Sanjay Dutt says producer threatened him through dons

A day after a court ordered the attachment of two properties of Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt over a financial row with producer Shakeel Noorani, the actor's lawyer claimed on December 29 that he received extortion calls from the underworld in 2005 at Noorani's behest.

The film producer rubbished the allegation.

"Sanjay Dutt does not owe a single penny to Shakeel Noorani. Noorani, in the past, has been demanding money from Sanjay Dutt. Mr. Dutt has received extortion calls at the behest of Shakeel Noorani. The complaint was lodged with the Anti-Extortion Cell and late (senior police inspector) Vijay Salaskar was investigating the case," said Rizwan Merchant, Dutt's lawyer.

"Statement of Sanjay Dutt has been recorded. Shakeel Noorani was also personally called to the office of the Anti-Extortion Cell," he added.

Merchant said that when Noorani did not succeed in his extortion demands in 2005, he (Noorani) made a complaint to the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA), which was rejected.

"Once a complaint is rejected, a subsequent complaint is barred. The IMPPA could not have passed any award once the first complaint was rejected," Merchant said.

Noorani, however, rubbished all allegations made by the actor's lawyer.

"In fact, Sanjay Dutt has threatened to get me shot if I chase him to complete my film. He had personally thrown me out of the set where he was shooting for his film "EMI" when I requested him to finish my film," Noorani said.

Noorani also denied making any extortion calls, claiming that he had no underworld connections. "It is Sanjay Dutt who has underworld connections. He often met people from the underworld when we went for shooting abroad," he said.

"I was also never called for questioning by Salaskar. You can check the records if you want," he told reporters.

Noorani also claimed that the IMPPA had never rejected his complaint.

The Bombay High Court Tuesday ordered the attachment of two properties of Dutt. The decision followed an arbitration award passed by the IMPPA in January in favour of Noorani.

The properties ordered to be attached include the actor's flat in the Imperial Heights building at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra and his office in suburban Santa Cruz.

Dutt has 30 days to pay Noorani, failing which his properties will be auctioned. The actor can also challenge the order in the high court.

Sanjay and Manyata's twins arrive

Sanjay Dutt's wife Manyata delivered twins - a boy and a girl - early today (October 21). We hear that it was a premature delivery and that Sanjay was out of town when the babies were born but is rushing back home.

"Manyata gave birth to twins between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. through caesarean section. She is absolutely fine," a source from Breach Candy Hospital, where the babies were born, said.

Meanwhile, the wishes started pouring in from Bollywood.

Ameesha Patel, who is a close friend of both Sanjay and Manyata, wrote, "At the hospital. Manyata just delivered. One boy one girl. Congrats to Sanju and maana. Sooo happy for them."

Shilpa Shetty posted, "Congratulations Sanjay and Manyata on ur twins. Sooo happy."

Farah Khan Ali also wrote: "Congratulations to Sanjay and Maanyata. They have been blessed with a baby boy & a baby girl. Mashallah. God Bless."

Actor Sanjay Dutt Tattoo - Bollywood Tattoo

Actor Sanjay Dutt Tattoo - Bollywood Tattoo

Bollywood Actor Sanjay Dutt Tattoo Design

Bollywood Actor Sanjay Dutt Tattoo Design

Bollywood Actor Sanjay Dutt Arm Tattoo Design

 FAMOUS TATTOO QUOTES:

Death could come at any time, Angelina Jolie says. The tattoo is a strong reminder to live fully in the moment and never have regrets. (About her first tattoo of the Japanese Kanji for Death) I didn't get the tattoo for the dark reason everyone thinks.


Usually all my tattoos came at good times. A tattoo is something permanent when you've made a self-discovery, or something you've come to a conclusion about. - Angelina Jolie - 2003

 Jolie says her tiger tattoo is a favorite of her kids.  They talk to it all the time.  They like to say hi to it and paint it with fingerpaints.  Its like a little friend.  - Angelina Jolie


It's Aslan, the lion from The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. Its a symbol of my hellish childhood. I struggled through my oppressive teenage years and when I turned 18 I escaped. Like Aslan I was finally free.? - Christina Ricci

Sanjay Dutt on 'KBC 4'

Amitabh Bachchan's coming back as the host of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', and he's bringing a bunch of star guests with him. It's confirmed now that Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham are among the B'wood players who'll be on the show. The episodes with Sanju and John have already been shot.

