One of the finest performances in the film comes from Vicky Kaushal.
Whether he's dancing like a hysterical man, with bloodshot eyes under the influence of drugs or he’s the broken, emotional wreck just staring blank, Ranbir portrays a variety of emotions and grey shades with flair. But what he does best in Sanju, is that he delivers the central character's swag and nonchalance in the most effortless manner. That's expected from a talented actor like Ranbir. To state that he's an incredible actor who fills Sanjay Dutt’s role with gravitas and spunk is stating the obvious. Ranbir Kapoor is just as good as his reputation. Even though the film feels long, the film industry nostalgia and the many references to old Hindi film music keep you hooked on. Hirani beautifully taps into some deep emotions that keeps the audience drawn to the screen. The fact that Sanjay Dutt’s real life presents great material for a story on celluloid is unquestionable. The second half is spent on elaborating his court cases and it reiterates the thought that he’s not a terrorist. The first half is extremely gripping, with Sanju struggling with his inner demons. The absence of these aspects of Sanju’s life leave the viewer craving for a tad bit more. Even the birth of his first child, daughter Trishala doesn’t feature in this heart-rending story. Maanyata (Dia Mirza) his wife’s strong presence is felt right throughout the film, but his previous marriages have been completely left out of the narrative. There’s also his best friend Kamlesh (Vicky Kaushal) who's one of the most important characters in the graph of the story and he leaves a solid impact. Manisha Koirala as Nargis Dutt (Sanju’s mother) has a brief role, but the scenes between the father, mother and son move you to tears. In fact, Sanjay’s relationship with his father Sunil Dutt (Paresh Rawal) forms the major part of this story and some of the most heart wrenching and touching moments in the film belong to both of them. While it doesn't reveal much about the protagonists’ relationships and marriages, it does tell a strong story of an unbreakable bond between a father, son and a best friend. Like any Rajkumar Hirani film, Sanju blends humour with drama effortlessly. His confessions and recollections to Winnie are intimate and give us deep insights into the highs and lows of his life, which is nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. A film writer fails him miserably, so Sanju turns to a more established writer Winnie (Anushka Sharma) to pen his biography.
The film starts off with Sanjay Dutt (Ranbir Kapoor) wanting a writer for his biography even while he's preparing to surrender himself to the Supreme Court's judgement in the Arms Act case. Rajkumar Hirani’s film presents a vivid and very dramatic look in this biopic of sorts. Sanju Review: One man, many lives is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Sanjay Dutt. It gives a lowdown on his tryst with drugs and his trials and tribulations in the Arms Acts case and the 1993 Mumbai blasts. "Panchajanya" has also hit out at the film''s director Hirani, pointing out how through his past movie "PK" he had made a sly remark on Hindu religion.Sanju Story: Sanju explores some of the most crucial chapters from movie star Sanjay Dutt’s dramatic and controversial real life. Secondly, it questions if the movie is a PR exercise to whitewash a stained character because it either conceals a lot of negative things about a character who has been jailed multiple times and had been a drug addict. It questions whether Sanjay, son of late actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, had qualities that his life story should be glamourized on the big screen or be portrayed as if he is an idol.Īnd if the makers are boasting about the money that the film is minting, it proves that Indian cinema''s "high moral ground seems to be licking dust". The magazine article raises three questions about the Rajkumar Hirani directorial and Ranbir Kapoor-starrer, which has been on a box office earning spree since releasing on June 29.
"Panchajanya" has minced no words as it delved on the dark phases in the life of Sanjay, who spent a jail term for possession of arms in connection with the 1993 serial blasts, was a drug addict and had multiple relationships in its cover story titled "Kirdaar, daaghdaar". RSS mouthpiece "Panchjanya" has questioned why Hindi cinema is fascinated by stories on "tainted characters", slamming the Sanjay Dutt biopic "Sanju" in a strong way.