Sanjay Dutt Says ‘No Peace in India’ Remark Was Scripted, Not His View

Sanjay Dutt has now explained twice in two days the comments he made on Shekhar Suman’s talk show “Shekhar Tonite.” In a new video statement, the actor says his remark about no longer feeling “peace” in India came from a scripted segment and does not reflect his personal views, The Indian Express and India Today reported.

Dutt appeared on a Gandhi Jayanti episode of the show, where he praised Indians as warm and welcoming before saying he missed a sense of calm. “The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can’t feel that peace in our country anymore,” he said on the show, according to both outlets. He then said he was praying for those days to return.

A satirical turn as ‘prime minister’

In another segment, Suman asked Dutt to imagine himself as India’s prime minister for five minutes. Dutt answered in the voice of Munna Bhai, the gangster he played in Rajkumar Hirani’s comedies, who takes up Mahatma Gandhi’s path of non-violence in the 2006 sequel “Lage Raho Munna Bhai.” In the fictional address, he invoked Gandhi’s three monkeys, who see, hear and speak no evil, and said he wanted a fourth, asking who would correct a wrong once someone sees it, India Today reported. The Indian Express reported that the monologue included digs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his foreign trips.

Clips from the episode drew mixed reactions on social media, with some viewers saying they were surprised and others strongly disagreeing, according to India Today.

Two clarifications

Dutt first responded on X, in a statement shared late Sunday evening, according to The Times of India. “I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution,” he wrote. He said his remarks were made during a scripted conversation meant to be light-hearted and humorous, in the spirit of the “Gandhigiri” idea from the Munna Bhai films, which he said was about love, warmth, togetherness and goodwill. His words, he added, had been taken out of that context.

A day later, he followed up with a video in Hindi, speaking directly to the camera with his hands folded. The Indian Express reported that the clip was shared by a paparazzo account. In it, Dutt said people had contacted him on social media about his comments. “I completely understand their feelings,” he said, according to the English translations published by both outlets. “Whatever I said on the show was part of a scripted segment,” he continued, adding that this is often how such television shows work and that the remarks were in no way his personal views, thoughts or feelings.

He said he valued the trust and affection of his friends and well-wishers and did not want a scripted performance to create any misunderstanding about his real views. He signed off with “Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”

Host stands by the actor

Suman also defended Dutt. The host told NDTV that Dutt has great respect for the country and its people, that his comments were harmless and meant in a positive way, and that he should not be criticised for something he never said or meant, according to The Indian Express.

What’s next for Dutt

On the film front, Dutt was last seen in the political drama “Aakhri Sawal,” which was released in cinemas in May, and his upcoming projects include “Khalnayak Returns,” in which he will reprise his role as Ballu, according to India Today. For more Hindi film industry news, visit our Bollywood page.

Verification: Dutt’s on-show remarks, his X statement and his video clarification are reported by The Indian Express (Oct. 6) and India Today (Oct. 6). The timing of his X post comes from The Times of India (Oct. 5).