Sanjay Dutt, one of the most iconic stars of Hindi cinema, has lived a life that reads almost like a film script itself — marked by unimaginable highs and devastating lows. Beyond his celebrated acting
career, he has faced personal tragedies, including the loss of his parents, Sunil Dutt and Nargis, and the darkest chapter of his life — his imprisonment in connection with the 1993 Mumbai bombings.
During his recent appearance on The Great Indian Kapil Show, Sanjay bared his heart about his time in jail, how he coped with it, and the unusual ways in which he spent his days.
A Life Without Regrets — Except One
Reflecting on his journey, Sanjay shared, “I don’t regret anything that happened in my life. The only thing that I regret is that my parents left me too soon. I miss them a lot.” His emotional confession drew silence on the set, reminding everyone that despite his larger-than-life persona, he still carries the weight of loss.
Carpentry, Radio, and Theatre Behind Bars
When Archana Puran Singh asked him about his carpentry skills from prison, Sanjay revealed that he made furniture and paper bags for wages. But his creativity didn’t stop there. He even launched a prison radio channel called Radio YCP. “It used to play only inside the jail. I got paid for that as well. We had topics to talk about, and we also did some comedy. Three or four other prisoners would write the script for the program,” he recalled.
Not just radio, Sanjay also started a theatre group inside jail. “I was the director and murder convicts were my actors,” he said with a bittersweet laugh, showing how he used art as a way of survival in an environment defined by despair.
An Eerie Encounter With a Convict Barber
Sharing one of his most chilling memories from jail, Sanjay recounted an incident when he was asked to shave his beard. “The superintendent sent a guy named Mishra ji. As he pulled out his razor, I asked him how long has he been in jail. He told me 15 years. I asked him for what crime, and he replied ‘double murder.’ By then, his razor had already reached my neck. I immediately held his hand and stopped him. So, a double murder convict had a razor in his hand — that’s just an ordinary day in jail.”
Finding Strength in Adversity
Sanjay’s anecdotes shed light on how he transformed his time behind bars into an outlet for creativity, laughter, and resilience. Whether it was running a radio show, directing theatre, or even turning everyday moments into extraordinary stories, he found ways to endure and rise above.
From a superstar to a prisoner and back, Sanjay Dutt’s story remains one of Bollywood’s most compelling tales of survival, redemption, and resilience.
