Sanjay Dutt briefly made his dashing comeback with Prashanth Neel’s directorial ‘KGF 2’, the vaastav actor essayed the grey character of ‘Adheera’. For the unversed, Sanjay baba was diagnosed with cancer when KGF 2 was in the production phase, but kudos to him, for battling the disease like a champ and coming back even stronger on the sets of KGF 2. He did gain this strength over time, as his first reaction to the horrid news of his illness was quite upsetting. He shared how he uncontrollably cried for hours after being diagnosed, worrying about his kids and wife.
“As I walked up the stairs, I was completely out of breath. I took a bath and found myself unable to breathe. Uncertain of what was wrong, I called my doctor. On the X-ray, more than half of my lungs were covered in water. They were required to drain the water. They all hoped it was tuberculosis (TB), but it was cancer. It was difficult for me to accept it. I was on the verge of shattering someone’s face.” he recalls.
“However, I cried for two to three hours because I was thinking about my children, my life, my wife, and everything else, and then these flashes came and I declared, “I’m going to stop becoming weak.” We initially sought treatment in the United States, but when my visa application was denied, I stated, ‘I’ll do it here.'” he said. He shared how the team of KGF 2, more so director Prashanth Neel were very supportive of him and assured him that his health was of priority.
“I started getting back into my training schedule as soon as doctors and my body could allow it. I have been leading a fairly disciplined life since my recovery. So while the journey has been challenging I have loved every part of it. As I said earlier, I have been blessed that I had Maanayata and the kids by my side constantly, cheering me on. Other than my wife being my biggest strength and my kids’ motivation, team KGF was very supportive and accommodating. Prashant’s concern was my health and comfort…. mine was Adheera!” he said.
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His dedication was so high, that upon being suggested by the makers to shoot behind a green screen for the climax of the movie, he denied doing so and was assured he’ll complete the shoot ‘correctly’. “They suggested we shoot it against a green screen. But as an actor, shooting this film correctly was important to me. We had a grand vision for it. The climax had to be mounted on a large scale. It was a difficult climax — there was mud, dust, fire and a lot of action. I couldn’t have done that shoot without their help,” he said.