Yash: Sanjay Dutt was always ahead of time

On the occasion of Sanjay Dutt's birthday today, the makers of KGF Chapter 2, Hombale Films has officially announced that the Bollywood actor is on board the project. The production house also revealed that his character will be named Adheera.

KGF, directed by Prashanth Neel, was made in Kannada, and subsequently dubbed and released in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. The sequel is now eagerly anticipated across the country. 

Yash, who plays the protagonist Rocky Bhai, welcomed Sanjay Dutt to the KGF franchise in his own way. "Turning 60 hasn't and will not stop this Khal Nayak from charming us! Let your legacy continue, Sanjay Dutt. Happy birthday, sir. Welcome to the world of  KGF," he wrote on Instagram. 

Cinema Express caught up with Yash to ask how Sanjay Dutt came to be part of the project. "It's a nice development," says the actor, who also tells us that Sanjay was the first choice for the team from the beginning, even when the team only had a Kannada release in mind. "When Prashanth narrated the character of Adheera, he himself mentioned that this role needs somebody like Sanjay Dutt. He was there in our minds right from the start, not just after KGF became a huge success in five languages."

However, Yash admits that having this kind of special addition will only increase the anticipation for the KGF sequel. "Sanjay Dutt is a wonderful actor, and we're very happy he's on board. His physical appearance, his image, his legacy and on top of it, the kind of role he will be playing in KGF Chapter 2, everything is going to come together to create magic on screen."

Yash, who has grown up watching Sanjay Dutt films, says that the actor carries his own style. "I always felt that Sanjay Dutt was ahead of his time — whether it is style, in terms of presentation, or his lifestyle. He is also equally connected with the present trends," the KGF hero tells us, adding that he mostly liked watching 'Sanju Baba' in negative roles. "In fact, in his film, Rocky, he has played one such character with grey shades. Of course, I have enjoyed watching him in films like Munna Bhai MBBS and PK. But I somehow feel the kind of roles he played in Vaastav, Kaante, and so on, had a lot of impact. He presents such characters with a grace all his own. As Adheera too he will definitely make a huge impression on the audience in KGF Chapter 2."

The film is produced by Vijay Kirangandur, and Prashanth Neel has currently resumed shooting for the film. Yash will be joining the sets from Wednesday, while Sanjay Dutt will begin filming his portions a little later.