As told to Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 29, 2018)

As a child living in a Teen Batti chawl near Grant Road in South Mumbai, I would wait for a film to release or the elections so my friends and I would get hired to paste posters on the walls. We would get paid four aanas for an afternoon’s work. To supplement my income, during Republic Day and Independence Day functions, I would sell peanuts and chana to those who gathered for the parades and flag-hoisting. We would save all the money and buy jalebis afterwards. On occasions, we would give ourselves a Sunday treat at ‘Chandu Halwai’, the mithai shop closeby. Our neighbour had a refrigerator, a luxury in those days, and would give us a plate of ice cubes. We would add them to tall glasses of Rooh Afza that we had pooled in our money to buy, and feel like kings as we sipped the red sherbet. My father sometimes contributed to our kitty so we could buy ourselves additional treats. My mother, on the other hand, would put any extra paisa into my piggy bank.

Two years after completing school, when I was around 19 or 20 years old, I got myself a job as supervisor at an export company. I had to check the garments for defects. I worked there for three months before my father got me a job in a travel agency. Trade Wings was in town, near the Jehangir Art Gallery. I did a three-month crash course in travel and tourism so I could land a proper job at the agency.

One day, while I was still working there, I caught the eye of a stranger as I was waiting at the bus stop. He walked up and asked me what I did for a living. I told him I worked at a travel agency nearby and the man informed hat he had a job with a marketing agency. In the course of our conversation he took me by surprise by suggesting that I should start modelling. He even offered to click my pictures and told me he would even pay me for them. I couldn’t believe my luck! I was being offered money to get photographed. It was a dream job! I went to this guy’s advertising agency in Flora Fountain for a photo session and went on to become a successful model.

My first commercial was for LD Obron, a suiting and shirtings brand. I still remember I got paid Rs 7,500 for the asignment. I gave my mother some of the money and spent the rest on myself.

I was given a black and white suit to wear. I didn’t have a cupboard to keep it. I would hang it up so it wouldn’t wrinkle. I guess I carried it off well because after the ad came out I went on to bag several more commercials.

I knew Asha Chandra ji who ran acting classes. She knew me as a model and tried to push me towards acting but I told her categorically that I was not interested. Dev Anand’s son Suneil was one of her students and one day she called me to watch him in class. Once I met Suneil, I knew I had to meet his father in person someday. I was a huge fan of Dev saab and hoping to befriend Suneil, I joined Asha Chandra ji’s institute and began my lessons in diction and acting.

One day, my wish came true. Dev saab spotted me on a hoarding one morning. That same evening, his son introduced me to him. It was pure providence and he surprised me by offering me a small role in his 1982 film, Swami Dada with Dev saab in the central role of a professional thief who convincingly passes off as a saint.

The following year, I was launched by Subhash Ghai as the leading man of Hero opposite Meenakshi Sheshadri. The film was a huge hit and after that there was no looking back for me. I have never asked God for anything but have been blessed with everything one could possibly ask for.


Jackie Shroff’s recent visit to Teen Batti included chatting up the local atta chakki owner; With parents at his childhood home (top)