Actor Sanjay Dutt has said that his widely discussed remarks about no longer feeling "peace" in India were part of a scripted conversation on Shekhar Suman's talk show, and were taken out of context.
In a clarification posted on X on Sunday, Dutt wrote that it was never his intention to hurt, offend or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community or institution. His remarks, he said, were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous.
What he said on the show
Dutt appeared on Shekhar Suman's chat show Shekhar Tonite on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, where he spoke about the state of the country and said he no longer feels "peace" in the nation.
"The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can't feel that peace in our country anymore. We Indians are large-hearted people, and we are hospitable. We have given so much, and we should always remain that way. I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon," he said.
During the same conversation, Dutt folded his iconic Munna Bhai character into a piece of political satire, humouring the idea of being the Prime Minister of India for five minutes and delivering a fictional address to the nation in his signature style — even joking that Gandhi's famous three monkeys need a fourth one today, asking: if someone sees wrong being done, who will correct it?
The clarification
Dutt said the spirit of the remarks was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the idea of "Gandhigiri", which he said was meant to convey love, warmth, togetherness and goodwill.
"Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context," he wrote, adding that he hoped his explanation would put the matter to rest.
The original comments had drawn sharp reactions on social media, with some interpreting them as a political statement about the current state of the country. Dutt's clarification attempts to draw a clear line between the satirical format of the show and his actual views.
Sources:
NDTV: 'It Was Scripted': Sanjay Dutt Clarifies "No Longer Feel Peace In India" Remark
Nation Press: Sanjay Dutt clarifies 'peace' remark on Shekhar Tonite, calls it scripted
In a clarification posted on X on Sunday, Dutt wrote that it was never his intention to hurt, offend or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community or institution. His remarks, he said, were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous.
What he said on the show
Dutt appeared on Shekhar Suman's chat show Shekhar Tonite on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, where he spoke about the state of the country and said he no longer feels "peace" in the nation.
"The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can't feel that peace in our country anymore. We Indians are large-hearted people, and we are hospitable. We have given so much, and we should always remain that way. I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon," he said.
During the same conversation, Dutt folded his iconic Munna Bhai character into a piece of political satire, humouring the idea of being the Prime Minister of India for five minutes and delivering a fictional address to the nation in his signature style — even joking that Gandhi's famous three monkeys need a fourth one today, asking: if someone sees wrong being done, who will correct it?
The clarification
Dutt said the spirit of the remarks was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the idea of "Gandhigiri", which he said was meant to convey love, warmth, togetherness and goodwill.
"Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context," he wrote, adding that he hoped his explanation would put the matter to rest.
The original comments had drawn sharp reactions on social media, with some interpreting them as a political statement about the current state of the country. Dutt's clarification attempts to draw a clear line between the satirical format of the show and his actual views.
Sources:
NDTV: 'It Was Scripted': Sanjay Dutt Clarifies "No Longer Feel Peace In India" Remark
Nation Press: Sanjay Dutt clarifies 'peace' remark on Shekhar Tonite, calls it scripted
