‘I saw myself dying’: When Sanjay Dutt talked about his battle with drugs

Sanjay Dutt started using drugs in the early 1980s when his mother, actress Nargis, was very sick and being treated in New York. Her illness and death deeply affected him, leading to drug addiction. He struggled for years before going to rehab and finally overcoming his addiction. After that, he focused again on his acting career. A video from his 1994 film ‘Aatish’ recently went viral, where he openly talked about quitting drugs and the support he got from his family.Reflections on struggle and recoveryIn a video shared by WildFilmsIndia, Sanjay Dutt reflects on his struggles, saying, “I think I saw myself dying. I have got fed up with the idea of hiding, running and people looking down at me and running into the bathrooms and stuff like that. I was falling sick so I decided and I said I need help from my family.” The actor also shared, “I think you should divert your attention. You should workout. There is nothing like working out. Physical activity has helped people. It gives a beautiful high better than anything else. There is no high better than life. Adrenaline is the biggest high in the world”.Behind the scenes during ‘Aatish’During the filming of Aatish, veteran actress Tanuja recalled being cautioned by the director about Sanjay Dutt’s delicate state. She said, “My director used to tell that don’t touch him, I was supposed to slap him in one scene but don’t touch him, just sort of wave your hand in front of him. If you touch him, he’ll fall.”Pooja Bhatt on Sanjay’s caring sidePooja Bhatt, who acted alongside Sanjay Dutt, shared insights into his caring nature during the shoot. She said, “I know him since I was six. He would be constantly telling me, ‘Why are you wearing this? Please go to your room and sleep. You shouldn’t listen to elders talking and it has been like that since. I dread meeting him in a disco because he will ask, ‘What are you wearing? Why are you drinking? Why are you out so late?’ It is like that but I adore him. He is like a big lion, beneath that macho thing, he is a sweet, sensitive soul.”Rebuilding life and careerOnce Sanjay Dutt came back to India, he entirely left his drug habit behind and focused on rebuilding both his personal life and professional career.