London: Actor Sanjay Dutt is hugely popular and has the sympathy of the people, but the Supreme Court can not treat him differently from other accused in the Bombay blast case, Lord Meghnad Desai, a noted economist and a Bollywood buff, said here.

Answering questions at a function at the Nehru Centre where his wife Kishwar Desai's book Darlingji -- The True Love Story of Nargis Sunil Dutt was launched, Lord Desai said, "it would be outrageous if he got treatment different from other accused in the case.

"Just because we love Sanjay Dutt does not mean the law can treat him differently. This has to be left to the Court. Otherwise, it will be presumed that actors can do anything and get away. If you do something wrong, you will have to pay the price.

"Here is a person who is extremely charming but makes a mistake and pays the price." Kishwar, who earlier read out select chapters to highlight the extraordinary relationship of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, said "whatever the court decides should be fine".

Kishwar Desai's account of Nargis extraordinary career and life is warmly personal. Darlingji -- as Nargis and Sunil Dutt called each other affectionately -- is really the story of Nargis, an intelligent and affectionate woman.

In the course of her career, Nargis would play both the westernised woman and the conventional "Bharatiya nari", but her iconic role would be Radha in Mother India . In her life after cinema, she would involve herself in meaningful social work, a tradition that Sunil would continue after her death.

Source : PTI