Sanjay Dutt

Mumbai, Dec. 6: A week after Sanjay Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act provisions, unions in the film industry have decided to rally support for the actor through a signature campaign that will be bereft of “slogans, morchas and mercy pleas”.

As many as 24 associations representing producers, film and TV artistes, and technicians will take part in the campaign. Sanjay’s co-stars in the industry and producers will be at Film City in Goregaon on December 12 to pledge support to the actor and participate in the signature campaign.

However, the organisers denied reports that the film industry was planning to shut down on that day.

Pahlaj Nihalani, producer and president of the Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers, told The Telegraph: “The entire industry will come together to express solidarity with Sanjay. All of us will write messages expressing our feelings and love for Sanjay. The Dutt family has done a lot of good for the industry and so much work for the country.”

Nihalani was one of the producers who had campaigned for Sanjay in 1993-94 when the actor was first arrested for possessing an AK-56 rifle and a 9-mm pistol.

“Back then, we had campaigned for Sanju because we believed that he can never be a terrorist. The Tada court judgment last week has only vindicated our stand. We are happy that the court has cleared him of terror charges,” Nihalani said.

Dharmesh Tiwari, the general secretary of the Cine and TV Artistes Association, said the intention of the signature campaign would not be to undermine the Tada court’s decision.

“The campaign has nothing to do with the judiciary. We respect the court’s verdict, and do not intend to challenge it in any manner. The judiciary has its job to do. The campaign will provide an opportunity to the smallest member of the industry to come forward and express his feelings about Sanjay,” Tiwari said.

“There will no morcha, no slogans, no pleas for mercy for Sanjay. The aim of the campaign is to highlight Sanjay’s contribution to the industry and what he has done for industry workers.”

Tiwari said Sanjay and his family had always helped junior artistes and any film worker who approached them.

“Two people who helped lightmen and spot boys to form a union and raised funds for them were Mithun Chakraborty and Sanjay Dutt. Nobody stands up for workers these days. Sanjay did and raised Rs 4 to 5 crore to help them form an association.”

Tiwari cited another instance of how Sanjay threatened to walk out of a film if the producer did not clear spot boys’ dues.

Sanjay has been asked to surrender before the court on December 19. Unless granted relief, Sanjay could be imprisoned for at least a fortnight before he gets a chance to file an appeal.