In an emotional tete-a-tete on his political plan & the cold war between his wife & sister, Sanjay Dutt opens his heart out to Subhash K Jha

Lucknow awaited you with banners displaying AK-47s?
These were just a handful of people with vested interests seeking publicity. They can't hurt me. I know politics wont be easy for me.

I know a lot of things will be said. But I've been facing brickbats for twenty years. I'm used to it.

What more can words do to me? If the honourable court allows me to contest elections and gives me a chance to make myself useful to the country I'll prove to these detractors that my past isn't going to colour my future.

Did Amar Singh approach you after 26/11?
Yes. He spoke to me about joining politics when I went to meet him in Delhi.

Amar Singhji is like an elder brother to me. He thought I should enter politics because I'm capable of helping people in society.

When he said this to me I felt so honoured. That he should think of me in this way after all I've gone through, boosted my morale tremendously.

As he pointed out to me, I've been helping to fight cancer and drug abuse. Now I'm ready to do more, much more.

There's a panic in the industry about your unfinished projects?
I don't understand why. Politics won't change my film career. I'll take on less work. This new responsibility will force me to become more quality conscious.

I've been doing too many films and film appearances for friendship's sake. Politics is a golden opportunity to put an end to unwanted films. I've discussed this with Amar Singhji.

My films will be my top priority. I'm first and foremost an actor. At the same time I'm not going to be one of those sleeper politicians.It's not in my genes.

My father and mother weren't sleeper politicians. If I've taken on the responsibility in my constituency I'll fulfil it to the best of my abilities. I'll be a hands-on politician. I'll be in my constituency constantly.

What was your reaction to a part of your family going against your wife publicly?
My sister Priya has denied it. And even if she said it, I forgive her for it. With my parents gone I'm the oldest member of our family.

Like any parent forgives and supports his child I do the same for my family. If Priya has any ill-will or anger towards me and my wife, we both forgive her.

Priya is blood. Nothing can change that. However Maanyata is Sunil Dutt and Nargis's daughter-in-law, no two ways about that. And there's only one Mr & Mrs Dutt in Pali Hill. That's me and Maanyata.

Girls who move into a new family after marriage should assume their new surname and all the responsibilities that come with it.

Is that a message to Priya?
It's a message to my sisters and all those girls who hang on their parents' surname. That's become a fashion these days. But I feel that disrespects the person they've married.

Strong words.
It's a fact, harsh as it may sound. If my wife said she wants to keep her surname the way it was before marriage I'd have been offended.

How do you manage a balancing act between your wife and sister?
There's no balancing act. My wife is my wife. She's the no.1 priority in my life. Any spouse feels the same way. For Priya her husband Owen is no.1 priority

More than year since your marriage, and yet your sisters haven't accepted your wife?
Do you have any sister? If you do you'll know no sister gets along with the brother's wife.

But if my mother was alive she would've been more than happy to accept Maanyata. She's a home-maker, just like my mother.

So why can't your sisters see that?
There's no feud in the family. It's sad when I've to read her family differences expressed in the press. Yes, like any family we've our differences of opinion.

My wife doesn't speak about my family in the press, out of love and respect for my feelings. God willing, my sisters too will see things the same way.

When will you and Maanyata have a baby?
Pray hard for me to become a father soon.