Rajkumar Hirani directorial Sanju is doing wonders at the box office. Its makers have now released the letter which Sunil Dutt wrote for Paresh Rawal, days before his death.
Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Sanju has turned out to be one of the biggest hits this year. And while the emotional story of Sanjay Dutt’s life and struggles is getting a lot of love from audiences at the box office, it wouldn’t be wrong to say the film had some “divine” blessings of late actor Sunil Dutt, even before it went on floors.
While speaking to indianexpress.com recently, Paresh Rawal had talked about coming on board Sanju, and went on to share how a letter from Sunil Dutt was like a divine intervention that ensured the film came to him years after the legendary actor’s demise. Rawal revealed a different side of the story explaining what all unfolded through that letter when he was offered the much-anticipated role of Sanjay Dutt’s actor-politician father in Sanju.
And while we were already dumbstruck at the chain of events, the same letter has now been released by the makers of Sanju, proving the claim. In the typed letter, Sunil Dutt wrote, “Dear Paresh Ji! As your birthday falls on 30th May, let me wish you all the happiness, prosperity and good luck in life, May God shower his choicest blessings on you and your family.”
Sunil Dutt’s letter to Sanju actor Paresh Rawal
Here is the letter Sunil Dutt sent to Paresh Rawal, years before Sanju came into making.
Paresh Rawal on Sunil Dutt’s letter
In the exclusive chat with indianexpres.com, Rawal had revealed the entire story behind this letter. He said:
“On May 25, 2005, I was shooting for a movie and I called up home to say that I will be late today. And during the shooting, we got to know that Dutt Sahab (Sunil Dutt) has passed away, so I called up my wife and said I will come a bit late because Dutt Sahab has passed away and I am going to his house. She then told me that there is a letter for you from him (Sunil Dutt). I asked her what the letter was and she said it is for wishing you a happy birthday. I told her that my birthday is on May 30, which is five days away but she said the letter is for you and she even read it to me. I was so surprised. Why would Dutt Sahab send me a birthday letter five days before my birthday? And we have never exchanged any holiday greetings in the past – be it Diwali or Christmas – so why would he write to me? On January 3, 2017, I asked my wife to take out a couple of my documents as I was going to meet Rajkumar Hirani. I told her I will pick up those documents when I come back. When I was sitting with Rajkumar Hirani, my wife called me and said that along with the documents, that letter from Sunil Dutt Sahab was also there. She asked me what I wanted to do about it? And I was stunned as I was narrated the part of Sunil Dutt for the movie. See, usually you don’t keep birthday cards for 12 years, you discard them. You forget about them, but that letter was there with all my important documents and it was again found on the same day Rajkumar Hirani narrated the Sanju role to me. It is like a divine intervention. I showed that letter to Rajkumar Hirani later.”
Sanju also stars Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal, Dia Mirza, Anushka Sharma and Sonam Kapoor. The biopic has been breaking records ever since its release on June 29 and is fast inching towards Rs 300 crore mark now.