SANJAY DUTT makes a hotly anticipated comeback this month in action thriller Bhoomi. The first film for the bad boy of Bollywood after his release from prison sees him star opposite Aditi Rao Hydari in a powerful father-daughter story. Not surprisingly Dutt was given a huge number of offers after serving his jail sentence, but opted for Bhoomi. “It is a very emotional story. I thought that if there was going to be a film after three years it should be one with strong emotions in it and be a strong father/daughter story. I really liked the subject and that is why I did Bhoomi,” explained Dutt.
The Omung Kumar-directed drama shot predominantly in Agra was a physically and emotionally demanding film for the 58-year-old star, but he enjoyed the whole process and said his working style was still the same after all these years. Talking about his first day back on set, he said: “It was a nice atmosphere and felt like I was returning back home with the lights, camera and the great ambience on set. I really enjoyed it. I was a little nervous, but after I did the first dialogue it was OK,” he said.
The hard-hitting film sees Sanjay play the role of a protective father who takes vicious revenge on those who have wronged his daughter. When asked if the subject was similar to recent releases Mom and Maatr, which involved mothers of girls taking revenge, he said: “I know they are similar in that they are protectors, but a father protecting a daughter is something else.”
The actor has had a rollercoaster life and drew on personal experiences including thinking about his two daughters and the bond his sister Priya shared with their late father Sunil Dutt. “Everything in life helps you in some way. I have gone through many ups and downs in my life. I think everything put together really comes together in some way or the other and definitely I used to think about my daughters when shooting, and would think about Priya’s relationship with my father because she was his favourite,” he said.
