Sanjay Gupta, who is set to come up with another gangster movie titled Mumbai Saga, has opened up about his infamous fallout with Sanjay Dutt.
Although the film Kaante had given Gupta a lot of credibility as a director, he was left so cornered that he was about to quit the industry. He said that he had already started working in a hotel as no one was ready to work with him after his fight with Dutt.
"Kaante happened and one didn't have to look back till there was a gap just before Shootout At Wadala for almost four years. Ninety per cent of the film industry wasn't willing to work with me. They were told to not work with me after my fallout with Sanju," the film-maker told PTI.
He further said that Dutt never tried to end his career, but there were other people close to the former who instructed everyone not to work with Gupta.
"That was an exceptionally low phase. I had almost given up. I had started working in a hotel in Khandala and used to go there four days a week. I thought this is my future, since I won't be getting work in the industry," he said.
However, Gupta found his courage back after he was blessed with a son.
"I was holding him in my arms, and I thought, 'What am I going to leave for him'? 'Since when have I become a quitter'? I started at the age of 15, made my first film at the age of 22, now why was I ready to quit at 40?"
Later, he had collaborated with Ekta Kapoor for Shootout At Wadala, in which John Abraham and Anil Kapoor had featured. Gupta said that though Anil was also asked not to work with him, he stood by his side.
"Anil had given a statement saying 'if Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) directly tells me, don't work with Gupta, I won't. But he will have to give me a reason about why I shouldn't'. That was very gracious of Anil to make that statement in my support," the director told the news agency.
Gupta further said that although he and Dutt have patched up now, he said he has now learnt the art of keeping professional and personal life separate.
