The best performances of Sanjay Dutt include Saajan, Khalnayak, Vaastav, Mission Kashmir, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Agneepath. Vaastav won him the Filmfare Best Actor award. In recent years, his villain roles in K.G.F: Chapter 2 and his part in the Dhurandhar films have added a strong new chapter to a career that began in 1981.
Sanjay Dutt at a glance
Sanjay Dutt was born on 29 July 1959 in Bombay and made his debut in Rocky (1981), directed by his father, Sunil Dutt. Over four decades he has moved between romantic leads, gangsters, comic heroes and villains, often in the same decade.
His life has drawn as much attention as his films, and the 2018 biopic Sanju, with Ranbir Kapoor playing him, became one of Indian cinema’s highest-grossing releases. This list stays on the work: the roles that show his range best.
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Quick facts: Sanjay Dutt’s best performances
| Film | Year | Role | Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saajan | 1991 | Aman Verma | Filmfare Best Actor nomination |
| Khalnayak | 1993 | Ballu | Filmfare Best Actor nomination |
| Vaastav: The Reality | 1999 | Raghu Bhai | Filmfare Best Actor (won) |
| Mission Kashmir | 2000 | SSP Inayat Khan | Best Actor nomination |
| Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. | 2003 | Munna Bhai | Filmfare Best Comic Role (won) |
| Lage Raho Munna Bhai | 2006 | Munna Bhai | Screen Award, Best Actor (Critics) |
| Agneepath | 2012 | Kancha Cheena | Commercial success |
| K.G.F: Chapter 2 | 2022 | Adheera | Kannada debut |
| Dhurandhar | 2025 | SP Chaudhary Aslam | Highest-grossing Indian film of 2025 |
The 7 best performances of Sanjay Dutt
1. Saajan (1991)
Dutt plays Aman Verma, a shy poet who writes as “Sagar” and gives up the woman he loves for his brother. It was a gentle role at a time when he was known for action films.
Saajan was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 1991, and it earned Dutt a Filmfare Best Actor nomination.
2. Khalnayak (1993)
As Ballu, a criminal shaped by a hard childhood, Dutt made the anti-hero the centre of the film. The film is still remembered for its popular songs.
It was the second-highest-grossing film of 1993 and brought him another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare Awards.
3. Vaastav: The Reality (1999)
Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, Vaastav follows Raghu, an ordinary Mumbai youth who is pulled into the underworld and cannot get out. Dutt plays both the early fear and the later collapse of the character with control.
The role won him his first Filmfare Best Actor award, and 1999 became the year his career turned around.
4. Mission Kashmir (2000)
In this thriller, Dutt plays SSP Inayat Khan, a police officer who loses his family and adopts a boy who later turns against him. The role is a supporting part that works almost as a second lead.
His performance as a grieving, guilt-ridden father won critical praise and a Best Actor nomination.
5. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
As Murli Prasad Sharma, a Mumbai goon who enrols in medical college to please his father, Dutt found the role that defined the second half of his career. His comic pairing with Arshad Warsi became hugely popular, and the film’s lines were widely imitated.
The film won a National Award, ran for 25 weeks in theatres and earned Dutt the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role.
6. Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)
In the sequel, Munna begins to see Mahatma Gandhi and starts solving problems with “Gandhigiri”, a non-violent approach. Dutt keeps the humour but adds warmth and a softer side to the character.
He won the Screen Award for Best Actor (Critics) and the Zee Cine Critics Award, and received a Filmfare Best Actor nomination.
7. Agneepath (2012)
Dutt plays Kancha Cheena, a ruthless drug lord, in the reboot of the 1990 film. His menacing turn made the villain one of the film’s main talking points.
Agneepath was a box office success and opened a new phase of villain roles for Dutt.
Recent roles worth watching
8. K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022)
Dutt made his Kannada debut as Adheera, the main antagonist. The film was a big financial success and introduced him to a new pan-India audience. He followed this with his Tamil debut as Antony Das in Vijay’s Leo (2023), another major hit.
9. Dhurandhar (2025) and Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026)
In this action film, Dutt plays SP Chaudhary Aslam. Dhurandhar became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2025, and its sequel, Dhurandhar The Revenge, released in 2026 and was also reported as successful.
What Sanjay Dutt is doing in 2026
Dutt has had a busy 2026. His releases include the Telugu film The RajaSaab, which received negative reviews, the Kannada film KD: The Devil and Raja Shivaji, a Hindi-Marathi film in which he plays Afzal Khan and makes his Marathi debut.
Khalnayak Returns, in which he returns as Ballu, is in production, and another film titled Baap is in post-production. For more film lists, visit our entertainment section and our people profiles.
Frequently asked questions
Which is Sanjay Dutt’s best performance?
Vaastav: The Reality (1999) is often rated his best. It won him the Filmfare Best Actor award. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. is his most loved role.
What was Sanjay Dutt’s first film?
His debut film was Rocky (1981), directed by his father, Sunil Dutt.
What is Sanjay Dutt’s role in Dhurandhar?
He plays SP Chaudhary Aslam in Dhurandhar (2025) and returns in the same role in Dhurandhar The Revenge (2026).
Is Khalnayak Returns coming?
Yes. Khalnayak Returns, with Dutt back as Ballu, is in production. A release date has not been confirmed in the sources we checked.
Sources: Sanjay Dutt, Wikipedia, Sanjay Dutt filmography, Wikipedia.
