Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. () is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani (in his directorial debut) and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It was the first installment of Munna Bhai series. Released in India on 19 December 2003, it features Sunil Dutt in his final film role as the father to his real-life son, Sanjay Dutt, who stars as the titular character. The cast also includes Gracy Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Arshad Warsi, Rohini Hattangadi, and Boman Irani. Based in Mumbai, the films follows Munna Bhai (Sanjay Dutt), a goon who tries to please his father (Sunil Dutt) by pretending to be a doctor. When a doctor, Asthana (Irani), exposes Munna's lies and tarnishes his father's honor, Munna enrols in a medical college. Hijinks ensue when Munna, upon finding that Asthana is the college's dean, vows revenge, while also sparking a romance with a house doctor, Suman (Singh), unaware that she is Asthana's daughter. Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. was a major critical and commercial success, and was later followed by a second film Lage Raho Munna Bhai, thus becoming the first installment of the Munna Bhai film series. The film went on to win the 2004 National Film Award for Best Popular Film, and several Filmfare awards, including the Best Film (Critics) and Best Screenplay. At the box office, it achieved a silver jubilee status (25-week run) being one of only eight Hindi films to have achieved this status since the year 2000. In its 26th week of release, the film could still be found playing on 300 screens throughout India. Hirani revealed in an interview in September 2019 that production on the third Munna Bhai film starring Dutt in the title role will begin in towards the end of 2020. Plot Murli Prasad Sharma, nicknamed "Munna Bhai", runs an extortion racket on the streets of Mumbai. He is supported by his loyal henchman, Circuit, who does most of his work for him. Once a year, Munna's gang converts his hide-out into a fully-functioning hospital, to fool Munna's visiting parents Hariprasad and Parvati, who believe Munna has become a real doctor. Munna's goons take turns playing doctors, staff and patients, to keep up the charade. This works for many years, until one of Hari's annual visits with Parvati culminates in Hari bumping into Dr. Jagdish Asthana, who founded the first hospital in Munna's village years ago.