A Letter From Sunil Dutt That Led Paresh Rawal to ‘Sanju’

Paresh Rawal reveals how it was “divine intervention” that made him act in ‘Sanju’.

Paresh Rawal plays Sunil Dutt in Sanju.

(Photo courtesy: Twitter/altered by The Quint)

Paresh Rawal essayed the role of Sunil Dutt in Rajkumar Hirani's Sanju. The film, starring Ranbir Kapoor, is a biopic on the controversial life and times of Sanjay Dutt. In an exclusive interview to Indian Express, Paresh Rawal revealed how it was 'divine intervention’, an old birthday letter by Dutt senior, that seemed like a sign for him to take on the role of Sunil Dutt in Sanju.

“On May 25, 2005, I was shooting for a movie and I called up home to say that I will be late today. And during the shooting, we got to know that Dutt Sahab (Sunil Dutt) has passed away...I told her that my birthday is on May 30, which is five days away but she said the letter is for you and she even read it to me. I was so surprised. Why would Dutt Sahab send me a birthday letter five days before my birthday? And we have never exchanged any holiday greetings in the past – be it Diwali or Christmas – so why would he write to me?”

Paresh Rawal to <i>Indian Express</i>

Paresh Rawal at the trailer launch of Sanju. 

When Rawal went to meet Rajkumar Hirani for the narration of his part in Sanju, the forgotten letter from Sunil Dutt resurfaced.

Here’s a copy of the letter that Sunil Dutt wrote to Paresh Rawal.

“On January 3, 2017, I asked my wife to take out a couple of my documents as I was going to meet Rajkumar Hirani. I told her I will pick up those documents when I come back. When I was sitting with Rajkumar Hirani, my wife called me and said that along with the documents, that letter from Sunil Dutt Sahab was also there. She asked me what I wanted to do about it? And I was stunned as I was narrated the part of Sunil Dutt for the movie.”

Paresh Rawal considered it as a hint, that he should take up the role.

“...it was again found on the same day Rajkumar Hirani narrated the Sanju role to me. It is like a divine intervention. I showed that letter to Rajkumar Hirani later.”

Sanju which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Paresh Rawal and others is set to release on 29 June.

(Source: Indian Express)