Bollywood bad-boy Sanjay Dutt paid a flying visit to Dubai on Sunday to publicise his latest role, but for once he wasn’t playing one of the hardman characters audiences go crazy over, no, his latest gig was a much more relaxed "clicky" affair.
Dutt, who has a colourful past and first appeared on screen in 1981 in Rocky, was indulging his passion for photography. For the next month, he will be travelling around Europe and Africa, and posting his venture on social media.
“My wife keeps telling me I should publish a book of my photography, so maybe, maybe. Who knows?”
Dutt admits he has had a long love affair with the photographic arts.
“I've always loved photography, right from being a child,” he says. “I've done a lot of landscape photography and then, when our kids were born, I started doing a bit of portrait photography too, but what I really love are landscapes and nature.”
Dutt says he has “always been fascinated by nature" and recently decided to share his passion with those around him, by way of photography.
He will doubtless be hoping to repeat the success of a recent trip to Africa, where he says he shot his favourite photo to date.
“I was on a photographic safari in Africa and I just saw something phenomenal. I don't know how I did it, but I saw this cloud, maybe the sun was behind the cloud or something, but the cloud was reflecting on the sky so it looked like there was a shadow-like thing, I think that's the best photograph I've taken, it's just about being in the right place at the right time.”
Sadly, Dutt won't have time to turn his creative eye on Dubai during his brief visit, though he seems to know where he'll be heading when he does get the chance.
“I think I'd go to the Spice Market or the Gold Souk,” he says. “I like very candid photos.”
Of course, it's not unusual for actors to take their turn behind the camera but a move into still photography is less common, which raises the question, could this be Dutt’s first step towards a behind-the-camera career on set?
“I think maybe in the next couple of years I may move into direction,” he admits. “It's just a question of getting the right time and the right kind of script.”
He is quick to refute any suggestion his eye for photography may bring criticism of the films he appears in.
“I'm not that guy, not at all,” he says, assertively. “If someone tells me I've done it right, I'm happy with that.”
While Dutt’s travels are imminent, fans won’t have to wait too long before they see their idol on-screen again.
His latest project, the revenge drama Bhoomi, will in in cinemas in September, and if the film's director is to be believed, fans should be in for a treat.
“Sanjay has given his best performance to date and I am glad that we are increasing the anticipation for the audiences,” said Omung Kumar, in April.