Now the question is will other members of the Bachchan family be on the show too? It would be fun to see Big B quiz Ash and Abhi.

But the bigger star attraction we think would be if former host Shah Rukh Khan were to come back on the show as a guest. Think Big B would give his okay to that? He's been saying that the channel decides which special guests appear on the show, but we think all Sr B would have to do is ask to get anyone he wants on the show.

Sweets on the sets on Double Dhamaal

Ajay Devgn's mom sent laddoos to the sets of Double Dhamaal in celebration of the birth of her grandson.

While Ajay Devgn prefers to play down the celebrations around the birth of his second child, his folks have no such qualms.

The actor's mom Veena Devgn sent boxes of sweets over to the sets of Indra Kumar's Double Dhamaal on Tuesday. It was her way of announcing the birth of her grandson.

Says a source, "As Ajay's buddy Sanjay Dutt was shooting for Double Dhamaal in Mehboob Studios, she sent across boondi ke laddoos for everyone on the sets. The gesture took the unit by surprise."

The source adds, "Sanjay was one of the first to arrive at the hospital to call on Kajol and Ajay after the baby boy was born. In any case, the rest of the cast of Double Dhamaal as well as director Indra Kumar have an old association with Ajay."

The cast, which includes Kangna Ranaut, Riteish Deshmukh, Aashish Chowdhry, Jaaved Jaafri and Mallika Sherawat, tucked into the laddoos during lunch break.

Devgn's publicist confirms, "Sweets were sent to the Double Dhamaal sets."

Kajol delivered a baby boy on Monday morning at Lilavati Hospital. Nysa, 7, is Ajay and Kads' firstborn.

Sanju whistles for Sallu

Sanjay Dutt, who was outdoor when Salman Khan's latest film released, wanted to catch up with the movie as soon as he arrived in Mumbai.

So he had a special screening at a preview theatre close to his Pali Hill home. Spotted there was a heavily pregnant Maanyata. The Dutts also invited their faithfuls like Dharam Oberoi and even their domestic help because everyone is a huge Salman fan. "Salman is like my younger brother. I'm so happy that his latest film is the biggest hit ever," said Sanju.

Sanjay Dutt's iftaar party

After his return from South Africa, Sanjay Dutt hosted an iftaar party and launched the promo of his next release, Sohail Maklai's Knock Out.

Dutt's wife Maanayata, who is due to deliver in November, made a brief appearance.

But the surprise of the evening was Kangna Ranaut (her eye-popping outfit was definitely a knockout)! Dutt and she also wore colour coordinated outfits in sea green.

Mallika says Sanjay Dutt ke liye!

Mallika signs Dhamaal sequel just so she could be cast opposite Sanju Baba

Mallika Sherawat signed the Dhamaal sequel without discussing her fee. The sex siren was willing to do the film at any price offered to her as she wanted to be cast opposite Sanjay Dutt.

Producer Ashok Thakeria and director Indra Kumar must have been pleased as punch especially because their earlier choice Vidya Balan asked for a bomb and walked out of the project when she realised she was not getting her price.

Wishing Munna Bhai a Very Happy Birthday

Birthdays are very special days, they mark the day we came into existence, and so celebrating them isn't a question... it's a must. Today is special for this Bollywood star better know for his films like Rocky, Vidhata, Jeeva, and more recent films like Lamhaa, Luck and Blue. He is none other than Sanjay Dutt.

Sanju baba ( as he is fondly called), who has been in the news for quite some time now, turns 51 today, and we takes this opportunity to wish him a very Happy Birthday and many more to come. You too can send in your birthday wish by just posting them in below:

A who's who list of Bollywood stars following Hollywood biggies on popular micro-blogging platform Twitter

Here's a who's who list of B-Towners following Hollywood biggies on Twitter. Find out what it says to be in the company they keep

What does it say about you when you decide to follow someone on Twitter? And that too, when the object of your attention is saat samundar paar? We decided to psychoanalyse our B-Town Twitterers based on their shared histories and our Wikipedia research. We bring you the results of our study. Read on...

