Sanjay Dutt’s Marathi Challenge Leaves Thane Crowd In Splits: ‘6 Saal Jail Mein Raha…’
Sanjay Dutt had a hilarious response when Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik asked him to speak Marathi at a Dahi Handi event in Thane. The actor also spoke about a 25-year-old friendship with the minister.
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt recently got into the center of a fun moment at a Dahi Handi celebration in Thane. The actor was at a Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik’s place of work at Dahi Handi Festival in Thane on 5 September when he met him and had a good chat on stage. Sanjay Dutt and Pratap Sarnaik are friends and the two were seen to have been friends for some 25 years and seemed to be laughing with each other in front of the crowd.
At this event the conversation turned to Marathi language. Pratap Sarnaik, who has been encouraging auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to communicate in Marathi, asked Sanjay Dutt to speak in the regional language also. Sanjay knows Marathi but he has acknowledged that he is not fluent in the language.
The minister's request was hilarious to the actor. Sanjay Dutt took the microphone and explained that even though he had spent several years in Yerawada Jail in Pune, he still could not become fluent in Marathi. His honest comment instantly added some humour to the conversation and amused those in the room.
Sanjay Dutt Gives Funny Response To Pratap Sarnaik
A video of the Dahi Handi celebration has been circulating on social media. In the video, Pratap Sarnaik can be heard telling the crowd that he has been teaching people Marathi. He then looks to Sanjay Dutt and motivates the actor to speak Marathi.
Sanjay responded with his characteristic sense of humour and recalled his time in Yerawada Jail. He said he had spent six years there but still did not manage to properly learn Marathi. And he said he had picked up some of the language during that period.
His response caught attention for the unusual and personal way in which he explained why he could not speak Marathi fluently. But Sanjay Dutt didn’t shy away from the request and tried to address the crowd in Marathi.
The actor also thanked Pratap Sarnaik for inviting him to the celebration. Speaking about their long time friendship, Sanjay said that their relationship went back around 25 years. His comments were indicative of a very good relationship between the two.
Sanjay Dutt’s Connection With Marathi Cinema
Although Sanjay Dutt might not be fluent in Marathi, the language and Maharashtra have been well-established in his film career. The actor has played many Marathi characters and Maharashtra in his movies.
Dutt played the Raghu character in "Vaastav: The Reality" in one of his most memorable performances. The film was directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and is one of his most well-known performances and is in the film for which Dutt is best known.
He later appeared in "Hathyar", another film connected to the world and the characters created in "Vaastav". Sanjay also starred in "Baba", so it is clear that he is associated with stories based in Maharashtra.
And he has also appeared in bilingual projects that have historical and regional themes. So his ability to play characters with Maharashtra ties has helped make him popular with people in the state.
Viral Video Gets Mixed Reactions Online
The video from the Thane event has received a lot of attention on social media. Some viewers thought Sanjay Dutt’s answer was funny and liked his attempts to engage the audience in Marathi but others disagreed with his remarks on learning the language.
Sanjay Dutt has been living in Mumbai for more than 50 years, and he himself says that even after spending 6 years in Yerwada Jail, he still couldn’t learn Marathi.
— Amit Kumar Sindhi (@AMIT_GUJJU) September 6, 2026
And he openly admitted this in front of everyone, without any shame. So now, will MNS and Uddhav Thackeray’s party… pic.twitter.com/kLQ7AxZfBa
But the moment has been a great example of the actor’s relationship with Maharashtra. Despite not being fluent in Marathi, Sanjay Dutt seems to know the language and has acknowledged its importance in the state.
His interaction with Pratap Sarnaik also stood out because it was less like a formal political or celebrity appearance and more like a casual exchange between two longtime friends. The actor's lighter remark about his past and his subsequent attempt to speak Marathi made it all that much more memorable for those in the vicinity of the Dahi Handi celebration.
For Sanjay Dutt, the event was ultimately another public appearance where his honest personality was shown up. Now his Marathi exchange with Pratap Sarnaik is the talking point of the celebration and the viral video gives social media users yet another glimpse at the actor’s off-screen persona.
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