I feel proud to be Sunil Dutt's son: Sanjay Dutt

New Delhi, Sep 29: Describing the late Sunil and Nargis Dutt as the kind of role models every parent would want to be for their children, Member of Parliament Priya Dutt says she, her sister Namrata and brother Sanjay were proud to have them as their parents.

Speaking at the release of 'Mr and Mrs Dutt: Memories of our Parents', at a function at the Prime Minister's Office here last night, Priya said,''they (Sunil and Nargis Dutt) were the kind of parents we would love to be for our children.''

Describing the book, published by Roli Books and edited by Nasreen Munni Kabeer, as ''a way of recording what our parents meant for us and who they were as people'', she said the book had been written in a spirit of humility.

''However, I have to admit that it is not an unbiased account of their life. Our parents meant the world to us and we would never be capable of being impartial,''she said.

Though a long time had passed since the death of her parents, their absence, Priya said, was sorely felt by all three of them - Sanjay, Namrata and herself.

''There is no greater sorrow in the world than losing one's parents. For, there is not a day that passes or event, good or bad, that we do not wish we shared with them,''she said.

The book, a compilation of memories of Sunil and Nargis Dutt by brother Sanjay, sister Namrata and herself, was released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Expressing her gratitude to the Prime Minister and Mrs Gandhi for agreeing to release the book and Congress leaders for gracing the function, Priya said,''it shows the respect and adulation that our parents continue to have and that itself is an honourable experience.'' Speaking on the occasion, her brother and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt said he was happy and proud to witness the huge support from Congess leaders.

''It's a very special moment for me. What makes it even more so is the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and several cabinet ministers to lend us support,'' he said.

Talking to the sources, Sanjay Dutt said a lot of hard work went behind the book. However, he said his contribution to the book was limited to relating his side of the story.

''During the making of the book, I sat with Priya and Namrata to give my side of the story. However, my involvement was limited to that. Most of the work was done by Namrata and Priya who put their heart and soul into the book,''Sanjay said.

Sanjay said a touching moment captured in the book was the huge surge of support his family received when his father died. ''Witnessing a sea of people outside my house, I suddenly realized how big a person my father was. That moment I felt extremely proud to be Sunil Dutt's son,''he said. Incidentally, Sanjay Dutt, dressed in a pathani suit, was accompanied at the launch event by his girlfriend Manyata.

UNI