The actor said his comments on Shekhar Tonite, including a joke about the Prime Minister staying in India rather than travelling abroad, were rooted in the satirical spirit of his Munna Bhai films and the idea of “Gandhigiri”.
BY PC Bureau
October 5: Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt has clarified his controversial remarks about the lack of “peace” in India after the actor faced criticism on social media, saying his comments were part of a scripted, light-hearted exchange and were never intended to hurt or disrespect anyone.
The controversy erupted after Dutt appeared on Shekhar Suman’s show Shekhar Tonite, which aired around Gandhi Jayanti. During the interaction, the actor spoke about India and said he missed a time when he felt greater peace in the country.
“The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can’t feel that peace in our country anymore… I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon,” Dutt said.
I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution.
My remarks were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous. The spirit behind them was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the concept of ‘Gandhigiri,’ which was intended to convey a message of love, warmth, togetherness, and goodwill. Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context.
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) October 4, 2026
The remark quickly triggered reactions online, with some users interpreting it as a criticism of the political and social situation in the country.
Dutt subsequently took to X to explain the context, saying that his comments had been taken out of the setting in which they were made.
“I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution,” the actor said.
He explained that the exchange had been scripted and was intended to be humorous rather than political or provocative. Dutt said the tone was similar to the satire associated with his Munna Bhai films and the concept of “Gandhigiri”, which uses humour, warmth, kindness and goodwill to make a point.
“Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context,” he said.
The controversy was further fuelled by another segment of the programme in which Suman asked Dutt to imagine himself as the Prime Minister for five minutes.
Responding in the familiar Munna Bhai style, Dutt joked that he would not leave the country to celebrate the occasion but would remain among ordinary people.
“Bole toh itna bada desh hai, itne saare log hain aur ab hum sabki zimmedari apun ke upar… Apun is khushi ko celebrate karne videsh nahi jaane wala hai. Apun idharich rahega, aap sab logon ke beech. Nahi to PM aur janta mein connection kaise banega?”
The line was widely interpreted online as a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign travel and became another point of discussion surrounding the interview.
Sanajay Dutt, if he bacame India’s PM:
-I will not spend most of my time in foreign
-Will promote brotherhood not online it should be offline
-Will reduce my posters from everywhere Posters should be of Gandhi ji
Is He taking a dig on Narendra Modi? https://t.co/9Ug0b6VmVO
— Gagan Choudhary (@trigguuuu) October 3, 2026
Dutt’s clarification also comes against the backdrop of his personal connection with the UAE. The actor holds a 10-year UAE Golden Visa, while his wife Maanayata and their twins, Shahraan and Iqra, are based in Dubai. Dutt has continued to divide his time between Mumbai and Dubai because of his professional commitments.
The actor’s comments therefore generated discussion not only because of their political interpretation but also because of his own frequent travel between India and the UAE.
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Dutt, however, sought to make clear that the remarks should be viewed in the context of the comic persona and scripted nature of the programme rather than as an attempt to target any individual, community or institution.
The episode highlights the difficulty actors increasingly face when scripted entertainment, political satire and social-media commentary overlap. A line delivered as part of a fictional character or comedy routine can quickly acquire a different meaning once isolated and circulated online.
Dutt has long been associated with the Munna Bhai franchise, in which humour and the idea of “Gandhigiri” are used to challenge aggression, cynicism and social problems. His explanation was that the remarks on the show belonged to that same satirical tradition.
On the professional front, Dutt was last seen in the political drama Aakhri Sawal, directed by Abhijeet Mohan Warang. The film received mixed reviews.
The actor’s clarification is unlikely to end the online debate immediately, but it has put his remarks back into the context in which he says they were intended: a scripted comic exchange rather than a deliberate statement intended to offend or disrespect the country or any section of society.
