The man, the myth, the legend turns 66 today and we are in ultimate nostalgia about his filmography. Sanjay Dutt has been a magnanimous personality on and off screen, on his birthday Maithili Bachani takes a walk down memory lane to 10 of his iconic roles in cinema!
Rocky – Rocky
Rocky was Sanjay Dutt’s debut film, he played a complex character that was emotionally conflicted and caught in a web of revenge. His performance had vulnerability along with raw screen presence that made him memorable.
Khalnayak – Ballu
A rugged criminal with a tragic past and layered psyche; classic Sanjay Dutt. His anti hero performance really stuck with the audience and Khalnayak became a cultural phenomenon; his intense, charismatic and morally ambiguous character will never not be iconic.
Sadak – Ravi
Sadak was an intense romance thriller that Sanjay Dutt played promisingly with passion and vulnerability; as romantic lead he had everyone floored making him all the more desirable.
Vaastav – Raghu
Vaastav was Dutt’s career defining performance, from common man to a feared gangster; he instantly became iconic. The line “pachas tola’ and his emotional breakdown towards the end was highly impactful and made a mark in his filmography.
Munna Bhai MBBS – Munna
Munna Bhai MBBS was a cult comedy classic that was light hearted and wholesome, a gangster turned medical student revived his career and gave Hindi cinema one of the most lovable characters.
Saajan – Aman
A shy and sensitive poet who is differently abled finds himself in a love triangle, he brought a certain poetic sadness and depth in emotional turmoil that garnered a lot of critical acclaim, his restrained performance stood out and made an impact.
Agneepath – Kancha Cheena
Sanjay Dutt as Kancha Cheena was a great shift in his career trajectory to his villainous era, bald, brutal and merciless; he truly was beautifully dark. A menacing screen presence sent chills down the audience’s spine. A powerful comeback and a truly iconic character.
Dhamaal – Kabir
Dhamaal was a comedy of misadventures as cop fowling four clueless idiots, the straight face comic delivery was hilarious and truly displayed his versatility as an actor.
Lage Raho Munna Bhai – Munna
Reprising his role as Munna, Sanjya Dutt brought back the Gandhian philosophy and his character portrayed personal growth and warmth, the sequel was just as good as the first one; this film made Munna prevalent to pop culture.
KGF Chapter 2 – Adheera
This viking inspired villain portray of Sanjay Dutt was powerful and fierce, with a chilling intensity he added grandeur and gravitas to the KGF universe, proving he is still the icon we love and praise.