In pictures: Sanjay Dutt

The 53-year-old actor, son of the late actor-politician Sunil Dutt (second from right) and actress Nargis, was convicted for his role in a series of bombings in Mumbai (Bombay) in 1993, which killed 257 people and wounded 713.

Dutt (second from right) was arrested in 1993 and spent 18 months in jail after his conviction.

The actor has been on bail since 2007 when he appealed against his original sentence of six years. On Thursday, the Supreme Court reduced it to five years.

Dutt made his debut in 1981 as a gawky 22-year-old in a typical Bollywood revenge film of its times, Rocky, directed by his father.

The film did modestly and marked the arrival of Dutt as another star son in an industry where producer-director parents routinely launch their children as lead actors.

His most popular screen character was in the hit Munnabhai movies - light comedies where he played a brawny, bumbling soft-hearted gangster.

Dutt has won himself a fan following with a curious combination of gangster and comic roles.

Dutt entered politics by campaigning for the regional Samajwadi Party during the 2009 general elections.

The thrice-married actor is now married to Manyata, and the couple have two children.

"I don't remember of any phase in my life where there have been no problems," Dutt once told interviewer Simi Garewal.