Sanjay Dutt will complete preliminary treatment in Mumbai, says Maanayata Dutt; requests people to stop speculating on his illness

Sanjay Dutt's wife Maanayata Dutt on Tuesday issued a statement informing about the preliminary treatment of the Bollywood actor and requested everyone to stop speculating the stage of his illness. Dutt was diagnosed with Stage-3 lung cancer on August 11 and is expected to fly to the US for treatment soon. 

She said that Sanjay Dutt "will complete his preliminary treatment in Mumbai", adding that "we will formulate further plans of travel depending on how and when the COVID situation eases". "As of now, Sanju is in the best hands of our esteemed doctors," she said.

"I request everyone, with my folded hands, to stop speculating the stage of his illness and let the doctors continue to do their work. We will update you all regularly with his progress," she also added.

Calling the actor 'the heart and soul of our family', she said that though their "family is shaken up" but "we are determined to fight tooth and nail. With God and your prayers on our side, together we will overcome, and emerge as winners".

To all of Sanju’s fans and well wishers, I can’t begin to thank you for the love and warmth you have shown him all these years.

Sanju has been through many ups and downs in his life, but what has kept him going through every tough phase has always been your adulation and support. And for this, we will always be grateful. We are now being tested through yet another challenge, and I know, the same love and warmth will see him through this time as well.

As a family, we have decided to face this with positivity and grace. We are going to go about our life as normally as possible, with a smile, because this will be a tough fight and a long journey. And, we need to do this for Sanju, without any negativity setting in.

In these trying times, unfortunately, I have been unable to be by his side in the hospital, due to my home quarantine which ends in a couple of days. Every battle has a torchbearer and someone who holds the fort. Priya who has worked extensively over two decades with our family-run Cancer foundation, and who has also seen her mother battle this illness, has been our incredible torchbearer, while I will hold the fort.  

For those asking, Sanju will complete his preliminary treatment in Mumbai. We will formulate further plans of travel depending on how and when the covid situation eases. As of now, Sanju is in the best hands of our esteemed doctors .

I request everyone, with my folded hands, to stop speculating the stage of his illness and let the doctors continue to do their work. We will update you all regularly with his progress.

Sanju is not only my husband and father to our children, but he has also been a father figure to Anju and Priya, after losing their parents.

He is the heart and soul of our family.

While our family is shaken up, we are determined to fight tooth and nail. With God and your prayers on our side, together we will overcome, and emerge as winners.

Sanjay Dutt, 61, was hospitalised due to breathing problems and discharged from the hospital on August 10. Later, he revealed that he is taking a sabbatical from work for medical treatment. However, he didn't reveal about his ailment. On August 11, he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

On the work front, Sanjay Dutt has several movies in the pipeline, including 'Torbaaz', 'KGF: Chapter 2', 'Sadak 2', 'Bhuj: The Pride Of India' and 'Shamshera'. 'Sadak 2', also starring Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur, is slated to release on August 28.