Follower: Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk)

Following: Shakira (@shakira)

What it says about him: Shah Rukh has no starry airs. He is a star but when he meets other performers, he gets as excited as any other besotted fan. He has even tweeted pictures of Shakira posing with his family in South Africa.

Follower: Lara Dutta (@duttalara)

Following: Hugh Jackman (@realhughjackman)

What it says about him: That she likes her men strong, sexy and romantic. And loyal -- Hugh is one of the few H-Town actors who has been with the same woman for 15 years.

Follower: Bipasha Basu (@bipsluvurself)

Following: Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk)

What it says about her: That she likes guys with a sense of humour and a hot bod. Demi Moore's husband is known for his funny shows and his toned frame.

Follower: Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay)

Following: Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe)

What it says about him: That he sees similarities in their lives. They have dealt with their trouble with the law, Gladiator-like. Also, their Beautiful Minds have them performing acts worthy of a Robin Hood.

Follower: Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor)

Following: Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake)

What it says about him: He doesn't shy away from admiring dancing men -- and ones who can successfully hide details of their personal life. Both men shut out the media after their break-ups. Notice the similarities?

Follower: Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra)

Following: Eminem (@Eminem), Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey)

What it says about her: Priyanka loves strong people who can think of failures as stepping stones to success. Mariah resurrected her career after a nervous breakdown and Eminem came back after his drug addiction. PC also hears both sides of an argument before judging someone. Why else will she follow both singers who have been at odds since 2003?

Follower: Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor)

Following: Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio)

What it says about her: Even though she has been offered a Ben Stiller film, she follows Leo, not the funnyman. That could possibly mean only one thing: she wants to be on DiCaprio's radar and is holding out till she's offered Inception 2. Mr Nolan, are you listening?

Follower: Karan Johar (@kjohar25)

Following: Paris Hilton (@ParisHilton)

What it says about him: That KJo is an ardent admirer of the heiress-turned-model-turned actress. It's no secret he only wants to be surrounded by good-looking and rich folks, and he's even ready to follow them, if need be. Or maybe he wants to do a show inspired by her (not-so) Simple Life.

Follower: Imran Khan (@1mrankhan)

Following: Bob Saget (@bobsaget)

What it says about him: That Imran is a fan of the sweet family show that ran on for years. Maybe he sees the similarities between his close-knit family and that on the show. However, there is that little detail of Bob playing a single dad Danny Tanner in the hugely popular family show, while our boy is ready to get hitched. See, we told you he is a family guy.

Follower: Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin)

Following: Woody Allen (@WoodyAllen)

What it says about him: That even though he makes scary films, he loves a man with a sense of humour. Also let's not forget how much both men love nubile young beauties. Professionally, maybe after paying tribute to intense, brooding filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, RGV now wants to follow Woody.

MOVIE REVIEW: Lamhaa

During the showcasing of LAMHAA at the recently held I.I.F.A. in Sri Lanka, I was compelled to ask director Rahul Dholakia about the catch line of the film: 'The untold story of Kashmir'. Obviously, I was curious. What was Dholakia going to narrate that we, the viewers, hadn't witnessed in films earlier or read in newspapers or watched on news channels? Dholakia gave a convincing response, justifying the catch line, but obviously not revealing much about the film.

As LAMHAA unfolds, you realize that Dholakia may've borrowed a few incidents from life, but as it moves forward, it comes across as a typical Bollywood enterprise that harps on being real, but ends up being a masala film that we have witnessed over and over again. The catch line, in my individualistic opinion, is quite misleading.

Dholakia seems to have researched extensively on the issue and LAMHAA does boast of some razor-sharp moments, but the viewer is keen to have an insider's viewpoint on Kashmir, something that we haven't read/seen [on news channels/films] earlier, which LAMHAA just doesn't provide.

Just one word for this film: Disappointing!

The Military Intelligence gets a whiff of a plot that is likely to disrupt and possibly paralyze Kashmir. Vikram [Sanjay Dutt] is sent to investigate this highly confidential mission and he assumes the identity of Gul Jehangir. The same day that he lands in the valley, Haji [Anupam Kher], a top separatist leader, survives a blast. Is there a connection between the blast and the operation?

To solve this conundrum, Vikram teams up with Aziza [Bipasha Basu], Haji's young, aggressive and outspoken protégé. The intensity of their beliefs and their will to survive against all odds creates a special bond between them. They embark together on a journey to uncover the truth.

