Sanjay Dutt becomes 'PM' as Munna Bhai, says he won't go abroad to celebrate

Dubai: Sanjay Dutt has said he no longer feels the same sense of peace in India that he once did.

The actor appeared on comedian-actor Shekhar Suman's talk show Shekhar Tonite for a Gandhi Jayanti special, released on Friday, October 2. During the episode, he spoke about the country and brought back his best-known screen character, Munna Bhai, for a satirical sketch.

Dutt, who holds a 10-year UAE Golden Visa, divides his time between Mumbai and Dubai, where his wife Maanayata and their twins, Shahraan and Iqra, live.

'I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon'

Speaking before the comedy segment, Dutt said he wished for more peace in India.

"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.

He did not say what had changed.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bollywood Society (@bollywoodsocietyy)

Munna Bhai becomes Prime Minister

Later, Suman asked Dutt to imagine he was India's Prime Minister for five minutes and to address the country. Dutt answered in character as Munna Bhai, the Mumbai gangster from Rajkumar Hirani's Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006).

"Chalo desh mein kuch to chal rehla hai. Mere pyaare deshwasiyo, aaj apun aapka PM banke khub khush hua," he began. (Well, at least something is happening in the country. My dear countrymen, I am very happy to be your PM today.)

He went on to promise he would not leave the country to celebrate.

"Bole toh itna bada desh hai, itne saare log hain aur ab hum sabki zimmedari apun ke upar. Par aap log ekdum tension nahi lene ka. Apun is khushi ko celebrate karne videsh nahi jaane wala hai. Apun idharich rahega, aap sab logon ke beech. Nahi to PM aur janta mein connection kaise banega," he said.

(This is such a huge country, there are so many people, and now the responsibility for all of them is on me. But you don't need to worry at all. I am not going abroad to celebrate this happiness. I will stay right here, among all of you. Otherwise, how will there be a connection between the PM and the people?)

Several Indian outlets interpreted the line as a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign trips. The remark was delivered as part of the sketch, with Dutt staying in his exaggerated Munna Bhai character throughout.

A message for 'Trump mamu'

The sketch also turned to the US. Still in character, Dutt addressed President Donald Trump as "Trump mamu" ( mamu is Mumbai slang for a man, literally meaning maternal uncle). He joked about Trump's tariffs and said he would head to America to teach him Gandhigiri , the philosophy of non-violent protest popularised in Lage Raho Munna Bhai .

"Peace banta hai pyaar se aur pyaar aata hai Gandhigiri se," he said. (Peace comes from love, and love comes from Gandhigiri.)

Is Munna Bhai coming back?

The appearance has renewed interest in a third Munna Bhai film. A sequel was announced by producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra in 2016, but production has not started.

Sanjay Dutt's upcoming films

Dutt was last seen in the political drama Aakhri Sawal , released in May. He also made a cameo alongside Salman Khan in 7 Dogs , which premiered in the Middle East before its India release.

He is now preparing for Khalnayak Returns , an action thriller that serves as a sequel to his 1993 film Khal Nayak .

‘Six years in jail, still no Marathi’: Sanjay Dutt’s quip goes viral amid row over language rule for auto drivers

Salman Khan’s emotional tribute to ‘baba’ Sanjay Dutt wins hearts online