Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Sanjay Dutt has done what many of the biggest banners of Bollywood, including Yash Raj Films, couldn't. He has managed to convince Raj Kumar Hirani to direct a film for his production house.

Hirani is a Vidhu Vinod Chopra loyalist and nobody could have convinced him to move to a different banner. In fact, two years ago Rishi Kapoor offered Hirani a chance to direct his son Ranbir in a R.K. banner film after seeing 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'. But he politely turned down the offer.

So what could've convinced Hirani to finally direct a film for Sanjay Dutt Productions (SDP)?

'It was simpler than one would think,' said a source. 'Sanjay actually took permission from Chopra. The two of them share a very warm rapport ever since Sanju worked in Chopra's 'Mission Kashmir'. There was no way Chopra, known to be extremely possessive about his crew, could say no to Sanju.'

Hirani, who worked with Sanjay in 'Munnabhai' movies, will direct a comedy for the actor as soon as he's done with Aamir Khan starrer '3 Idiots'. But the comedy that Hirani will make for Sanjay's production house will be very different from the 'Munnabhai' movies.

The next instalment in the 'Munnabhai' series entitled 'Munnabhai Chale Amrika' also goes on the floors by the end of next year.