Sanjay, Alistair have nothing to do with Jail

Is Madhur Bhandarkar's Jail based on Sanjay Dutt's life? "No, it isn't. Nor is it based on Alistair Pereira's life. That's another rumour doing the rounds. How do these rumours originate?" Madhur is perplexed, "Jail is a fictional account of a person who lands up behind bars and how his life goes for a toss."

Very recently, Madhur and lead actor Neil Nitin Mukesh visited Thane Jail for research on the subject. "It's a different world out there. I had never seen a prison from inside before and the experience left me stunned and speechless," Neil tells me.

How different will Madhur's Jail be from Nagesh Kukunoor's 3 Deewarien? "Not similar at all. Nor is it a copy of The Shawshank Redemption ( 3 Deewarien was inspired by this film). I was, to an extent, inspired by Midnight Express, but it's not a rip-off. My film has a completely different plot," Madhur states.

By the way, Madhur has also signed Manoj Bajpai for a significant role in the film.