I took drugs to talk to girls: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt

Mumbai, Dec 21: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt recently divulged some never before known facts about his drug addiction - why he started taking drugs and how he once smuggled it on a flight in his shoes.

The actor said that it is important to understand that it is an illness and requires treatment, media reported.

"I was already on drugs when my mother was being treated for cancer. Rocky (his debut film) was being made and I remember that I was so addicted that once I travelled with 1kg heroine hidden in my shoes. My two sisters were also with me on the same flight. At that time, checking at airports was not so strict. Today , when I think about the incident, I get scared. I didn't worry about getting caught but what about my sisters? Drugs do this to you. You don't care about family or anything else."

Talking about his wake up call, where he realised that he desperately needed help, the hunky star recounted:

"One day, I came home high, had alcohol and went to sleep. When I woke up, I asked the house help to get me something to eat and he told me that I had been asleep for two days! I looked at myself in the mirror and felt I was 100% about to die. That was when I asked my father for help."

But why did the actor started doing drugs?

"Because I had difficulty talking to girls...

"Somebody told me that if you try this, you will be able to talk to women, so I tried and it worked. What I want to tell youngsters today is that I have gone through a lot because of substance abuse. It is better to be high on life than on any substance. Do good work and get appreciated, there is no better high than that in life."

Talking about being charged for illegal possession of firearms, the 57-year-old explained, "I love guns and I love hunting. I got into trouble for having a gun and at that time, there were riots going on. One of my producers asked me if I wanted a gun. I asked which gun? And he said AK-56. I thought I would take it to Khandala. I kept it in the car dicky and forgot about it and went to Mauritius. When Priya called me, asking about it, I told a friend to get rid of it. He got rid of it, but the poor guy is still in jail."

Commenting on his Raju Hirani directed biopic, Dutt said he was flattered that someone of Hirani's caliber was interested in making a film on his life. He took a shot at Ranbir Kapoor, who is essaying the role of the legend, saying how he was finding it difficult to portray him and keeps requesting Dutt to spend days and weeks with him.

"I can't spend more than half an hour with anybody. I have been trying to avoid him, it is a difficult role for him to play. He is a fine actor though."