First things first! LAMHAA has been filmed in Kashmir and you're awe-struck by its beauty, with DoP James Fowlds doing a splendid job in capturing the scenic locales on celluloid. The constant shaking of the camera also gives a real feel. Unfortunately, LAMHAA, though controversial in nature, merely touches the tip of the issue, instead of going all-out and narrating a story that offers reasons and perhaps, a solution to the crisis.

The problem clearly lies in its scripting, the written material [screenplay: Raghav Dhar, Rahul Dholakia]. Like I pointed out earlier, Dholakia should've stuck to realism, instead of trying to strike a balance between realism and make-believe. The viewer is told at the very outset, and also at regular intervals, that 'something big [read destructive] is going to occur'. But the entire conspiracy comes across as too trivial during the final moments of the film and therefore, the impact is missing.

Honestly, LAMHAA comes across as a disjointed effort, in terms of writing. It's more of a collage of several isolated incidents, which explains why the screenplay lacks the power to keep you engaged. Sure, a few sequences are attention grabbing, but showing the heroic side of Sanjay Dutt [rescuing Bipasha all the while - from the cops, from Rajesh Khera's henchmen, from a lecherous Yashpal Sharma] appears very filmy. Even the finale - Sanju busting the conspiracy - comes across as child's play.

One expects a lot from Dholakia, but he lets you down completely in LAMHAA. The politicians wanting a bigger piece of pie or children getting trained for jehad or their bodies being stuffed with bombs is not an eye-opener anymore. What one is keen to know is the mindset of Kashmiris, which, frankly, this film doesn't really project. In the end, if you recall the visuals, not the content, it means something is seriously wrong with the film and LAMHAA, sadly, is right intentions gone wrong. Even the dialogue [Sai Kabir, Ashwath Bhatt], like the screenplay writing, tries to strike a balance between real and filmy. Mithoon's music is easy on the ears, but acts as a speed breaker in the narrative.

Sanjay Dutt tries hard to look the character, but I just couldn't connect with it. The rugged look, the sunglasses and the trendy attire made me feel that Sanju had strolled into the sets from an ad film shoot. Bipasha, again, doesn't look her part, although I must add that she has put in a lot of effort to stay true to her character. The sequence when she's attacked by the women workers of Anupam Kher's political party is simply brilliant.

Kunal Kapoor is royally sidelined in the first hour, but has a few interesting scenes in the second half. His speech in the finale is flat and devoid of the required emotions. Anupam Kher is the lone actor who actually looks the character he has been assigned to portray.

Mahesh Manjrekar is wasted. Ditto for Yashpal Sharma. Vipin Sharma is effective. Jyoti Dogra stands out. Murli Sharma is perfect. Shernaz Patel is decent. Rajesh Khera, Yuri Suri, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Asif Basra, Denzil Smith and Ehsaan Khan are okay in their respective parts.

On the whole, LAMHAA just doesn't work.

RATING: 1.5/5

Aamir, SRK or Sanjay? Who will host Bigg Boss 4?

After Amitabh Bachchan announced that he will be hosting the fourth season of Kaun Banega Crorepati? for Sony, the officials of Colors are busy trying to fill his place in the fourth season of Bigg Boss. The buzz in the industry is that their first choice is Aamir Khan, who is yet to host any show on television. However, Aamir has rejected their initial offer. The channel officials have now apparently raised their offer, hoping Aamir will agree.

Meanwhile, they have also made overtures to Shah Rukh Khan. But even if SRK does agree, it will cost Colors heavily, as they will have to remunerate him to break his contract with Star Plus and match his high fee for every episode he hosts.

Colors has also approached Sanjay Dutt, but if rumours are to be believed, Sanjay has refused the offer as he feels the remuneration is not worth the trouble.

Arshad Warsi and Shilpa Shetty have hosted the first two seasons of Bigg Boss respectively.

Lamhaa banned in Middle East

Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa starring Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu has been banned in the Middle East.

Apparently, the censor boards of the Middle Eastern countries have found the film too hot to handle, as it is set against the backdrop of terrorism in Kashmir.

