The six-year jail sentence to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has shocked his colleagues in the film industry, which has over Rs 50 crore stacked up on his ongoing projects.
“I am speechless,” said Boman Irani, who had acted with Sanjay in Lage Raho Munnabhai. He said it took a long time for the bad news “to sink in”, as he thought the worst was already over for Sanjay.
If the colleagues are shocked, the producers are a worried lot. There are a few projects like Dhamaal, Mr Fraud, Kidnap and Alibaug which are either half complete or pending for release. The shooting of Dhamaal is completed and the film is set to release in September, 2007. The production cost of the film is said to be Rs 12 crore. In case of Alibaug, 50 per cent of shooting is over, with Rs 15 crore riding on the project, while in case of Mr Fraud, half of the shooting is over, involving Rs 20 crore.
The actor was also scheduled to sign contracts for upcoming film projects like Munnabhai Chale Amerika, Kidnapped and Alladin, which may not see the light of the day now.
According to film trade weekly Film Information’s editor Komal Nahata, around Rs 50 crore have been involved in the ongoing projects.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt described the court judgement as “a blow to the film fraternity”. He   said, “I can understand the court’s position”.
Sanjay’s colleague and Congress MP from Mumbai North, Govinda said he was “shocked” by the verdict and prayed to god to give strength to Sanjay to endure this “harsh sentence”. Director Anubhav Sinha, who directed Sanjay in Dus, said: “The sentence cannot be questioned, but I hope they show some leniency”. “I feel bad for a friend, an actor, a star,” he said. Another director Indra Kumar, who is directing Sanjay in the upcoming Dhamaal, said: “I’m very, very sad. What else is there to say? It’s definitely a harsh verdict”.
Yesteryears actress Saira Bano, whose husband and  Dilip Kumar had filed an affidavit in the TADA court vouching for Sanjay’s character, said Dutt has already been punished. “He behaved in an exemplary manner all the while, and we were hoping for his release.”