Hindi
Sanjay Dutt not to seek pardon; Katju appeals to President for forgiveness on humanitarian grounds
NEW DELHI: Even though actor Sanjay Dutt has said he would surrender when the time comes and would not be seeking pardon, Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju has sent a written appeal to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking pardon for the actor and a 71-year old woman.
Both Dutt and the woman were sentenced to five years in jail by the Supreme Court last week in a case related to the 1993 Bombay blasts. Dutt has already served eighteen months in prison.
On 21 March, the apex court asked Dutt – convicted of illegal possession of weapons – to surrender within four weeks.
Asked about Dutt‘s statement, Justice Katju said, "That makes no difference to me…I will appeal for him because he is not a terrorist and he has been in jail for 18 months. He has suffered a lot and in a way he has faced is punishment."
A copy of the letter has also been sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
Earlier, Justice Katju had written to the Maharashtra Governor, pointing out that Article 161 of the Constitution grants Governors and the President the authority to pardon or reduce a sentence. In his letter, he had said that the Supreme Court has not found Sanjay Dutt guilty for the 1993 bomb blasts, but only found him guilty of having in his possession a prohibited weapon without licence. He reiterated his stand today.
When asked on what grounds he was seeking pardon for Mr Dutt, Justice Katju said that "public good is one of them, there can be many other considerations like humanitarian considerations for grant of pardon," and added that the order of the President and a Governor is not subject to judiciary review.
Justice Katju also said that he had issued his appeal for Dutt without having interacted or spoken to the actor.
"I have not talked to Sanjay Dutt, I have not contacted him, and he has not approached me. In my first appeal which I issued for pardon, I did it without contacting him," he said.
Speaking out for the first time since the Supreme Court convicted him, 53-year old Dutt had appealed to the media for privacy and said: "…When I am not going for pardon, there is no debate."
An emotional Dutt, who broke down while addressing the media in Mumbai, said he had the highest respect for the court. "This a very, very tough time," he said. "Just let me be in peace till I go in." He said he felt shattered.
He said he loved his country. He also said he would be completing his work commitments.
Hindi
Dhurandhar returns to theatres worldwide on March 13 ahead of Dhurandhar The Revenge release
Jio Studios re-releases blockbuster across 500 screens globally before sequel
MUMBAI: The spy saga of Dhurandhar is gearing up for a big-screen encore before its next chapter arrives.
Ahead of the release of Dhurandhar The Revenge on March 19, Jio Studios and B62 Studios are bringing the original Dhurandhar back to cinemas worldwide in a rare international theatrical re-release.
The global blockbuster is returning across nearly 500 screens, including around 250 in India from March 12 and another 250 overseas beginning March 13.
For fans of the franchise, the move offers a chance to revisit the film that ignited the high-octane spy-action universe just days before the sequel lands in theatres. It also sets up a rare back-to-back big-screen experience, allowing audiences to relive the original before diving straight into the next chapter.
While re-releases of popular films are occasionally seen in India, international re-runs of Hindi films remain uncommon. The scale of the rollout reflects the growing global appetite for the franchise.
In North America alone, Dhurandhar will return to theatres across nearly 185 screens, highlighting the strong anticipation surrounding the upcoming sequel.
The excitement is set to build further with special Wednesday premiere shows of Dhurandhar The Revenge scheduled across the US and Canada on March 18, a day ahead of its global release. Many of these premieres will be hosted on premium large format screens, featuring wall-to-wall displays, immersive sound systems such as Dolby Atmos, enhanced projection and luxury seating.
These formats are typically reserved for major Hollywood event films, and early bookings suggest strong demand with several shows already sold out.
The recently released trailer of Dhurandhar The Revenge has also sparked buzz among exhibitors and trade circles, with expectations running high for the film’s international performance.
Dhurandhar The Revenge is written, directed and produced by Aditya Dhar. The film is produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Lokesh Dhar.
Jio Studios presents a B62 Studios production, an Aditya Dhar film.
The spy-action thriller will release worldwide on March 19, 2026, in five languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
The film arrives in theatres globally on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, just ahead of Eid, setting the stage for a festive box office run.
