'Baba's days of partying and drinking are over'

'This brush with mortality has made Baba more domesticated than before.'
'He wants to spend every waking minute with his twins and wife.'

A heavy load had been removed from Sanjay Dutt and his wife Manayata's head.

Dutt is apparently cancer-free. But the good news is yet to sink in.

"Maanayata has been crying, praying, praying, crying. She has been with him through thick and think, through incarceration and illness. She's the best thing to have happened to Baba. I don't know what he would have done without her," a close friend of Dutt's tells Subhash K Jha.

"When Baba married her, we were all sceptical," the friend adds. "But she has proven herself to be a completely devoted wife and mother."

Sanjay Dutt made the announcement on social media, thanking his family, doctors, nurses and most of all, his fans.

'The last few weeks were very difficult time for my family and me. But like they say, God gives the hardest battles to his strongest soldiers. And today, on the occasion of my kids' birthday, I am happy to come out victorious from this battle and be able to give them the best gift I can-the health and well-being of our family,' he said.

'This wouldn't have been possible without the unwavering faith and support from all of you. I am eternally grateful to my family, friends and all the fans who have stood by me and been my source of strength through this trying time. Thank you for the love, kindness and the countless blessings that you have sent my way.

'I am especially grateful to Dr Sewanti and her team of doctors, nurses and the medical staff at Kokilaben Hospital who have taken such good care of me in the last few weeks. Humbled and grateful.'

As news of Dutt's recovery spread across the industry, the congratulatory calls started coming in.

Among the first to react was Ranbir Kapoor.

A die hard Dutt fan, Ranbir had made it his career policy not to work in bio-pics. But he made an exception with the Dutt biopic, Sanju.

Right now, Dutt doesn't want to move out of his wife and children's range of affection.

"This brush with mortality has made Baba more domesticated than before. He wants to spend every waking minute with his twins and wife. He will go out to work when he must," says the close friend.

"Otherwise, Baba's days of partying and drinking are over."

In an interview some months ago, Dutt had told me about the need to stay healthy: "Staying fit is very important especially, during this time. So eat well, stay healthy and keep exercising."

"Time flies when I have my family with me virtually and it gives me immense joy to see them happy and dancing everywhere."

"Family is the greatest treasure."