Abbas (another Pakistani cricketer, very Brit in his demeanor) the entire Nehru family starting from Motilal Nehru.

    I seriously doubt that. I also doubt you even know about the names I mentioned above, who they were or are.

  29. Just to add to what kush said, Jawaharlal could easily “out english” any englishman you could ever meet (same with nirad babu).

  30. Let me add to the list of westernized Indians* – MA Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan

    When he gave a speech on August, 14, 1947, it was Urdu written in English. He was so anglizied that “Pakistan Zindabad” sounded “Pakistan is in the bag” on the radio broadcast.

    Rajiv Gandhi or even Indira Gandhi spoke hindi very hesitantly early in their political career.

    • MA Jinnah was once an Indian, and in fact, in his heart, he wanted to settle in Bombay after 1947, and never sold his house.

  32. Kush, I’m surprised to see Satyajit Ray in the list of western Indians. Is that on the basis of speaking fluent English? Other than that, I can’t really think of any other characteristics that would place him in that category…

  33. Yeah, I too was kinda surprised with roy in the list (he actually considered himself pretty cosmopolitan); actually people like roy (and even tagore) did not think that there was any contradiction between being “indian”, “westernized” and “citizens of the world”.

  34. Kush, I’m surprised to see Satyajit Ray in the list of western Indians. Is that on the basis of speaking fluent English? Other than that, I can’t really think of any other characteristics that would place him in that category…

    His demeanor was very English like. Sure, he spoke very good and fluent English. I remember seeing his interview, he was incredibly impressive in his encylopedic knowledge but also had a pucca sahib touch.

    In fact, when he directed the movie “Shatranj Ki Khilari”, since the movie was not in Bangla but in Hindi-Urdu-English, he did all the work and direction in English, it was the duty of his longtime confidant to make all the translations, and communication on the set.

    PS: Please put my series of comments in response (context) to PindainUSA words of wisdom when he made a derisive remark about westernized Indians. I am neither extolling or downgrading westernized Indians but it speaks of PindainUSA ignorance to not know of whole of an entire class of brown sahibs that have been in Indian subcontinent for centuries, and became its destiny – Nehru and Jinnah are two examples in addition to thousands ICS officers, and British Indian Army officers, later to become power brokers in India and Pakistan.

  35. kush, ray’s bengali was excellent too, by the way (as i said in #83…). other than that, point taken about the non-judgmental nature of the examples.

  39. Whether or not Sanjay Dutt’s sentence is fair or not should be decided based on sentences awarded to other people for similar crimes. His crime called for a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. Before anyone wishes for more leniency in Sanjay Dutt’s case, he should instead fight for reevaluating prison sentences if he thinks Sanjay’s sentence is unfair.

    the Dutts were also apparently getting regular death threats from communalists

    Is a semi-automatic weapon needed to protect oneself?

    I also think the fact that Dutt has had this trial hanging over his head for fourteen years is pretty severe punishment in itself.

    So did everyone else who were charged with crimes.

    Also, let’s not forget that he didn’t need to associate with terrorists to get the weapons he needed if they were only for his protection. The people he associated with wreaked havoc in India.

    On a last note, the guy who was charged with melting his pistol got five years imprisonment. If a person can get 5 years for disposing of a gun illegally and for lying, then why is a sentence of 6 years too harsh for Sanjay Dutt?

  40. I am not sure if it is class, or his stardom, there is a certainly a bias as much in favour, as against of sanjay. What I can’t understand is why he alone of all the convicts evokes so much sympathy in people. Is there any convict in the bomb blast who is not a victim of circumstance. None of them have documentaries made on their plight or have finances to fight the legal battle to the highest court. Every one who got caught was the small fish. Contrast the public response to his case and afzal case. I can’t imagine anyone saying, “Oh afzal ! is not directly involved, he just got involved with the wrong crowd to feed his family”

    Shiv Sena is a one man personality cult. Thackery controlled everything. The fact that sena is involved in the riots( and there is no dearth of evidence for it,many mumbaikars have first hand knowledge of it) is proof of thackery’s culpability. Sainiks are automatons controlled by remote control.

