From deported Dawood Company, a strange Sanjay Dutt wannabe

Gangster Jamil Sheikh dresses and talks like the Bollywood star, has even named his wife Rhea, say police

This is the other side of the Bollywood-Underworld love story, one which Sanjay Dutt is most certain to dislike.

Jamil Sheikh, 31, one of the 10 Dawood Ibrahim associates deported from Dubai and brought to Mumbai, dresses and talk like Dutt. He is such a die-hard Dutt fan that his underworld friends call him Baba Sanjay, like Sanju Baba as the Bollywood star is known.

“He tries to imitate Sanjay Dutt in every manner possible. That’s why he likes to be referred to as Baba Sanjay. He even copies the manner in which the actor speaks in his films, and dresses up in the same style,” said a Crime Branch officer who interrogated Jamil.

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According to the officer, Jamil’s fascination with Dutt began when he saw his 1981 debut movie Rocky. He decided to model himself after Dutt’s ‘filmi’ persona after Naam was released in 1986.

“His obsession with Dutt grew with every new film of the actor. He was most influenced by Vaastav and wanted to look like Dutt’s gangster character in the movie. He started dressing up like the bhai in the film. He wore a tika on his forhead, wore Pathani suits and a lot of gold jewellery. He stopped calling his wife Mumtaz by her real name, and began calling her Rhea (after Dutt’s former wife),” said the officer.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Detection, Dhananjay Kamlakar, confirmed Sheikh’s obsession. “We are aware of him using the actor’s alias and mannerisms.”

Jamil entered the D Company in 1992 via Chhota Shakeel’s ‘Shams Company’ in Mumbai’s Temkar Street. He was in Dubai since 2003. He has cases of extortion registered against him in several police stations. Working under Shakeel’s brother Anwar, he made extortion calls to 25 businessmen and builders in the city in 2005, according to the Crime Branch.