My 4 & 7-year-old kids have been asking me this question to me since yesterday? And I was ducking it knowing that I cannot explain the reason.
Munnabhai has been part of my household since we saw the first part – Munnabhai drinks milk like this, Munnabhai & circuit do this and do that. Recently when my daughter was going for 15th August dance practice she refused to believe that, there exists a “vandemataram” song beyond the one she heard in Lage Raho.
As a film buff, the Munnabhai franchisee is one of the best to come out of Bollywood. The “Sanjay-Arshad jodi”, “the tapori language”, “the struggle of a mumbaikaar”. , daughter/son/patient”, the concept of “Gandhigiri …..in my mind the Munnabhai franchisee was a world beater.
Reflecting on the decision, my left-brain was quite upset and the right brain said – It does not matter if he is Sanjay Dutt the actor. If he is committed a crime he should be punished. But my left brain kept arguing it’s not right, look at what that person has gone thru, look at the impact he as the munnabhai character left on the kids, and how gandhigiri impacted the society etc etc.
For a moment (maybe few hours) I was actually questioning the entire episode. I really wanted Sanju to be let off. I guess that’s where lies the charisma and the emotional connect an actor makes with the audience. I don’t think I would have felt that way for Amitabh, Naseer or a Faroque Sheikh / Om Puri…although all of them in my mind are the best.
For me films more like a science and not a hobby and I detest politics. But if there are two people whom I feel emotionally inclined then they are Sanjay Dutt and Rajiv Gandhi. While Sanjay reflects some of the growing up pangs I have gone thru, Rajiv (me and I guess many of us of my age) was the big bright hope of India. I still remember the first press conference he held in US – smart, suave, charming, clean – He was like a breath of fresh air compared to the pot bellied, corrupt politicians you are used to.
Unfortunately he got bombed, and I am praying that Sanju lives happily ever after and my kids grow up seeing Munnabhai 2 / 3 / 4 / 5…….God Bless u pal!
