Sanjay Dutt clarifies after his ‘no peace in India’ remark turns into a row

Hindi film actor Sanjay Dutt has issued a clarification after his remarks that ‘he doesn’t feel peace in India anymore’, made at actor Shekhar Suman’s talk show, sparked a controversy. The clarification by the actor comes two days after his episode was aired on Shekhar Tonite Youtube channel, which drew widespread backlash from social media users.

Taking to X late on October 4, 2026, the actor 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”. He stated that his remarks were made as part of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous.

The post read, “My remarks were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous. The spirit behind them was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the concept of ‘Gandhigiri,’ which was intended to convey a message of love, warmth, togetherness, and goodwill. Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context”.

The row kicked off when Mr. Dutt, during the Shekhar Tonite show, said he doesn’t feel peace in the nation anymore. During the show, the actor praised Indian hospitality, stating that his wish was to have peace in the country.

He stated that, “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.”

MDutt also breathed life to his iconic Munna Bhai character, from the Hindi movie Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and its sequel, in a brief skit that lasted around five minutes, during which he enacted as India’s Prime Minister and addressed the nation in his signature Munna Bhai avatar.

In his speech as a fictional PM of India, the actor referred to the famous three monkeys associated with Gandhiji.

“Apun Gandhi ji ko bahut maanta hai. Aur Gandhi ji ke teen bandar sabko pata hai, bura mat dekho, bura mat suno, bura mat kaho. Lekin aaj ek chautha bandar bhi mangta hai. Bura dekhega to use theek kaun karega? (I really believe in Gandhi ji. Everyone knows his three monkeys — don’t see evil, don’t hear evil, don’t speak evil. But today I want a fourth monkey too. If someone sees something wrong, who will correct it?),” said Dutt.

The actor’s remarks led to mixed opinions on social media, snowballing into a heated controversy. The show’s host Shekhar Suman has not made any remarks on the issue so far.