Jackie Shroff: I’ve never even come close to the National Awards, but I’m not in a hurry

Few actors have embraced variety as wholeheartedly as Jackie Shroff. Over four decades, he has played heroes, character roles, authority figures, saints and everything in between, rarely allowing himself to be confined to a single screen image. His latest outing, The Great Grand Superhero: Aliens Ka Aagman, adds another first to that journey as he steps into the role of India’s first grandfather superhero, a character that appealed to his love for experimentation as much as its childlike sense of wonder. In a conversation marked by his characteristic candour, humour and humility, Jackie talks about choosing the film, his relationship with recognition, and why spending time with children continues to teach him something new. What immediately appealed to him about the project was not just the opportunity to do something different, but also the people behind it. With characteristic honesty, he shares, “For someone like Manish Saini, who has won the National Award three times, to approach me is a huge thing. I've never even come close to the National Awards, so for me, it was an immediate yes. The film also features many children, and it's been a long time since we've seen a proper children's film, toh kyun nahi karu? I like to experiment and not repeat myself or take up just anything that comes my way.” For Jackie, versatility has never been a calculated career choice. It has simply been the way he has approached work from the very beginning. “If I can play a police officer in Mission Kashmir, I can also play Sai Baba in Maalik Ek. I've never taken a linear approach. My work has always been diverse. Jab 83 mein Hero se shuru kiya tha, aaj superhero hai. It’s never too late.” Despite a career spanning more than four decades, awards have never been something he has actively chased. In a candid moment, he admits, “No, I can't even think that far (laughs!). I’ve never thought about it. For me, the people who receive it deserve it. Maybe I haven't done something that calls for that kind of recognition yet, but I still have a lot in me. You've got to dig it. Nikaalo, andar se nikaalo. Mine hai. I’m not in a hurry.” That same grounded perspective shapes how he views casting decisions. Rather than wondering why filmmakers approach him for a role, he remains grateful that they think of him in the first place. “Nahi, woh mere ko socha, wohi itni badi baat hai. They've watched my films and know main mast mein rehta hoon. They've seen me over the years, so they know I am mouldable.” Then comes a response that could only come from Jackie Shroff. With his trademark candour and humour, he remarks, “I always think maybe no one else wanted to do it, so they came to me (laughs!). Maybe nobody was doing it, and they thought of me as a reliable chap. Devdas dekhi hai? Koi nahi kar raha tha, maine kiya. Achha laga mera kaam? Khush nahi hote log Chunni Babu ko dekh kar? Same with Mission Kashmir, or 1942: A Love Story. Main toh slip par khada rehta hoon. Yeh maara bat se, chhoota aur pakad liya. I am at the silly point.” Being described as India’s first grandfather superhero is something he finds amusing rather than momentous. He laughs, “Wow, that’s like a Guinness Book of Records. Finally.” Yet what seems to have left the deepest impression on him is the opportunity to spend time with children. With characteristic warmth, he says, “See, when I was nine, 10, 11, we had no idea what we were doing. Yeh abhi mera baap hai. Yeh bachhe nahi hain. They are probably at the same level as you, maybe even ahead of you. For me, just being around them is a learning. And they love me anyway.” He adds, “Most of them like sitting around and chatting with me, usually about my son. They ask what he does, how he works out. Then we talk about them, their food, health, and parents. Being around them is like getting a burst of energy, like static electricity. That is where God resides because they are innocent.”