Birthday special: Have you seen these popular Sanjay Dutt movies?

Dutt, the star of hits such as 'Sadak' and 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai', turns 62 today

There's no denying the fact that Sanjay Dutt is one of the most popular names in Hindi cinema. The veteran, who began his career with the 1981 release Rocky, enjoys a strong fan following due to his impressive screen presence and powerful performances. On Thursday, as 'Baba' turns 62, here is a look at five films that bear testimony to his talent.

Sadak (1991)

The romantic thriller had a dark storyline, which revolved around the protagonist's attempts at saving his lover from the flesh trade. Dutt delivered an intense performance that brought out the vulnerability of the character, making him more relatable. The Mahesh Bhatt-helmed classic clicked with the audience and attained a cult following. Its sequel Sadak 2 premiered on an OTT platform in 2020, receiving negative reviews.

Saajan (1991)

The romantic drama revolved around what happens when two 'brothers', played by Dutt and Salman Khan, fall for the same girl. 'Sanju' and Bhai's reel equation was one of the biggest talking points of Saajan and helped it emerge as a big hit at the box office. The Lawrence D'Souza-helmed flick featured Madhuri Dixit as the leading lady.

Khal Nayak (1993)

Dutt essayed the role of a gangster with a good heart in the Subhash Ghai-helmed classic, which established him as a bonafide box office draw. His body language and menacing looks helped him do justice to what many considered to be a complex character. The action drama has attained cult status over the year as it had pretty much everything--right from fight scenes to romance-- that one would expect from a typical Bollywood film.

Vaastav: The Reality (1999)

The Mahesh Manjrekar-helmed gangster drama featured Dutt in the role of a simpleton who ends up joining the underworld following a confrontation with a gangster's brother. The actor's transformation from meek to ruthless was the USP of the film as it felt organic and relatable. The cult classic had an impressive cast that included Namrata Shirodkar, Deepak Tijori and Sanjay Narvekar.

Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)

Dutt received tremendous critical acclaim when he essayed the role of the kind-hearted Munna in Munna Bhai MBBS, which marked his first collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani. He reprised the cult role in Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which lived up to the standards set by the first part. The film introduced the audience to the concept of 'Gandhigiri' and received rave reviews for its impressive screenplay. Dutt got the 'tapori' accent right, proving his versatility as a performer.