Shekhar Suman defends Sanjay Dutt over ‘no peace in India’ remark: ‘He loves his country’ - The Indian Express

Shekhar Suman has come out in support of Sanjay Dutt after the actor recently found himself embroiled in a controversy over his comments on the talk show Shekhar Tonite. Sanjay Dutt’s remarks on Shekhar Suman’s YouTube show sparked criticism after he said that he could no longer feel peace in India. The backlash eventually prompted the actor to issue a clarification over his comments. Now, the show’s host Shekhar Suman has reacted to the controversy, defending Sanjay Dutt and insisting that his comments were taken out of context.

Speaking to NDTV, the actor said, “Sanjay Dutt has huge respect for our country and fellow countrymen, and what he said was completely innocuous and in a very positive way. He should not be penalised and maligned for what he never said or meant. I know him for years; he is a good man who loves his country and has utmost regard for it.”

Sanjay Dutt appeared on the Gandhi Jayanti special episode of Shekhar Tonite on Friday, where he combined humour with references to Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.

During the conversation, Sanjay said, “The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can’t feel that peace in our country anymore. We Indians are large-hearted people and we are hospitable. We have given so much, and we should always remain that way. I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon.”

Towards the end of the episode, Sanjay Dutt was asked to imagine himself as the Prime Minister for five minutes and address the people of the country. The actor immediately slipped into the language and mannerisms associated with his iconic Munna Bhai character.

Speaking in Hindi, he said, “My dear countrymen, today I am very happy to have become your PM. There is a strange kind of energy running through my body. This is such a huge country, there are so many people, and now the responsibility of all of them is on me.”

He added, “But you people don’t have to worry at all. I am not going abroad to celebrate this happiness. I will stay right here, among all of you. Otherwise, how will there be a connection between the PM and the people?”

The comments soon went viral, with several social media users criticising the actor. Amid the backlash, Sanjay Dutt issued a clarification on his social media handles.

“I want to clarify that it has never been my intention to hurt the feelings of any individual, community, or institution, to insult them, or to disrespect them,” he said.

He further explained, “My comments were made in the context of a scripted conversation, the purpose of which was to engage in lighthearted and humorous dialogue. The sentiment behind it was akin to the style of humor and satire depicted in films like Munnabhai, particularly inspired by the concept of ‘Gandhigiri’, which aimed to convey a message of love, unity, and goodwill. Unfortunately, my words were interpreted differently, detached from that original context.”

Sanjay Dutt was last seen in the film Aakhri Sawaal.