Most biographies are convenient rather than cathartic confessions, written not to convey regret but convince about reasons for transgressions, moral and criminal if any. You can say it’s a little like history, interpretive and the perspective of the person recording it. Biopics are compressed versions, with a wider reach, condensed and coloured. Somewhere the wafer thin line between reality and what’s being related depends on the perception of the consumer which is what makes the whole process fascinating. Every person feels the vicissitudes he/she has experienced is fit for public consumption in whatever form but very few get the privilege. It could sometimes be more about the struggle than the success. None of us is born with a user manual and it’s the consequences of our choices and decisions that reflect the quality of our lives ultimately.
I was not thrilled when I heard Sanjay Dutt’s story thus far was going to be immortalised in celluloid. Honestly, I’m not a fan of Raju Hirani’s cinematic recipe of simplistic solutions like a hug and chanting ‘All ish well’. His films are innocuous but for all his success I’d not bracket him with Hrishikesh Mukerjee or Basu Chaterjee. The most compelling reason to wait for and watch the film is the gifted Ranbir Kapoor and the challenge for him of playing an actor far less talented. It helped to be of similar height but the physical transformation, voice, gait and slightly stoned look are remarkable. Believe me, it’s not easy wearing a hangdog expression constantly.
‘Sanju’ is a cinematic gift from Raju to a friend he obviously adores. Blaming a drug peddler for addiction is like holding ITC responsible for smoking. Ironically Sanjay made all his choices as an adult. It’s not unlike superstars playing anti-hero in a film with a flashback justifying his indiscretions. Sanjay did not imbibe anything more than physical features from his highly respected parents. Raju Hirani paints him as an innocent sucked in by circumstances, but how can someone who doesn’t listen to his best buddy or father be called that. I was not amused by Hirani’s ‘bhalathkar’ brand of humour in ‘3 Idiots’ and there’s a similar sequence here too. The most serious indiscretions are treated lightly like bedding his best friend’s girlfriend and blaming it on her. It’s always a person, the press or the fact that he’s stoned and oblivious of his transgressions, moral or criminal. You can empathise with a star whose family is being threatened but he could have requested for police protection. You could buy a gun legally instead of sourcing it from the mob. Stars hobnobbing with gangsters were common in the nineties. Some did it to flaunt their connections while others were at their beck and call under duress. There is a terrific confrontation scene with Sayaji Shinde when Sanju refuses to attend a ‘visarjan’. This reminded me of Shahrukh Khan relating a similar sequence when I interviewed him. “I was invited to a religious function by people I thought were from the underworld. I declined since I was busy shooting. The next day they landed up at my shooting. I shouted at them for visiting my sets. They took me aside and pulled a gun. I was immobile, numb. I’ve never felt like that in my life. I always felt if someone pulled a gun I’d scream and push them away. But I could not move and he could have killed me. It turned out to be a lighter and they were there to apologise for trying to force me. It was like a scene from a film,” said Shahrukh. The genuinely engaging scenes are few and far between in a cinematic exercise to prove that Sanjay Dutt was not the villain he was made out to be. He was a victim of circumstances, bad company and a monstrous press. You can understand when a celebrated biographer in the film is sceptical to come on board when Sanjay’s wife approaches her to write her husband’s story. Her biggest worry is that truth will be a casualty.
Now I know why Kamal refuses to pen his autobiography. “I cannot be honest and if I am it will hurt a lot of people.” I also understand why Mani Ratnam smiled and murmured, “I’ll think about it,” diplomatically when Sanjay Dutt sidled up to him at a party after his first incarceration and said his life story would make an interesting script. Mani had a far more ambitious and interesting tale in mind about two close friends who turn into political foes. ‘Sanju’ comparatively is like a filmi gossip rag edited by a filmstar!
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