Dutt went on to join the film industry and also started the Ajanta Arts Company, to produce films on themes which were close to his heart. Ajanta Arts was also among the first film production units which went to the country's borders and entertained the jawans in the 1962 and 1965-wars. Much before the citizens woke up to patriotism and Kargil. Dutt is well-known for his cancer-related social work , after his actress wife, Nargis, fell to the disease in the early 1980s. ``After her death many people took up the cause, as they do in the case of famous personalities. Which led to the Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation, set up by NRIs from USA and Canada,'' he says.

Dutt himself made a film Dard ka Rishta, in which he tried to portray a positive side of the disease. ``I wanted to show that one can fight and emerge victorious,'' he says. In the film, he has portrayed a young girl afflicted by cancer, but since it was detected in the early stages, she recovers to lead a full life.``The disease can be cured, and at least it's better than having a heart attack, where you're finished in one stroke.''

Does Dutt believe that films which tackle social themes are successful in getting the message across? ``Yes, when Mother India was released, awareness was created about how small farmers are neglected and how money-lenders fleece them dry. And the Government was forced to undertake some reforms. Banks were subsequently nationalised by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who also rendered money-lending illegal.'' ``I acted in Bimal Roy's Sujata, where the question of untouchability was taken up so well. When I made the film Mujhe Jeene Do, on dacoits, in the Chambal valley, about 20 gangs were still operating there. The media also highlighted the issue and eventually a canal was constructed and the economy of the place changed. If you reflect the problems of society, the message definitely reaches the people,'' is Dutt's firm belief.

Does that mean films don't reinforce negative Indian values? ``For this we must blame ourselves. Look at the literature, magazines and advertisements. Because of the saleability factor, they also put in such ingredients,'' he says. He is also of the view that politicians are part of the same society and cannot be blamed solely for its ills. ``Corruption lies with the individual, a politician would have been corrupt if he were a doctor or lawyer too. It really depends on how the individual has been brought up by his family,'' he says.

His stint as a Member of Parliament has been marked by do-good activities. During the hey-days of militancy in Punjab, Dutt once read a newspaper report on a family, mercilessly gunned down by militants, which included a young spastic girl. ``I was involved in the running of the spastics' school started by my wife and I felt very upset afterwards. I told Rajivji that I wanted to undertake a padyatra.'' The padyatra started in Mumbai and it took us two months to reach the Golden Temple in Amritsar, on Baisakhi. ``I was issued death threats by militants, but I thought to myself, let them - if they can kill a small child, they won't spare me,'' he says.

Dutt's full-of-crises-life has been talked of often - his wife's death, his actor-son Sanjay Dutt's problems, bitter political opposition. But Dutt endures nevertheless, with dignity and grace. He will contest elections again and has other projects up his sleeve.

One of which is a mobile hospital offering free service for the slum-dwellers of Dharavi in Mumbai. ``These are the people who work for you, in your home and offices, and when they fall ill, they go to municipal hospitals where they are given shabby treatment. I thought, if they don't come to the hospital, why not take the hospital to them.''

The hospital-on-wheels has X-rays, blood-testing facilities, a mini-theatre, and can take care of pregnancies too. It is also equipped with video programmes to educate the people in health care. The voluntary doctors will also be encouraged to conduct research on common diseases which plague the slum-dwellers. ``We plan to launch the van in November, after the elections, otherwise everyone will say that I did it for making leeway from it,'' he smiles.

Dutt is fighting fit, that is for sure!