Sunil Dutt never had a friendly relation with son Sanjay Dutt: Paresh Rawal

Paresh Rawal, who will next be seen in Raj Kumar Hirani's biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, opened up about the various shades of his character. He is playing the role of Sanjay Dutt's father, the late actor-politician Sunil Dutt. Actor Ranbir Kapoor plays Sanjay in the movie.

Talking about the film and his role, Rawal said: ''The story captures different phases of the father-son relationship. I tried to maintain a distance off camera with Ranbir so that as performers, we can stay true to the character. So on set, we were not pals who would chat together in between the shots. In the film also, that was the relationship we have shown, where Dutt saab loved his son to death but never had a friendly equation with Sanjay.

He contemplated on how perhaps that was the reason why Sanjay, to an extent, felt lonely after the death of his mother Nargis Dutt. "He was close to his mother, and though he loved and respected his father, he never opened up (to him) until a certain point. There was a complexity in the relationship but there was a bonding... I won't unveil more as one should watch the film for that," he added.

Being a part of the movie and essaying Sunil Dutt has amplified the respect Paresh has for the late actor.  "All his life, he fought the battle of his life without complaining, without bad-mouthing anyone, without even cursing God. I think one can fight such a battle with dignity if only his ethical values and principles are strong," said Rawal.

Which chapter of his life did he find toughest to perform?"More than performing, I think I got goosebumps realising his loneliness after the death of Nargisji. He was already going through a lot as a father, as a politician and as a husband who ran around with his wife when she suffered from cancer. But he couldn't save her life. After her death, Dutt saab was a lonely man... That loneliness was spine-chilling for me," Paresh said.

Since he has received a lot of awards and praise from the audience and critics, and has gone beyond hits and flops as an actor, does the box office result makes any difference to him? Paresh said: "No. I live with a film till the film releases. What matters to me is the response of my first audience, who are the director and the writer of the film. As an actor, I execute their vision and only they have the overview of the film. So, as long as they are happy, my job is done as a performer. Yes I feel happy when a film does well at the box office and the producer makes money, but that does not make or break me as an actor."

He said he is a big critic of his own work. "I can watch my films very objectively and most of the time I criticise my work very hard. Every time I watch my performance thinking I should have done this or that... I am always dissatisfied with my work as I think I could have done it much better," said the actor, known for his roles in films like Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana, Woh Chokri, Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? and OMG - Oh My God! among many others.

The acclaimed film and theatre actor will play National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Uri. He is also gearing up for a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

(With IANS inputs)

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