Dutt tweets, "First the premiere of Lamhaa was not allowed in Kashmir. Now the Middle East puts a ban on the release of the film in their countries."

Bollywood stars ready for the FIFA World Cup

SRK, Sanjay Dutt, Lara Dutta and many others are in Jo'burg, and having a blast

Football fever has never been more pronounced in Bollywood. Stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Imran Khan, Lara Dutta, Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt, have already reached Johannesburg to watch the World Cup final between Netherlands and Spain, and they are pretty excited.

SRK posted this picture of him and son Aryan earlier today, and wrote on his Twitter page, "We are ready for the world cup...our finals jo'bulani balls..bring it on."

He added later, "Chairman soccer in south africa was so kind to me at lunch & even made me make a speech..warmth of s africa very touching. having a blast. Ryan the rhino from our safari predicts holland will win...lets see if 8 arms or thick skin is right..ha ha."

Lara Dutta added, "Just got into Jo'burg. So far Spanish supporters outnumbering the Dutch! Had a contingent blowing their vuvuzelas right from the airport!:-) Its an amazing atmosphere! South Africa has bn wonderful hosts! Fans from across the globe r raring 2 go! EVERYONE has a jersey, headgear on."

Anil Kapoor is on his way now, but had almost cancelled his plans.

Sighed Anil, "Some work had come up. It looked like I wouldn’t be able to go to Johannesburg, though I had packed and booked seats at the stadium. But, I finally did make it. I am the brand ambassador and this is the biggest sports event," said Anil as he left for South Africa.

Another football enthusiast, Dino Morea, too seemed unsure of making it to Johannesburg. "I’m in London, all set to go. But my air ticket is not confirmed, if it doesn’t happen, then I’ll just have to watch it on television," he said.

The model turned actor is a huge football fan. "I play football and I love watching the sport. I was supporting Italy as I am half-Italian. Now, I’m supporting Spain because they have never won the Cup," he added.

Sanjay Dutt left his pregnant wife in Mumbai for the finals. He will be in South Africa with his two non-filmy best-friends.

"I wouldn’t miss the World Cup for the world. I’m the hugest football fan. I place it above cricket in my scheme of joy. I watched the silliest of games in the Cup. For the finals, I had to be here (in Johannesburg)," said the actor.

Dutt is rooting for Spain all the way. So is Jackky Bhagnani, producer Vashu Bhagnani’s son has apparently secured some of the best seats in the stadium for himself and his five friends from Mumbai.

Speaking from Johannesburg, Jackky exulted, "Man, I’ve the best view possible! I could never afford these seats, they are among the best in the stadium. An industrialist friend from Russia got me these seats. I can’t begin to express my excitement, I feel like an eight-year-old who has got his favourite toy. Me and my friends have our t-shirts, caps and flags ready. We’re rooting for Spain."

Adding to Jackky’s excitement is the fact that this is the first FIFA World Cup match he’s attending.

But for all the stars attending, there are some football lovers who had to miss the event. Salman Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are shooting in Colombo and Delhi respectively, while John Abraham had to cancel his plans for the finals because of a shoot with Vishal Bharadwaj.

'3 Idiots' sweeps IIFA Awards

Kareena, Vidya share best actress honours

'3 Idiots' that created history by becoming one of the most successful films in Hindi cinema walked away with 11 trophies at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards that concluded in Colombo with a flourish early on June 6, being declared the Best Film, while the Best Director award went to Rajkumar Hirani and the Best Actress award to Kareena Kapoor for the same movie.

Kareena shared the award with Vidya Balan, who was honoured for perfectly portraying the role in 'Paa' of a single mother whose son is suffering from progeria.

Sanjay Dutt, Bollywood's affable Munnabhai, walked away with the Best Comic Actor trophy for his rib-tickling performance in 'All The Best', while Boman Irani received the Best Actor in A Negative Role honour for his brilliant portrayal of an eccentric professor in '3 Idiots'.

Sharman Joshi, who played Aamir Khan's friend in '3 Idiots', won the Best Supporting Actor award, while Divya Dutta received Best Supporting Actress honour for her performance in 'Delhi 6'.

In the special award category, well-known Hindi filmmaker J. Omprakash and Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan's maternal grandfather, who made films like 'Aap Ki Kasam' (1974) , 'Aasha' (1980) and 'Aas Paas' (1981), was honoured for his outstanding contribution to cinema.

