The underrated but deadly Dutt

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="59.4%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><a href="javascript:popUp(&quot1;/photopop/msid-276225,type-0.cms&quot1;)"> <img border="0" align="left" src="/thumb.cms?msid=276225&height=315&width=315" hspace="12" /></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Click to enlarge</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">In the year 2000, when the Filmfare Best Actor Award was announced, it took a while for the winner to find his way up to the glittering stage, and that too with many fumbles.<br /><br />Reason? The winner was <a href="http://jeetwin-gaming.com/articleshow/255338.cms" target="_blank">Sunjay Dutt</a> for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Vaastav</span>.Why so? Because he was comfortably seated somewhere in the middle of the star melee in the nominees enclosure, cracking jokes, laughing, enjoying himself, but least expecting to win. Which is why it took a while for it to sink in.<br /><br />The look on his face was worth a million dollars, turning from surprise to sheer joy, as he turned to wife Rhea and gave her a big bear hug. Then he ambled over under the spotlight for an emotional acceptance speech.<br /><br />He told me later that he was totally astounded and delighted to win his first ever Filmfare Best Actor; "I was sure Aamir would get it for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Sarfarosh</span>, but it feels great to win it!" he couldn''t stop gushing.<br /><br />Ever since, the <a href="http://clubs.jeetwin-gaming.com/clubs/sanjaydutt" target="_blank">deadly Dutt</a> has gone from strength to strength.<br /><br />It''s the indefatigable spirit within him that does that. Makes him a fighter. Refusing to get cowed down or defeated by any situation/role.<br /><br />Be it his drug situation when he was given up as a lost cause; which he returned to conquer with a literal punch on the faces of the critics.<br /><br />Or something as trivial a statement as Dutt cannot dance. That made him do the trickiest of steps in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Thanedaar</span> in the famous <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Tamma Tamma</span> song.<br /><br />Even the accusation that the tough guy was just an action hero and couldn''t act was refuted with masterly performances in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Naam</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Sadak</span>, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Saajan</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Khalnayak</span>. And they kept getting better. Culminating in the Award for <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Vaastav</span>.<br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Everytime I met Sunjay baba he would smile his enigmatic smile and say, "I thank God for <br />giving me the strength. And my family for supporting me and guiding me though my worst periods."<br /><br />But now it seems that the actor in the action star seems to be shining through more than ever.<br /><br />Movies like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Khubsoorat, Jodi No 1</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Haseena Maan Jaayegi</span> brought out the comic actor with perfect timing. Suddenly everyone wanted Sunju to act, not just flail his arms or fire a magnum with as much ease as a ''terminator''. <br /><br />And at the end of 2003 he scores again. For performances that have made people applaud in glee. First <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Munnabhai MBBS</span> and then in the star-studded <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">LoC</span>. One comic, one tragic portrayal - but both talked about at the end of the lacklustre year.<br /><br />In fact, a small single star film like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Munnabhai...</span> is doing better business than most multistar cast movies. Even giving his own <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">LoC</span> a run. Talk about performance power.<br /><br />And without any other stars to support him, it is the Dutt performance power that is driving this comedy caper.<br /><br />In fact, so confident was Sunju at the outcome of this movie, that he would make it a point to call up anyone who saw the film and ask, "Did you like it?" And then sit back and smile modestly when they would (expectedly) gush about his dazzling performance, even while throwing in that sardonic "Really?"<br /><br />No wonder, this actor with the brilliant timing and performer growing in confidence is always the surprise element who pulls the rug from under other well-established feet. <br /><br />And while 2003''s front-runner favourites are Shah Rukh (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kal Ho Naa Ho</span>) and Hrithik (<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Koi Mil Gaya</span>), who knows. Sunjay Dutt, the most underrated (unfortunately so) of actors may just be making that trip down the red carpet once more. What say?<br /><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>