Sanjay Dutt says media speculation about his marriage with Maanyata makes him uncomfortable and he would appreciate being left alone.

'The day I'm married all my friends and well-wishers will know about it. Marriage is something I'm looking forward to. It's perhaps that anchor which I need. Yeah, I do feel the need to settle down. But not right now. My top priority is to get out of my legal hassles. Only then will I think about other aspects of my life,' Sanjay told IANS in an interview.

Apparently, in a fit of drunken defiance, he told a journalist he's married to his girlfriend, and what can he do about it? And the news spread at an amazing speed.

His intentions behind being seen with Maanyata at an awards function appear almost naïve.

'She wanted to see a (glamorous) show like that. Of course, I was aware her presence would make people curious. But I never imagined they'd start maligning her name. That's a terrible thing to do. She's a sweet simple soul. I can't imagine why they're saying such terrible things about her. I wish people would leave the two of us alone.'

He is more than willing to step out in the open with her but doesn't appreciate media speculation.

'All this speculation is making me very uncomfortable. The truth is, I've known Maanyata for four years. She comes from a very conservative business family. Why all this dirt about her? I'm not denying her past. Everyone has a past. I've one. So does she, I'm sure.

'Why rake it up just to humiliate her? This is especially unfair since what's been written about her is untrue. How can they pull her down just because she is involved with me?

'Of course, I'm proud of her. My intention of taking her to the awards function was very simple. She had never been to a grand awards function. And I wanted her to see one,' said Sanjay.

Sanjay, who got a further reprieve as a special TADA court trying the 1993 serial blasts case extended his bail till Feb 6, now wants to improve his public image.

'So far I've been so tied down with my court cases I've had no time for anything. But, now, that I'm hopefully out of it I promise a better image to myself. I was so tense because of my court cases that I couldn't work. I didn't shoot for six months.

'I'm back to work with Sanjay Gupta's 'Dus Kahaniyan', Indra Kumar's 'Dhamaal' and, of course, the third Munnabhai film that will start by the end of the year, if all goes well. Then there's Sanjay Gupta's 'Alibaug' and Shyam Benegal's 'Chamki Chameli'.'

Sanjay admitted that after his father's death he has become quite lonely.

'God has been kind. And I've full faith in the judiciary. I wish things would become okay in my life again. I've been alone for a large part of my life. After dad's (Sunil Dutt) death I feel especially alone.'

But he is willing to carry forward his father's legacy.

'I now feel like the man of the family. I've watched my sisters grow up. I feel responsible towards them. I've got to carry my dad's good work forward. I've taken over dad's charitable work, with the cancer foundation, for AIDS and his efforts with an institute called SUPPORT to help street kids overcome drug addiction.'

Now, perhaps, Sanjay needs to think about himself a bit.

'I feel the need to settle down. I'm still not able to go out of the country. But my daughter (who lives in the US) keeps visiting. My daughter is all of 18 now. She's attending a college in the US, her chosen subject is forensic science.'

He became emotional while talking about the film industry's support.

'When they decided to do a signature campaign for me in December I stopped them. I'm just too grateful to them for standing by me. Without them I don't know what I'd have done.'