Shamshera Director Karan Malhotra On Sanjay Dutt: I Will Never Offer Him A Role Which Is Not Deserving Of Him

After the 2012 film Agneepath, director Karan Malhotra and Sanjay Dutt are teaming up again for Yash Raj Films' upcoming period action flick Shamshera. Dutt had essayed the role of the main antagonist Kancha Cheena in Agneepath starring Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra.

In his latest interview with ETimes, Karan opened up on reuniting with Sanjay Dutt for their second outing. Speaking about casting the KGF: Chapter 2 actor in Shamshera, the filmmaker said that he enjoyed working with him a lot in Agneepath and added that the way he owned Kancha Cheena was unbelievable.

"When we were creating Shudh Singh's character, Sanju sir automatically came to mind," the director told the tabloid.

Tallking about his experience of working with Sanjay for the second time, Karan shared, "He came to the sets and asked me 'Beta bata kya karna hai?' I told him this is what the scene is and these are the dialogues. Then he'd ask me, 'Tu ek baar kar ke dikha'. I would play the whole part for him and he would look at me with childlike excitement, watching me do the part."

Malhotra was all praise for Dutt and said that the latter makes the role his own and delivers in his own phenomenal screen presence and style. He further added, "Now with him, I don't have to tell him anything in words. Eye contact mein ho jaata hai."

Karan said that after working with Sanjay Dutt in two films, he has pledged to only offer his best while working with him.

"I will never go to Sanjay sir with a role which is not deserving of him. Because I know he won't say no to me. So, I would never do that. He and his presence in my films are very special to me. I will try to respect that as much as I can," the daily was quoted as saying.

Besides Sanjay Dutt, Shamshera helmed by Karan Malhotra, also features Ranbir Kapoor in a double role and Vaani Kapoor as the female lead.