Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is facing backlash over his recent comments about peace in India, saying that he “can’t feel” the same peace in the country anymore and hoping that the “good old days” return. After his remarks triggered criticism on social media, Dutt has now tried to clear the air, saying that the comments were part of a scripted and light-hearted conversation and were never meant to hurt or disrespect anyone.
The remarks have also brought attention to the actor’s own past, when he was convicted for illegally possessing an AK-56 rifle and a 9mm pistol in a case linked to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
Sanjay Dutt clarifies ‘peace in India’ remark after backlash
Dutt addressed the controversy on October 4 through a post on X. He said his comments should be seen in the context of the conversation in which they were made and stressed that he had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any person, community or institution.
I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution. My remarks were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous. The spirit behind them was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the concept of ‘Gandhigiri,’ which was intended to convey a message of love, warmth, togetherness, and goodwill. Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context.
— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) October 4, 2026
According to the actor, the discussion on Shekhar Suman’s chat show ‘Shekhar Tonite’ was scripted and meant to be humorous rather than a serious statement directed at anyone. He said his remarks were made in a “light-hearted and humorous” setting.
Dutt also connected his comments to the message of love, warmth, togetherness and goodwill associated with his popular Munna Bhai films. Referring to ‘Gandhigiri’, he said the spirit behind his remarks was similar to the humour and satire used in Munna Bhai, where the idea was to promote peace and goodwill.
He added that his words were unfortunately understood outside the context in which they were originally spoken.
What did Sanjay Dutt say on Shekhar Suman’s show?
Dutt appeared on ‘Shekhar Tonite’ during a special Gandhi Jayanti episode. While discussing India, he praised the people of the country for being large-hearted and hospitable and said there should be peace in the country.
He then said that he could no longer feel that peace in India and expressed hope that those days would return soon. The comment soon became a subject of discussion on social media and drew criticism.
The conversation later took a lighter turn when Dutt was asked what he would tell the country if he became the Prime Minister for five minutes. The actor responded in the style of his well-known Munna Bhai character, joking about foreign travel, political photographs, missiles and tariffs. He repeatedly brought the conversation back to “Gandhigiri”, the philosophy associated with Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
Following the backlash over his remarks about peace, Dutt’s clarification has now become part of the controversy, with the actor maintaining that the comments were intended as humour and were not aimed at disrespecting anyone.
Sanjay Dutt was convicted for illegally possessing AK-56
Sanjay Dutt’s latest remarks have also brought renewed attention to his own controversial past. He was arrested in April 1993 in connection with the possession of illegal weapons, including a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 assault rifle.
The weapons were linked to people connected with the Mumbai underworld and the conspirators behind the March 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Dutt was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, or TADA. The case became one of the most high-profile arrests following the 1992-93 Mumbai riots and the 1993 serial blasts.
On July 4, 1994, Dutt was remanded to judicial custody in the case. His name had come up in connection with the illegal weapons kept at his residence, with the weapons being linked to gangster Abu Salem and others connected with the blast conspiracy.
The TADA court later acquitted Dutt under TADA but found him guilty under the Arms Act in 2006. He was sentenced to five years in prison for illegal possession of weapons in the case linked to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, in which 257 people were killed.