Versatile actor Anil Kapoor, who made his mark in the international arena with British filmmaker Danny Boyle's multiple award winning rags-to-riches drama 'Slumdog Millionaire', was honoured for outstanding achievement by an Indian in international cinema. And yesteryears glamour girl Zeenat Aman was honoured for Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema.

While Bollywood heart throb Salman Khan was given the Habitat for Humanity award, his not-so-good friend Vivek Oberoi, who has been in the news for all the wrong reasongs ever since he arrived for the IIFA awards, was honoured with the Panasonic Global Green award.

Pritam Chakraborty won the Best Music Director Award for composing lilting numbers for 'Love Aaj Kal' and Swanand Kirkire bagged the Best Lyrics Award for the super-hit movie '3 Idiots'.

In the playback singing category, the Best Female Playback Singer award went to Kavita Seth for crooning 'Ik tara' in 'Wake Up Sid' and the Best Male Playback Singer Award went to Shaan for the hit number 'Behti hawa sa thaa wo' in '3 Idiots'.

Sri Lankan actress Jacqueline Fernandez, who made her Bollywood debut with 'Aladin', was declared Star Plus Debut of the Year (Female). Apart from Jacqueline, Mahi Gill, who played the modern age Paro in Anurag Kashap's new interpretation of 'Devdas' titled "Dev D", too bagged the Star Plus Debut of the Year (Female) award.

'3 Idiots' fame Omi Vadiya, who had people rolling in the aisles with his antics in the super-hit movie, received the Star Plus Debut of the Year (Male) award along with Jackie Bhagnani - the young actor who made his debut with the not-so-successful movie 'Kal Kissne Dekha'.

Abhijat Joshi, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra received the Best Story Award for penning the interesting tale of '3 Idiots'.

'3 Idiots' baggged the maximum technical awards. The film won the Best Sound Recording Award for Nihar Ranjan Samal and Sachin K. Sanghvi. The Best Sound Re-recording went to Anup Dev, the Best Song Recording Award went to Sachin K. Sanghvi, the Best Background Score Award went to Sanjay Wandrekar, Atul Raninga and Shantanu Moitra, while C.K. Muraleedharan received the Best Cinematography Award for '3 Idiots'.

Bosco Caesar won the Best Choreography Award for directing popular dance moves in 'Love Aaj Kal', the Best Costume Design Awrard went to Anahita Shroff and Dolly Ahluwalia for the same film, which had Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles.

Sabu Cyril won the Best Art Direction Award and Charles Darby won Best Special Effects (Visual) Award for Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Aladin'.

For designing mindblowing action sequecnes in the crime thriller 'Kaminey', Shyam Kaushal was honoured with the Best Action Award and the Best Makeup Award went to the international make-up artists Christien Tinsley & Dominie Till for giving a progeria patient look to Amitabh in 'Paa'.

IIFA 2010 Green Carpet - Photos

IN PICS: Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez unveil Pepsi Game

Munnabhai Chale Amreeka

Just when all Munnabhai fans had given up any hope of seeing the much promised third installment in the series, news comes in that Munnabhai Chale Amreeka is very much in the pipeline. The filming will begin at the end of the year.

“Munnabhai Chale Amreeka is very much on the cards. Raju has been working on the script, and we should begin filming soon” confirms Munnabhai, Sanjay Dutt, himself.

Arshad Warsi, who is currently enjoying the success of his first production Hum Tum Aur Ghost, is equally optimistic of doing the film. “Raju has been working on the story and screenplay for some time now. We all know how Raju works, and he needs the story to be just right. We didn’t want to make the sequel just to cash in on the Munnabhai success. We want to make a good and equally enjoyable film,” explains Arshad.

But what has delayed the film for so many years?

“The film, as the name suggests, is set in the US. Now, many films have been made with the whole New York and 9/11 incident in the background. A lot of them were being filmed or released during the time Raju was writing the script. Plus 3 Idiots also happened for Raju. So, for a good year and a half, he was completely immersed in that project. He has now gone back to the writing board and is re-working the script… putting final touches to it,” says Warsi.

According to both Dutt and Warsi, the film should go on floors either in December of this year or at the very start of next year.