50,000 policemen were pointing their guns at me, as if I was Osama Bin Laden: Sanjay Dutt

The Munna Bhai actor has revealed all about his time in jail, and his journey through substance abuse

At a recent event in Delhi, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt took the opportunity to talk about his arrest, life in prison, and his journey through substance abuse.

Times of India reports that Sanjay took the stage for a 15-minute session, but ended up going on for over an hour.

Regarding his arrest, the actor revealed, "When I reached Bombay airport, I was coming down from the slide, and I saw 50,000 policemen pointing their guns at me, as if I was Osama Bin Laden."



The Munna Bhai actor who was booked under TADA, (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities act), claims he wasn't even aware of the law when he was arrested.

Sanjay explained that 23 years ago, "I was shooting in Mauritius when my sister called and said that I was being charged for keeping rifles, and I said, 'Oh really?'"

Sanjay was released in February 2016. PHOTO: SHOWBIZBITES.COM

"I thought that the police would let me go, since I was a first-time offender. I was taken to the crime branch... I swear I didn't know what TADA was. When MN Singh (the then Joint Commissioner of Police, Mumbai) came and said that I was being booked in the Mumbai blast case, I broke down. I was like, 'How can you expect me to blast my own city? Go against my country?' He said, 'I am sorry, but I have to arrest you,'" he added.

Sanjay was arrested in April 1993. PHOTO: CINEBLITZ.COM

Referring to his time in jail, the actor revealed, "When I was in prison, it was very difficult time for dad, Priya and me. She came to meet me on Rakhi and I gave her the coupons that I collected in jail."

He added, "In the Pune jail, there are flies all over, billions of flies, in your hair, in your clothes and even in your food. Main makkhi nikaal kar daal pi jaata tha."



Sanjay even started reading up on religion.

"Maine jail mein Ramayan, Bhagwad Gita, Shiv Puran, Ganesh Puran, Bible, Quran Sharif aur Guru Granth Sahib padhi. I can sit and talk to any maulana or any priest and make sense."

Sanjay with his wife and kids. PHOTO: NDTV

Dutt said that his children still don't know that he was in jail.

"When I was in jail, it was very difficult for me to not see my children for three years."

The actor didn't want his children to see him in prison.

"I didn't want them to see me in torn clothes and the topi. I didn't want them to live with that image... I used to speak to them twice a month. I told tell them that I was shooting in the mountains and didn't have proper connection. That's what they know even today," Times of India reports him as saying.



Besides reading up on religion, the actor started exercising as well.

Talking about how he maintained his physique in jail, he said, "Kaun kehta hai gym nahin toh workout nahin kar sakte? Maine jail mein kiya. I was 110kg before I went to jail because I was drinking like a dog... Then I started running in the yard, lifting huge buckets of water. I used to hit nails in the wall till my knuckles hurt and wrists swelled. But still, I used to do it every day, because I wanted to break through the pain."

Sanjay's struggle with substance abuse lasted about 12 years. PHOTO: BOLLYWOODFOODCLUB

When he was asked if he started doing drugs when his mother, Nargis, passed away, Dutt said, "It's not that I started because of mom. Mera dog mar gaya toh daaru pi raha hoon, aaj mera gadha mar gaya to daaru piyunga - these are just excuses."

"My journey with substance abuse has been about 12 years. There are no drugs in the world that I have not done. When my father took me to America (for rehab), they gave me a list (of drugs) and I ticked every drug on it, because I had taken all of them. The doctor told my dad, 'What kind of food do you eat in India? Going by the drugs he did, he should be dead by now!'"



About the process of rehab, he said, "I didn't leave drugs because of my family. I left because I wanted to be out of it. I didn't want that life. When you start the rehabilitation process, one part is physical - your body breaks down and you feel cold. But the most difficult part comes later, when your mind says, 'Ab toh tu theek ho gaya hai, ek baar maar lete hain'. That's when you have to use willpower. I want to tell youngsters, live your life, love your work, love your family, it is better than cocaine."

Sanjay is coming back to the silver screen with a bang. The actor is currently involved in several projects, including a third installment of Munna Bhai.