Baba of Bollywood, Sanjay Dutt embroiled in a controversy after he said that he won’t speak in Marathi at a Dahi Handi event, which was held earlier this week in Mumbai.

On Thursday, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik clarified Sanjay Dutt’s remarks that he made at a Dahi Handi event in Thane, saying he had been joking and that he was well-versed in Marathi.

Sanjay Dutt began the conversation with “Pratap bhai, Jai Maharashtra” in Marathi

A note from Sarnaik’s office said Dutt called the minister and spoke to him in Marathi, “beginning with ‘Pratap bhai, Jai Maharashtra'”. Dutt also told him he knows Marathi well. He apologised if his remark sent the wrong message, a note from Sarnaik’s office said. Dutt has not directly spoken on the issue yet.

Sarnaik’s Sanskruti Yuva Pratishthan organises one of Maharashtra’s prominent Dahi Handi celebrations in Thane, which is attended by actors, political leaders and business personalities. This year, several celebrities, including Dutt, Suniel Shetty and cricketer Suryakumar Yadav, were present at the event. Against the backdrop of Sarnaik’s campaign emphasising the use of Marathi, Dutt had told the minister during the event that despite spending six years in Yerawada jail, he could not learn Marathi. The remark triggered discussions on social media, with some criticising the actor and others questioning whether only autorickshaw and taxi drivers were expected to learn Marathi.

Following the controversy, Sanjay Dutt called Sarnaik and clarified that his comment at the Dahi Handi event was made in jest and that he could speak Marathi well. He said his family members were Mumbaikars and that he had grown up in Maharashtra, which had given him a lot.

Sanjay Dutt also recalled the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray during the conversation, expressing gratitude for the Sena patriarch’s support to him and his family during their difficult times. He said Thackeray had stood firmly by them when they were going through a challenging phase.