    …Westernized upper classes.

    sigh! Kush Tandon did a good job of answering it. But, I do agree there are people who are vindictive against him for a whole bunch of unrelated reasons. But thats true for anyone involved in films & politics.

  41. If they can put Sanjay Dutt in jail 6 years for owning firearms, why haven’t they yet jailed Salman Khan for drunk driving and vehicular homicide? I love Sanjay Dutt as an actor but celebrity should not put any above the law. More and more celebrities in India and the USA walkaround freely after committing crimes than endanger the commonfolk. Sanju’s sentence will send a message to Bollywood’s glitterati. Now if only the US justice system would throw harsh sentences at the likes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie!

  43. why haven’t they yet jailed Salman Khan for drunk driving and vehicular homicide?

    That trial is still running.

  45. I too had sympathies for Sanjay till a point in time. I was ready to accept arguments that he may be an innocent victim in all this. However, my perception changed in 2000-2001 when recorded conversations were made public wherein he was speaking with Chota Shakeel to bump of Hritik Roshan because be was becoming too famous (Chikne to maarna hai…). That was it – since then I have no mercy for him and I’m ready to believe the worst about him.

    Six years is too less.

    M. Nam

  46. moornam – i had no idea. perhaps the TADA court felt there wasn’t enough to support a charge of terrorism, but the sentencing was some implicit way of reflecting some element of terrorist activity? on the other hand, even though i sort of feel bad he has to go back to jail (or maybe not, now knowing more information), i don’t know how sentencing guidelines work in india – 6 years for holding a weapon like an AK-56 arguably seems on the lighter side, and it could be at the lower end of the sentencing range for this crime. either way, he did commit at least this one crime, and if this is within the permissive sentencing, it cannot be argued that it was unjust.

  47. Sanjay Dutt is guilty by association with the Mumbai Underworld. Also arrogant,stupid and naive that he is above the law. Enough with the Sanju baba crap….he is almost 50 years old. Next are the killers of Jessica Lal, the drunk ones who mowed down poor urchins and police men in Mumbai and Delhi.

    If you want to drill civic sense into people, they have to realize that law applies to all.

  48. Moornam, I too have read those transcripts. I don’t remember Dutt wanting to kill anyone. There was this bit where Shakeel said, “You have outclassed Rhitik Roshan in Mission Kashmir”. In taporese “Woh Chikne ki maar di hain ekdam first-class”. (link)

    Lost in translation?

  49. 22 · Rahul on August 1, 2007 08:51 AM · Direct link Yay, Floridian is baaaaaaaaack!

    The party was great. Listen to this. One of my cousins in Delhi has the same birthday as mine. Back in the sixties, when both of us were young teens, our respective parents used to economize by combining our birthday parties into one. Turns out that my cousin’s daughter has the same birthday as our wedding anniversary. So we dedicated our 35th wedding anniversary cake to her. After thirty-some years, my cousin and I were celebrating something together again. Now, how cool is that!

    Eliot was good reading. I am picking up on Dalrymple now. Not in the same class as Khushwant Singh, though.

    Not to go completely AWOL on the thread, here is a thought on Sanju, as the Page 3 glitterati calls him here in Delhi. Why not let him rake in millions acting in the 6 or 8 movies he has signed up for and donate the proceeds to a worthwhile charity? I can guaranee you each one of his movies will be a hit. Even though the majority of public opinion is in favor of the sentence, that does not take anything away from the huge affection people feel for him. After the last Munnabhai movie, he is a folk hero, and starring in movies as a person dutifully paying for his crime will really resonate with the Indian public.

  50. Woh Chikne ki maar di hain ekdam first-class”.

    i browsed through those trancripts (thanks for the link) – i think ‘first-class’ is my new favourite word 🙂

    Not in the same class as Khushwant Singh, though.

    i just picked up death at my doorstep by KS – it’s a collection of obituaries of people personally known to him as well as public figures. i think he ends it with one on himself.

    Why not let him rake in millions acting in the 6 or 8 movies he has signed up for and donate the proceeds to a worthwhile charity

    ? not a bad one. but i think a lot of people would prob. object on the fact that it would be somewhat equivalent to bail – and the notion that this sentence is hitting him where it hurts – he values his freedom more than his money (said amount being somewhat minimal to his already accumulated wealth).