Following the sentencing of Sanjay Dutt on Tuesday of six years in prison for an offence under the Arms Act, star's pending films, Dhamaal, Mr Fraud, Kidnap and Alibaug will be affected as he went to prison immediately.

TADA court Judge Kode acquitted Dutt of charges under TADA, but held him guilty of illegal possession of weapons.

Ever since his name surfaced during the investigation of the March 12, 1993 serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured hundreds of others, it has been a drawn out journey for the 48-year-old actor.

A Bollywood trade analyst said on Monday, "Sanjay was among the top heroes in 1993. Unfortunately, after his arrest then, no big producer wanted to cast him. They thought he would be in and out of jail, and their projects would suffer."

"Around Rs 50 crores (Rs 500 million) is at stake," says Komal Nahta, editor of the trade weekly, Film Information.

The third instalment of the Munnabhai series, Munnabhai Chale Amreika, which Dutt asked to be postponed until he got his legal issues cleared up, may now never be made.