Sanjay Dutt reflected on Bollywood’s transformation, calling it “cut-throat” compared to Hollywood’s unity. He named Munna Bhai as his most impactful role, sharing lessons on empathy from doctors. He also revealed forgiveness as jail’s biggest lesson, taught by a constable. Dutt was last seen in “Dhurandhar: The Revenge.”

With over four decades in the industry, Sanjay Dutt has had a front-row seat to Bollywood’s evolution. Between the ups and downs of his personal life and the many shifts the film world has undergone, he has witnessed some of its most significant turning points. Recently, he opened up about how he feels the film fraternity has fundamentally transformed since the early days of his career.

Sanjay Dutt on why he calls Bollywood ‘cut-throat’ compared to Hollywood

Speaking recently on AIG Hospitals’ YouTube channel, Dutt reflected on Bollywood’s early days, saying, “When I started, the industry felt like a family. Everyone was together, everyone was helping one another. Now it’s become much more cut-throat, much more competitive. Hollywood is different from here.” Dutt went on to share what he admires about the film industry in the West, adding, “Over there, everyone is very united. The actors are together, the writers are together. There are industry bodies that support everyone. Even if you look at the Oscars, there’s such a strong sense of togetherness. Whenever an actor goes up to receive an award, there’s no jealousy, you can genuinely see everyone celebrating each other. It’s beautiful.”

Sanjay Dutt on why Munna Bhai remains close to his heart

Asked which of his roles he holds closest to his heart, he laughed and confessed that he most enjoys playing gangsters. Even so, he named Munna Bhai as the role that had a genuine impact on him. “I basically like playing gangsters. But honestly, one role that was truly special for me was Munna Bhai. In fact, that role taught me so much about being a doctor, especially through Munna Bhai MBBS. What I realised while doing that film, and through my own journey with my mother and everything else, is that doctors have so many patients and are so busy that sometimes they forget the human touch.“He went on, “And that’s so important. It only takes two minutes to hold a patient’s hand and ask, ‘How are you? I’m there for you.’” Talking about his approach to acting, Sanjay shared that he leans on instinct rather than heavy preparation. Smiling, he said, “I don’t really do anything. I just listen to the script, go to the set, and the director tells me how he wants the scene done. I simply do it.”

Sanjay Dutt on the biggest lesson he learnt in jail

At another point in the conversation, the actor reflected on one of the biggest lessons his time in prison taught him, one he learned from a constable, about the power of forgiveness. “Forgiveness. I learned this during my time in jail, Sir. I learned to forgive. A constable taught me that so well. He told me, ‘Learn to forgive people, and you’ll grow more in life.’ You may know that someone has hurt you, but you forgive them.“

Sanjay Dutt’s latest film

Sanjay Dutt was most recently seen in ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, helmed by director Aditya Dhar.