Proving that you can’t keep a good actor down, Sanjay Dutt is back on his feet barely a day after the Supreme Court verdict quashed his Lok Sabha aspirations. The court’s decision was a hard blow given that many, including Dutt, were expecting a favourable outcome. Dutt is expected to be back in Lucknow to discuss his course of action with the Samajwadi Party.

Though he’s out of the running, he has said that he would continue to work hard for the party and stay close to Amar Singh throughout this campaign. Calling himself a fighter, an agitated Dutt has finally realized that it takes more than just celluloid charm to be accepted by the public; oh, and a transparent track record helps too.

Close friends have said that Dutt was stung by a few of his friends who laughed at his decision to plunge into politics. A heavy weight lies on the actor’s shoulders as he struggles to not only absolve his name, but also carry forward the legacy and work begun by his celebrated parents, Nargis and Sunil Dutt.