It’s almost six months since the news about Sanjay Dutt’s serious illness rocked the world of entertainment. After a few months of silence on the same, the actor-producer shared a post on social media, thanking his doctors for his speedy recovery. And around that time, when speculations were rife about when Sanjay would return to film sets, the 61-year-old actor quietly resumed shooting for director Karan Malhotra’s upcoming movie, Shamshera. It was one of the first projects that he shot when he slipped into recuperation mode.

Karan, who had directed Sanjay in Agneepath (2012), where the actor played the role Kancha Cheena, believes that nothing could dampen the Deadly Dutt’s spirit. “My equation is honest and straightforward with all my actors. When I was a newcomer (while making Agneepath), I was fortunate to get a cast that was more experienced than me, and yet, followed what I said. My equation with Sanjay sir today is better than what it was while making Agneepath. He’s someone who gets the pulse of what I am saying so correctly, and takes it many notches higher. Sometimes, I have even enacted things. He just amplifies what I have in mind,” says Karan.

Talking about the time when Sanjay recently resumed shooting for their next, post his recovery, Karan says, “Sanjay sir is fully evolved as an artiste. He is all there. In Agneepath, and in this new film of ours, he is the same. He has the same regard for all the characters he plays. He is as involved, excited and glamorous. People could feel crushed under the pressure that he has been through in recent times, but Sanjay sir is just as passionate and as present in every moment.”

The filmmaker further adds, “Sanjay sir wants to be around on the set, and was there even when he didn’t have a scene.. He enjoyed the energy on the set. Normally, the journey, which he took on his road to recovery, would have made a person miserable, but nothing could dampen Sanjay sir’s spirit. He stood firm and continues to be involved and completely out there with all the work he does.”