Biographies are always a hit or miss, especially to people who are fiercely loyal fans of whoever you are portraying. Sanju (2018 directed by Rajkumar Hirani) is based on the controversial life of Indian actor Sanjay Dutt, and this is his life story. Now for me, I went into this movie completely blind, not knowing a single thing about the real Sanju, and I guess that’s exactly why I had such a good experience watching this. Ladies and gentlemen, if you have ever doubted Ranbir Kapoor, he will completely prove you wrong. The guy absolutely acted the hell out of Sanju.
The Storyline: A Rollercoaster of Fame and Downfalls,The Phases – One Actor, Many Lives The plot is framed through a biographer, Winnie (Anushka Sharma), who hesitates to write Sanju’s life story due to his “terrorist” media label. To change her mind, Sanju and his loyal friend Kamli narrate his chaotic journey across three main phases: his destructive 1980s drug addiction fueled by peer pressure, his grueling stint in rehab following his mother’s tragic death, and his controversial 1993 arrest for illegal weapon possession. Ultimately, the film tracks his long legal battle to clear his family name and prove he is not a traitor.
The storyline moves through these distinct phases: young Sanju who fears and respects his dad, addicted Sanju, movie star Sanju, Sanju the dad, and finally, Sanju the prisoner. Ranbir gives each version of Sanju unique life with specific character traits, ensuring you know exactly which Sanju is which at any given moment.
Guys, I think this review is mostly going to be me praising Ranbir, because for someone like me who had zero clue who the real Sanju was, the only thing that kept me glued to my seat for those two hours and forty minutes was Sanju and Kamli. (And side note: I may or may not have a little tiny crush on Kamli, and I also may or may not have done a little internet stalking on the actor, Vicky Kaushal).
The Brilliance of “Sanju the Addict”: The phase that stuck with me the deepest is Sanju the addict. There is one specific scene when he makes that desperate, “please come and save me from myself” phone call to Kamli, where you can visibly see a guy using his very last thread of consciousness to call the only person who can pull him back from the edge.
The one thing I know about fighting an addiction is that it is incredibly hard to reach out for help. So many people keep lying to themselves, saying, “I can handle it,” “I’m fine,” “I know when to stop,” or “I need this.” There are so many excuses we use to lie to ourselves. I don’t know if the real Sanjay Dutt ever made that exact phone call in real life, or if it was pure fiction written by director Rajkumar Hirani and co-writer Abhijat Joshi, but it was beautifully written. Truthfully, all the scenes featuring Sanju the addict were both beautifully written and perfectly acted.
The cinematography by Ravi Varman was excellent, capturing raw, tiny details. Little touches—like the visible saliva when Sanju wakes up on the day he is finally taken to rehab—show real dedication to the craft.
Another standout scene is when Kamli is telling Sanju’s dad (played by Paresh Rawal) about his son’s severe condition. The way he pleads with the father to save his own son is heartbreaking. Now, remember that Sanju’s dad is actually Kamli’s idol, so it makes total sense that he needed a little drink just to get through it. It’s all in the delivery—the way he balances being incredibly nervous yet confident in that scene. I think the entire arc of Sanju the addict was perfectly done from start to finish. All my favorite points in the film come from right here.
The Kamli Factor – The Friend We All Need. Kamli is the type of friend we all wish we had in life. The loyalty, the honesty, the willingness to fight for his friend even when it costs him everything – I fell for that character hard. And the actor? Absolute scene‑stealer. I genuinely wanted more of him. All scenes between these two were perfection; even the end scene, growing old together, just cemented that this is the best on screen friendhip i have seen in a long time. Thank you, Vicky Kaushal.
The Biopic Question – A Victim of Circumstances? Now, let’s talk about the biography angle. I think it was heavily directed to portray Sanju as a nice guy who just happens to be a victim of circumstances. According to the film, it’s because of his dad wanting absolute perfection that he started drugs. It’s because of his mother’s tragic death that he relapsed. It’s because of his humility that he kept illegal guns, and it’s because he wants the best for Kamli that he ended up in a messy situation with Pinky. The list just goes on and on.
From what I’ve read online, many Indian audiences saw right through this “victim narrative” too. But the truth is, currently, almost all biographies are made to give the person a much better look. Seriously, please recommend me a biography that shows someone saying, “You know what? I made these terrible mistakes because of me, and I am truly sorry.” Now, let’s be entirely clear: this is just an observation I took while watching. Since I don’t know the real Sanju, I have no base to argue the facts.
Final Verdict: A Masterclass in Acting, Ranbir Kapoor Is the Movie
I highly recommend Sanju (2018) to all movie lovers and people who genuinely enjoy powerhouse acting. You absolutely have to see Ranbir Kapoor in one of the absolute best roles of his career. How he was able to effortlessly transition between young, middle-aged, and older Sanju without ever making you doubt his stage in life is genius.
You will thoroughly enjoy the cinematography, the heartbreaking prison scenes, the flooding toilet, and that devastating scene where he could not even tie his belt because his hands kept shaking so badly. Or, if that doesn’t convince you, let me hook you with the promise of one of the best, most loyal onscreen friendships I have ever watched. Kamli is exactly the type of friend we all need in life.
For people who are massive fans of the real Sanjay Dutt, I don’t know if the biography itself will meet your expectations. I can’t guarantee that all events are completely true or non-biased. But I can assure you that Ranbir Kapoor did his absolute best acting as Sanju. The mannerisms, the talking, the look in his eyes… you will not be disappointed by how he brings Sanju to life.
