On his birthday, these iconic characters remind us that he is a true original star of Indian cinema.
On Sanjay Dutt’s 66th birthday, it cannot go unnoticed that his cinematic legacy is unmatched, and the array of iconic roles that he has played have defined and redefined Bollywood over four decades. His filmography boasts of several unforgettable characters, from heroes, anti-heroes, and villains. And it can be rightly said that each of them have left a distinct mark on the audience. Here are his most iconic screen roles over the years:
Sanjay Dutt’s act as the large-hearted gangster with a golden soul is arguably his most beloved role, and it turned “Munna Bhai” into a cultural phenomenon. These films, that comedy and social message, got Dutt national awards and made his character synonymous with hope and redemption.
In the 1993 hit film, Dutt played Ballu, an anti-hero whose villainy had an emotional vulnerability. His performance, and the film’s electrifying music, made Ballu an archetype of “bad man with a good heart”.
His role as Raghu, a man drawn into the Mumbai underworld, is certainly among his finest. He showed the cost of crime with honesty, and his performance won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. It is often touted to be a career-defining moment for him.
His menacing act as the bald, ruthless drug lord Kancha Cheena reintroduced him to a new generation. He certainly gave Bollywood one of its most chilling villains.
In Mahesh Bhatt’s drama, he gave a powerful performance as the troubled Vicky, and his emotional depth was a mirror to the social realities of the time.
In the film, he played a sensitive poet who finds himself in a love triangle. With the romantic hit. Dutt stepped away from action to showcase his gentle side. “Saajan” emerged to be a blockbuster and cemented his position as a leading man in the early 1990s.
He took on the larger-than-life villain and his imposing screen presence as Adheera got him international attention.
Each of these roles, be it of gangster, or a larger-than-life villain or the leading hero, has resonated both critically and commercially with the audience.
