Sanjay Dutt says 'no peace in India' remark was scripted humour taken out of context

Sanjay Dutt has answered the criticism over his comments on Shekhar Suman's talk show Shekhar Tonite, saying his words were taken out of context. On the show, the actor said he no longer feels peace in India. The line drew a strong reaction on social media.

In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Dutt said he never meant to hurt, offend or disrespect any person, community or institution. He called the segment a scripted conversation meant to be light and funny. He said it had the same spirit as the satire in the Munna Bhai films and their idea of Gandhigiri, which was about spreading love, goodwill and togetherness. He added that his words had sadly been read outside that context.

The remark itself carried a lot of warmth for the country. Dutt described Indians as lovely, large-hearted and welcoming people and said the nation should be at peace. He said he prays to Lord Shiva that those days return soon. Reports say the episode was made around Gandhi Jayanti.

Later in the show, Dutt was asked to imagine himself as Prime Minister and speak to the people. In his Munna Bhai voice, he joked that he would not go abroad to celebrate. Instead he would stay among the people so the PM and the public stayed connected, a line seen as a veiled jab at PM Narendra Modi's foreign trips. According to reports, he also joked about cutting down the PM's photos on display and putting up Gandhi's pictures instead. He reportedly called US President Donald Trump "mamu", offered him a jadoo ki jhappi and told him to send a bouquet before any missile.

Reports also note that Dutt holds a 10-year UAE Golden Visa. His wife Maanayata and their twins live in Dubai, and he travels between Mumbai and Dubai for work. On the film front, he was reportedly last seen in the political drama Aakhri Sawal, which hit theatres in May.