Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt may be in jail in the 1993 Mumbai bombings case, but a Gandhian institution here has decided to honour him for promoting the Mahatma's ideals through his role in "Lage Raho Munna Bhai".

A three-member team of the Gandhi Vichar Andolan, an organisation led by 93-year-old freedom fighter Mewa Lal Gupta, will felicitate the actor at Yerawada Jail in Pune on Nov 24 for what has been described as his "unparalleled contribution" to promote Gandhian values.

Gupta told: "We have taken note of the fact that what the entire nation could not do in independent India has been achieved by Sanjay Dutt through his role as Munna Bhai.

"The extent to which the message of Mahatma Gandhi could be spread through the film was incredible. I am really impressed by the overwhelming impact the film made on the minds of common people."

When his attention was drawn to the actor's conviction by a special Mumbai court that convicted him under the Arms Act but absolved him of terrorism charges, Gupta Wednesday said: "That is a different issue. As far as we are concerned, we see enough reason to felicitate the man who deserves praise for effectively spreading the message of the father of the nation."

"Sanjay has done something that books, visuals, and other laudable efforts could not achieve over the decades."