In August 2020, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt revealed that he was taking a break from work citing ‘medical treatment’ as the main reason behind the decision. At the time, Dutt did not confirm why he had to undergo treatment but later it was revealed to be stage 4 lung cancer. Now, the actor is gearing up for the release of his upcoming period actioner Shamshera. During one of the press interactions, the director of the movie, Karan Malhotra, recalled how Dutt filmed portions of the movie without anyone knowing of the illness he was battling within.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Karan Malhotra and the entire cast of the film received a massive shock upon learning about his cancer battle. The filmmaker stated that no one had any idea about his inner demons because the prolific star would talk, work, and behave as if nothing had happened. Malhotra believes that his strong inner spirit is part of the reason why he won the battle against cancer.
The filmmaker said, “The news that Sanjay sir had been diagnosed with cancer came to all of us like a huge shock. We had no idea about it. He was talking, behaving, and working like nothing has happened. I guess that’s why he is where he is today, having conquered this too. Sanjay sir doesn’t let anything get the better of him. He is an inspiration on the sets for everyone.”
While acting comes naturally to Dutt, Sanjay Dutt reportedly led his team with a positive attitude. Malhotra added, “He never mentioned what he was going through personally. He kept the mood on the set light.” While concluding the interaction, Malhotra hailed him as a superman who put up a relentless battle against the fatal illness and bounced back strong with nothing but a smile on his face. He revealed being indebted to Dutt for being an exceptional mentor throughout the filming of Shamshera.
Apart from Sanjay Dutt, the period action film also features Ranbir Kapoor and Vaani Kapoor in the lead roles. The movie is all set to hit the big screens on July 22.
