Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt has confirmed he has cancer after weeks of speculation by the Indian press.

In an Instagram video, the 61-year-old actor of more than 150 films said he would "beat the disease soon". Dutt also said he would begin shooting for his next film in November.

In August Dutt was tested for Covid-19 after he reported some difficulty in breathing. He tested negative.

He was subsequently tested at Mumbai's Lilavati hospital for other illnesses.

Amid unconfirmed media reports that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, Dutt said in August he was "taking a short break from work for medical treatment".

The actor and his wife Maanayata issued separate statements, urging the star's fans "not to worry or unnecessarily speculate" about his condition.

In the recent video recorded at his hairstylist Aalim Hakim's salon, Dutt pointed a camera at a scar running from his left eyebrow to the side of his head.

"This is a recent scar in my life. But I will beat it. I will be out of this cancer soon," he said.

He actor added that he was "happy to be on the set again" for his upcoming film.
Dutt has had a chequered career.

He is known as one of Bollywood's most bankable stars, but his acting came to an abrupt halt when he had to return to prison in 2013 to finish a five-year jail sentence. He was convicted of firearms offences linked to the 1993 Mumbai blasts which killed 257 people and injured 713.

Yet, he successfully re-launched his career in 2016 after getting out.

He signed several new films with some of them doing extremely well at the box office. A biopic on his life, starring actor Ranbir Kapoor, was also a massive hit.

The actor has openly talked about his problems with drug addiction and his conviction in his interviews. He said these problems only made him stronger.

He has also witnessed two cancer-related deaths in his family. His mother Nargis died of pancreatic cancer in 1981 - just days before he made his Bollywood debut.

His first wife Richa Sharma also died of brain cancer.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1555 HRS, OCT 16, 2020
AP