Paresh Rawal likens Sunil Dutt to Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa

At the much-awaited trailer launch of Sanju (2018), veteran actor Paresh Rawal, who plays the role of Sunil Dutt, shared an endearing anecdote about the late actor-politician. Sanju is the biopic of actor Sanjay Dutt, in which actor Ranbir Kapoor will play the titular role.

Sunil Dutt was known as a humble and generous man. Rawal went ahead an likened him to Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa. “I never saw Mother Teresa, but I have seen Dutt saab,” Rawal said.

Recalling an endearing anecdote, Rawal said, "On 25 May 2005, I was returning from America after performing in a drama. I was working on Deewane Huye Paagal (2005). As I landed, I had to go to Lalit Hotel. I got a call from from my wife Swaroop Sampat. She informed me that Sunil Dutt had sent a letter to me wishing me happy birthday." Incidentally, the Sanju trailer was launched on Rawal’s 63rd birthday.

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Rawal feels a cosmic connection lead him to play the role of Sunil Dutt in Sanju, directed by Rajkumar Hirani.

In 2017, Rawal was reminded about that letter again. "I had met Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi for the script narration. I got a call from my wife who said that the letter from Dutt saab was still lying in my drawer. I don’t know what kind of connection it is, but may be it was destiny that I get to play him now," said Rawal.

Dutt and Rawal have only worked together in one film, Virodhi (1992).

Sanju will be released on 29 June.