Sanjay Dutt undeterred even after his aggressive lobbying failed to earn Baba a nomination in Golden Globes
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; December 12, 2019)

Earlier this year, Sanjay and Maanayata Dutt took many by surprise when they revealed their ambitious plan of taking their maiden Marathi production, Baba, to the Golden Globe Awards. Two days after the organisers of the prestigious awards gala announced the nominations, the actor-producer duo is undeterred that their offering did not find a place in the shortlist for the Best Foreign Film category.

"Coming this far has been a matter of pride for us," says Sanjay, before heaping praise on the film's team. "I am proud of Team Baba for a taking a shot at the Globes. We are overwhelmed with the response the film received. It boosts our confidence to produce regional cinema."

In October, Maanayata had travelled to Los Angeles to organise screenings of the Deepak Dobriyal-starrer for the members of the Golden Globes on the basis of which the jury selects films for the shortlist. "Baba is a tender father-son story, with no commercial trappings. Yet, I was convinced about the story, and knew I had to back the film," she says.

Having stepped out of his comfort zone in recent outings, Sanjay Dutt explains why he has returned to his favourite genre with Prasthanam
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 7, 2019)

Counted among the original macho men of Bollywood, Sanjay Dutt tried to steer away from the action hero image in his last few outings. If Kalank saw him try his hand at an emotional drama, the thriller, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3 (2018), was far removed from the star's brand of cinema. However, his attempt to step out of his comfort zone was met with little success. With his home production Prassthanam, Dutt tells mid-day that he wants to regain his credibility as an action star.

"I played a father in Bhoomi [2017]. In the climax courtroom sequence, the audience expected me to bash up the villains [and were disappointed when it didn't happen]. In Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3, my fans complained that the gangster element was missing from my role. There is a certain image that I have of an action star; it's difficult to break it and do something else. It's difficult to reinvent. If people love me for my macho roles, it is my responsibility to give them that. Prassthanam has everything that the audience expects me to do," he explains.

In his second innings in Bollywood, Dutt is keen to go beyond his role as an actor. His desire to back meaningful cinema has led to the creation of his studio, Sanjay S Dutt Productions. "We decided to back Prassthanam because it's a great film that provides entertainment. We chose politics as the backdrop as we wanted to target the heartland of the country," says the actor-producer, who forayed into production with an unlikely choice — the Marathi film, Baba. "It will be screened for the jury of the Golden Globes on September 14. We hope they nominate it [for the awards]. We are making a small Punjabi film, and a few Hindi films are in the pipeline. The aim is to make content-driven cinema without losing out on entertainment."

Sources say Sanjay Dutt has cut down Marathi film to 90 minutes for the international awards gala, Golden Globes
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 1, 2019)

On his birthday, Sanjay Dutt had expressed his wish to make meaningful cinema under his recently launched banner, Sanjay S Dutt Productions. The actor is staying true to his word — mid-day has learnt that Dutt is planning to send his first Marathi production, Baba, to the Golden Globes 2020 to contend for the Best Motion Picture in a Foreign Language award. The emotional drama, that revolves around a father and son with Deepak Dobriyal playing the lead, will be edited to a runtime of 90 minutes for the international audience.

A source close to the development reveals, "The film isn't India's official entry but is being sent independently by the production house as Sanjay sir and wife Maanayata feel that the emotional story has a universal appeal. The movie that hits screens tomorrow currently stands at 132 minutes. Sanjay sir felt it would benefit from a shorter runtime in the international circuit as most foreign films are well under the 120-minute standard. So, the team is cutting a separate edit of 90 minutes for the awards committee. They will send the movie by mid-August to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) members, who will eventually decide on the shortlist."

mid-day reached out to the production house, which remained unavailable for comment.

As he forays into regional cinema with his production Baba, Sanjay Dutt says he is open to the idea of acting in Marathi films
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 18, 2019)

Months after announcing his foray into production with Prasthanam, Sanjay Dutt has ventured into regional cinema with the Marathi offering, Baba. The actor says that it was an emotional decision to back the project as the Deepak Dobriyal starrer revolves around the deep bond between a father and son. "When I sat for the narration, I was sure that I wanted to produce this film, as I want to be associated with good subjects. It isn't a deliberate attempt to dedicate the film to my father [Sunil Dutt], but he was my rock. I believe that the first person a child looks up to is his father."

The actor is fondly known as 'Baba' in Bollywood. Point this out to him, and he calls it a happy coincidence. "The credit goes to the director [Raj Gupta]. When they came to me, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the title." As he throws his weight behind regional fares, the star is also open to the idea of acting in them. "If something interesting comes my way, I wouldn't mind trying my hand. It's always interesting to try something new."

There is no denying that, at 59, Dutt finds himself busier than ever. While his recently opened production house needs his attention, the actor also has been dividing his time between his four films, Panipat, Shamshera, Prasthanam and Bhuj: The Pride Of India. But he shows no signs of slowing down — his banner is gearing up to bankroll a Punjabi film titled Bank Loan. "We want to create a balance between content-driven and commercial entertainers. A film like Sairat (2016) was a huge success, but at the same time, Lai Bhaari (2014) also did fantastic business. So the idea is not to compromise on content."