With his 1983 film, Hero, completing 40 years, Jackie Shroff is feeling nostalgic. The film marked the actor’s debut in a lead role and he is grateful to director Subhash Ghai. “We sowed the seed 40 years back, and I am still reaping the benefits. Subhash ji brought me out of the chawl and made me a star. Unhone patthar ko hero bana diya,” he says.

With many older films and songs getting remakes, Jackie, who, too, has starred in a remake (Devdas, 2002), feels that there’s “nothing wrong” in it. “It’s a way to give a tribute to an iconic film and try to recreate the magic,” says the Jailer actor, adding, “It can’t be the same as the original, but it is the attempt that matters.”

In 2015, Hero was remade with actors Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty in the lead. Now, Jackie wants to see his son, actor Tiger Shroff star in a remake of the film: “I feel if it is remade again, it would turn into a beautiful one. I would like to see Tiger in it. Hero role mil gaya toh maza aayega as he would take my legacy forward. I hope he gets to work with good directors, like I did. I want the audience to give him the same love they gave me.”

Hero was the third-highest grosser that year and the songs were hit, too. However, the 66-year-old confesses that he didn’t think it would do well at the box office: “[When I was shooting for the film] I couldn’t believe what was happening around me. I starred alongside Meenakshi Seshadri, Shakti Kapoor and (late actor) Shammi Kapoor. I was scared to work with them. After the film’s release, my life changed.”