Sanjay Dutt’s long battle with drug abuse has been in the public eye for decades. The actor has openly spoken about his struggle with it and eventually overcoming it. Prominent Indian screenwriter, novelist, actor, and film director Ranbir Pushp, in a recent conversation, recalled a particular phase when Sanjay Dutt admitted to being tempted to do drugs again.
This was when Sanjay revealed that the thought crossed his mind only once – during his first wife Richa Sharma’s cancer treatment.
In a recent podcast with Siddharth Kannan, Ranbir Pushp spoke about the time they were filming the 1992 film Sahebzaade in Kullu Manali, which also featured Aditya Pancholi and Neelam Kothari. The film’s story and screenplay were penned by Ranbir Pushp. He recalled having a conversation with Sanjay Dutt during the outdoor schedule, when he and Dutt were among the few who did not drink.
Ranbir Pushp shared that he asked the actor, “Sanjay, kabhi dobara khayal nahi aaya ki jo drugs-vagairah ka (Sanjay, were you ever tempted again)?”
Sanjay Dutt replied, “Ranbir ji, ek baar aaya tha. Jab Richa ko hospital le gaye, andar operation ke liye. Us waqt woh meri wife thi. Tab mujhe thoda sa, jaise ek aadmi hota hai na, hil jaata hai aadmi, poora body vichlit ho jaati hai ki ye kya ho raha hai life mein. Tab mujhe bole, kuch seconds ke liye laga tha (Ranbir ji, it happened once. When Richa was taken to the hospital for an operation. I was shaken then, you know, the way a person is shaken to the core, your whole body is disturbed, wondering what is happening in life. For a few seconds, I felt like that).”
Sanjay Dutt added, “Phir mere dimaag mein usi waqt mere father ka chehra, meri family, meri apni zindagi aayi aur fraction of a second woh thought jo hai mere mind se hatak gaya. Matlab woh andar se itna mazboot ho chuka tha us waqt ki duniya ki koi taakat ab mujhe is taraf nahi le ja sakti (At that very moment, my father’s face, my family and my own life came to my mind, and within a fraction of a second, that thought disappeared from my mind. I had become so strong from within by then that there was no force in the world that could ever take me back in that direction).”
Ranbir Pushp concluded, “Aur woh jitne din the, woh poori purity ke din the. Aur mujhe sabse zyada pavitrata, sabse zyada achchai, sabse zyada honesty, sabse zyada decency, sabse zyada devotion towards work agar kisi ka tha, toh woh Sanjay Dutt ka tha. Us din totally dedicated to work (And those days were filled with complete purity. If there was anyone I saw who had the most purity, goodness, honesty, decency and devotion towards work, it was Sanjay Dutt. He was totally dedicated to his work during those days).”
About Sanjay Dutt And Richa Sharma
Sanjay Dutt’s first wife was actor Richa Sharma, who died from a brain tumour on December 10, 1996 at her parents’ home in New York. Richa was diagnosed with brain cancer just two years after her marriage to Sanjay Dutt. Their daughter, Trishala Dutt, was born in 1988.
Richa Sharma made her debut with Dev Anand’s Hum Naujawan. Some of her other films include Anubhav, Insaaf Ki Awaaz, Sadak Chhap and Aag Hi Aag.
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