World | India
Dutt weds longtime girlfriend
Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt, jailed last year for illegal weapons possession and links to Mumbai's underworld, has tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend while out on bail, a friend said.
- Agencies
- Published: 20:56 February 11, 2008
- Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt and his girlfriend Manyata pose for photographers after they married in Mumbai.
- Image Credit: EPA
Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt, jailed last year for illegal weapons possession and links to Mumbai's underworld, has tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend while out on bail, a friend said.
Dutt had a secret court wedding with former starlet Manyata Dilnawaz Shaikh in a Goa beach resort on Thursday and was celebrating formal Hindu nuptials in Mumbai on Monday, a friend who was present during the ceremonies said on condition of anonymity.
Dutt said he was delighted and thanked fans for their support. "I am very happy. I thank my fans for their positive support," he told reporters gathered outside Manyata's friend's residence, the venue of the wedding.
Television channels showed Dutt tying a sacred wedding necklace around Manyata's neck and the couple exchanging garlands of flowers as per Hindu rituals.
The 48-year-old actor, who was sentenced to six years in prison, was released on bail in November pending the hearing on an appeal against his conviction in the Supreme Court.
When he was freed, Dutt had served nearly three months of his sentence handed down for purchasing weapons from the plotters of the 1993 Mumbai bombings that killed 257 people.
Appeal pending
The star can remain out of jail until the outcome of his appeal to the Supreme Court, said his lawyer Karan Singh. No date has been set for the appeal hearing.
The star, best known for playing a mobster with a heart of gold, lost his first wife, also an actress, to cancer.
His second marriage, to a model, ended in divorce.
"Yes, Sanju is now officially married to Manyata. We all attended the simple private ceremony on Monday afternoon. We've never seen Sanju more at peace with himself. He feels his troubles are finally over. And he feels Manyata has brought into his life that stability that was lacking for so many years," said one of the invitees.
Apparently, Sanjay has allowed his new wife to take over all his financial dealings. She also handles his new film production company.
In all probability Sanjay's next release would be actor Suniel Shetty's production EMI. Produced by Suniel's company Popcorn Entertainment, the film also stars Malaika Arora and Urmila Matondkar.
Sanjay made a brief appearance as himself in Rohit Jugraj's just-released Superstar.
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