The actor, who has been in the industry for over four decades, admits his passion for acting has kept the fire in him burning. At 65, Sanjay Dutt, who has a packed shooting schedule, says, “An actor’s passion doesn’t die. It’s the passion that keeps you going.”

With a career spanning decades, the KGF - Chapter 2 actor has witnessed the evolution of storytelling from the raw, unbridled energy of yesteryear filmmakers to the sleek, tech-savvy makers of today.

Sanjay Dutt says, “Filmmaking has become more professional. Earlier, there used to be a lot of bonding. There used to be so much interaction between the whole unit and the actor. The entire atmosphere used to be different. Now one gives a shot and then goes back to their vanity vans, but I understand that you have to move with the times. However, I like the way it was those days, back then our heart was at work.”

With around 140 films to his credit, Sanjay confesses that box office matters, but he isn’t really seeking the kind of validation that comes with box office numbers. He explains, “After a while, you pass that stage of looking for validation. Box office and critics are important, but the audience is paramount. Picture chale na chale, the audience should like your work. I still look for good roles. For an actor, performance is very important. All the characters we play should be appreciated by the audience, and for me, that is the biggest reward.”

Ask him why he engages so little with the media and his fans on digital platforms, and he says, “The world has moved on. Back in the day, we had the magazine culture. There used to be a certain relation and equation with the journalists – and there were few. We bonded with them. Now, everything is digital. I don’t find the need to be digitally important. I don’t think my presence there is important every time. You lower your value as an actor (if you are out there too much). An actor should be wanted, the audience should want to see you. If you are seen every two days, then what is the point?”

Talking about the kind of roles he desires, Sanjay admits he wishes to continue being a massy actor. “I have always been a mass-oriented actor, I am a massy actor. That is exactly what I want to be - massier. I am not saying the other kinds of cinema are bad, but 90% of our audience are the masses. We must cater to them, like the South film industry does. They have not forgotten to be massy. Yahan pe thoda gadbad hogayi hai. But I believe that we (Bollywood) will bounce back,” he says.

Ask him why he has refrained from entering the OTT space and he replies, “Honestly, I haven’t got any OTT offers yet. I am open to it, but it depends on the role.”

No interview with Sanjay could be complete without asking him whether Munna Bhai will return to the big screen? “Woh Raju Hirani (filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani) se puchiye. I am also tired of asking him when he would revive Munna Bhai,” he signs off.