Back in 2021, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta had spoken to Bombay Times about working with Sanjay Dutt. He had said, “It will happen, sooner or later, but with the right script.” The filmmaker and actor have been friends since the early 90s. Their first film together was Aatish, and over the years, they have collaborated on films like Kaante, Musafir, Zinda and Shootout At Lokhandwala. Their last film together was Dus Kahaniyaan in 2007.

Recently, while chatting with BT, Sanjay Dutt spilled the beans about the project that he will be collaborating on with Gupta soon, recreating the style, swagger and machismo that their films together were known for. “I have no idea how and why that happened. Even though the slice-of-life and boy-next-door stories are brilliant, our DNA still leans towards heroism and machismo. Manmohan Desai and Subhash Ghai saab’s storytelling blended these elements beautifully. Sanjay Gupta knows to mix in these elements with a unique sense of style and charisma,” said Dutt.

Sanjay Dutt said, “The leads in his film, no matter what they played, looked sexy, and were distinguishable as heroes. Musafir, Kaante, Zinda, Aatish… the man has a nondepletable coffer of one-liners. We will be working together in a few months from now.”

Without wanting to go into the details or the title of the project that they will be working on together, Dutt added, “In many ways, we grew up together, holding each other’s hands. I know Gups well and I know what he wants from me. Beech mein, main behak gaya tha. I wasn’t taking care of myself and I didn’t want to work with him at a time when I was not at my best. The reason I hit the gym is that I started preparing myself to work with him again. I am getting back to my home turf very soon.”

Talking about working with Dutt in his brand-new, fitter Sanjay Gupta avatar, Gupta said, “Obviously, after all these years, I was yearning to work with Sanju again. I was waiting to find the right script to work with him because it is about taking our legacy forward. I am happy that I have found the story I was looking for. It’s a fantastic story which suits Sanju, his age and his personality and does justice to his ample talent. I’ve always tapped a side to him that other makers haven’t. When it comes to working with Sanju, everything comes from the heart. I met him recently and he has lost a lot of weight. He’s looking great and is ready to hit the floor. The film that we will be working on is a really ambitious project, mounted on a large scale. We have all seen it, that’s the kind of cinema that is thriving today.”