Why Sanjay Dutt said ‘I can’t feel that peace in our country anymore’ and what he clarified later

Sanjay Dutt has addressed the backlash surrounding his recent remarks about the lack of peace in India, saying his comments were part of a scripted and light-hearted conversation. The actor clarified that his words were interpreted outside the context in which they were intended and stressed that he never meant to hurt or disrespect anyone.

The controversy began after Dutt appeared on Shekhar Suman’s show Shekhar Tonite for a Gandhi Jayanti special. During the conversation, he spoke about India, its people and the sense of peace he felt was missing from the country. Clips from the appearance soon circulated online, prompting criticism and debate on social media.

Sanjay Dutt says his remarks were scripted

Following the backlash, Dutt took to X on Sunday evening to explain what he meant. In his statement, the actor said he had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any individual, community or institution.

He wrote, “I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution.”

Dutt added that the exchange was written as a humorous segment rather than a serious political statement.

“My remarks were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous,” he said, adding that the spirit of the conversation was inspired by the humour and satire associated with his ‘Munna Bhai’ films.

The actor specifically referred to the idea of “Gandhigiri”, saying it was meant to convey values such as love, warmth, togetherness and goodwill. He also said that his words were unfortunately understood outside the context in which they were delivered.

What did Sanjay Dutt say about peace in India?

During his appearance on Shekhar Tonite, Dutt was asked about the country and spoke warmly about Indians and their hospitality. He then said that he no longer felt the same sense of peace in India.

“The people of this country are so lovely. There should be peace here. I can’t feel that peace in our country anymore. We Indians are large-hearted people, and we are hospitable. We have given so much, and we should always remain that way. I pray to Shivji that those days come back soon,” he said.

The comments quickly became a talking point online. While some viewers agreed with his call for peace, others questioned what period Dutt was referring to and criticised the statement. Some social media users also brought up his past and his life in the UAE while discussing the remarks.

Sanjay Dutt’s ‘Munna Bhai’-style political monologue

The comments came during a larger segment in which Dutt slipped into the style of his much-loved ‘Munna Bhai’ character.

Shekhar Suman asked him to imagine that he had become the Prime Minister of India for five minutes. Dutt responded with a satirical monologue about the relationship between political leaders and the public.

Speaking in his familiar ‘Munna Bhai’ style, he joked that he would stay in India rather than travel abroad to celebrate becoming Prime Minister. He also spoke about staying connected with ordinary citizens.

The segment also included references to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits and US President Donald Trump. Dutt brought the idea of “Gandhigiri” into the conversation, keeping the tone in line with the humour associated with the ‘Munna Bhai’ franchise.

It was this combination of political satire and his remarks about the lack of peace in India that drew attention after clips from the show spread online.

Dutt’s clarification leaned heavily on the tone of the ‘Munna Bhai’ films, particularly the idea of Gandhigiri introduced in ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’. The films used humour and satire to explore ideas around kindness, non-violence and how people treat one another.

By referring to that approach, Dutt appeared to explain that the remarks on the show were intended in a similar satirical spirit rather than as an attempt to offend anyone.

On the work front, Sanjay Dutt was seen in ‘The Raja Saab’, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’, ‘Raja Shivaji’ and ‘Aakhri Sawal’, among other projects. His filmography also includes the recently released ‘7 Dogs’.

He has several projects in the pipeline, including ‘Hera Pheri 3’ and ‘Khalnayak Returns’.