Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt served five years in prison due to his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He was convicted under the Arms Act for illegally possessing weapons and was in and out on bail before being released in 2016. However, during his time in jail between 2009 and 2010, his wife, Maanayata Dutt, was pregnant with their twins. Worried about her being alone, he reached out to his close friend, Sheeba Akashdeep, and asked her to support Maanayata.
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Sheeba recalled the moment when Sanjay called her before going to prison. He expressed his concerns about leaving his wife alone during such a crucial time.
“Before he went to jail, he called me and said, ‘Maanayata is alone. I want you to take care of her.’ I used to visit her every day so that she wouldn’t feel lonely during her pregnancy. I stayed by her side for nine months, until he returned,” Sheeba shared.
She explained how she made sure Maanayata never felt alone, offering her support until Sanjay could be with her again.
Despite facing a challenging period in prison, Sanjay Dutt decided to make the best of his time. During an appearance on Star vs Food Survival with chef Ranveer Brar, he spoke about how he kept himself engaged.
He recalled that when he was first sent to jail, many Bollywood stars, including Suniel Shetty (Anna), Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, and Shah Rukh Khan, came to support him outside Thane Jail. However, he knew that there was no way to avoid his sentence, so instead of overthinking or feeling helpless, he chose to focus on self-improvement.
“I had no way out of jail, so why waste time worrying? I made up my mind to face it. In those six years, I managed my time well, learned new things, and stayed fit. I took an interest in cooking, studied religious scriptures, and worked out. When I came out, I was in better shape,” Sanjay shared.
On the work front, Sanjay Dutt was last seen in the Telugu film Double iSmart. He has some exciting projects lined up, including ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and a Hollywood film, where he will appear in a cameo alongside Salman Khan.
Despite the difficulties he faced, Sanjay Dutt’s journey shows his resilience—both in his personal life and career. Through hardships, he found ways to grow stronger, maintain friendships, and return to the industry with renewed energy.