Sanjay Dutt uses Yerwada prison joke to skip speaking Marathi on stage: 'Main 6 saal jail me raha, tab bhi nahi seekh paya'

Sanjay Dutt found a clever way to sidestep an awkward on-stage moment when Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik asked him to speak in Marathi at his Dahi Handi event. Instead of attempting the language, the actor cracked a self-deprecating joke about his time in jail, leaving the audience in splits and setting off a wave of reactions online.Sanjay Dutt says he couldn't learn Marathi in six yearsClips from the Dahi Handi event, now doing rounds on social media, show Sanjay Dutt and Pratap Sarnaik sharing the stage along with other guests. The minister referenced his department's recent order requiring Mumbai's autorickshaw drivers to know basic Marathi, joking, "Aajkal main sab logon ko Marathi sikha raha hoon (These days, I’ve been teaching Marathi to everyone)." He then switched to Marathi and turned the spotlight on Sanjay Dutt, telling the gathering that although the actor speaks in Hindi, everyone present could still follow Marathi.Taking the mic, Sanjay Dutt responded with humour, saying, "Pratap bhai. Main 6 saal jail me raha, Yervada mein. Tab bhi Marathi nahi seekh paaya. Main thoda seekha tha (Pratap bhai, I spent six years in jail at Yerwada. Even then, I couldn’t learn Marathi. I picked up a little bit of it, though)." He then wrapped an arm around the minister, referring to him as an old friend, and added, "Main Pratap bhai ka aabhaari hoon ki mujhe yahan bulaye. Hamara rishta bahut purana hai, 25 saal ho gaye hain (I’m grateful to Pratap bhai for inviting me here. We share a very old relationship; it’s been 25 years)."Sanjay Dutt's projectsOn the work front, Sanjay Dutt last appeared in a cameo in the Arabic film '7 Dogs', starring alongside Salman Khan. The project failed to make a mark either critically or at the box office. He will also star in the sequel to his film 'Khalnayak'. On the other hand, the actor has been pushing filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani for the third instalment of 'Munna Bhai 3'.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!