Jackie Shroff: Tiger Shroff Needs A Good Director And Release

Veteran Bollywood star Jackie Shroff says he has advised actor son Tiger Shroff to “take it easy” as film business is unpredictable.

Tiger emerged as an action hero following the box office success of films such as ‘Heropanti’, and ‘Baaghi’. But his last few films such as ‘Munna Michael’, ‘Heropanti 2’, ‘Ganapath’ underperformed at the box office.

Jackie Shroff said hits and flops are part of the movie industry and he has faith in his son's capabilities.

“I think he (Tiger) needs a good technician and a good release. That’s it. The boy has everything, he is an action star. At his age, he is the biggest. I say, ‘Take it easy, some films will work, some won’t work, again some will work. This is life’.

“I’ve done 250 films and not all of them have worked. So, it’s alright. It (film) totally depends on the whole team, it (filmmaking) is a team work,” the 66-year-old actor, known for movies such as ‘Karma’, ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Parinda’, and ‘Border’, told PTI in an interview.

The actor, who currently stars in the movie ‘Mast Mein Rehne Ka’, said one has to be appreciative of all that they have accomplished, a formula that he lives by in his life.

“Everybody will not get everything in life, it is impossible. So, one has to understand that health, family and friends are important. We should have gratitude for whatever we have. I was happy selling peanuts, then sticking posters on the walls, working in a travel agency, modelling and acting in films, and now I’m happy planting plants.”

Jackie Shroff said he never viewed any work as small. He started with odd jobs before making his acting debut in the 1982 Dev Anand film ‘Swami Dada’, in which he played a small role. It was ‘Hero’, directed by Subhash Ghai, which catapulted him to stardom.

“Whatever work I’ve got, I’ve always done that. Like, I remember selling peanuts first, then I got the job of sticking movie posters on the walls, I worked at a garment shop, then joined a travel agency. Then someone asked me, ‘If I would do modelling?’, I did it, then it was like, ‘Will you do a movie? I did it.

“So, I kept myself open to doing all kinds of things. I was always sincere and disciplined, whatever work I was given, I did it honestly. I just kept moving and never stressed about anything.”

‘Mast Mein Rehne Ka’, also starring Neena Gupta in the lead, is a poignant tale of urban loneliness. It was released on December 8 on Amazon Prime Video.

The film is written and directed by Vijay Maurya, best known for penning dialogues for ‘Gully Boy’, and ‘Darlings’ among others. ‘Mast Mein Rehne Ka’ is based on universal themes of second chances in love and life, forgiveness, and redemption. Jackie Shroff said he resonates with the idea of ‘Mast Mein Rehne Ka’ in life.

“People often don’t take me seriously, some people laugh at the things that I do, some think I’m funny, and some are like, ‘he says anything’. But there are people who are like, ‘One should live life this way’.

“I don’t know any other way but that you just have to be happy, spread happiness, and lead a life that is beautiful. Mast mein raho, there will be tension in life,” he added.

‘Mast Mein Rehne Ka’ is produced by Payal Arora and Maurya under their banner Made in Maurya.