Kal subu [subah] uth ke message karta hoon,” is how Jackie Shroff confirms an interview with this writer. Clearly, the veteran actor who stole ladies’ hearts back in the 1990s texts exactly the way he talks.

His handle is @apnabhidu, his Threads display name is pedlagaobhidu; ‘bhidu’ [friend], along with ‘bawa’ [brother] and ‘darling’ are used liberally all through the interview.

Shroff got onto Instagram three years ago and has since, been using it to talk about the environment, why we should nurture and protect trees and the importance of staying fit. His posts carry photographs of him dressed in chic bandhgalas and happy shirts, with a sapling in hand; on some days, we see him mid-push-up. Every post, including the visuals and text, is 100 per cent Jaggu Dada.

We catch up with the star the next morning at 8.30 over a video call; this writer is sipping coffee to stir to life; he, at 66, is fresh as a daisy. He is sporting a Gandhi topi and dark glasses inside a room in his Bandra apartment.

“I’m not new to the Internet,” he clarifies. “I used to blog in 1994, but not many knew about it. I continued till 1997.”

Does he have a social media strategy he follows? “Aisa kuch bhi nahin hai, bhidu! If I see something I like, if I notice someone’s hard work or something that needs to be talked about, I post. Sometimes, mera bachcha log tell me kya daal ne ka. Of course, I have a team to manage my social media but it’s not like they call the shots or I do,” he says.

Fitness and green living are clearly his passions. There’s a large plant in his bedroom that we catch a glimpse of. He urges us to have one in ours as well.

“We all exhale carbon dioxide all day. Even if my wife and I are saying, ‘I love you’ to each other, nikalta toh carbon dioxide hi hai. We need to ensure there is enough oxygen around us, especially because we are all so used to using air conditioners. We must breathe good air.”

With fitness, it’s clear that he gives more credence to pranayama (ancient breathing yoga technique) over vyayam or physical training. We could have tried to explain why; we prefer quoting him: “Pehle saans ko utha, phir wazan utha.”

What Shroff stays clear of posting is any content that could hurt religious sentiments. “The views don’t matter,” he argues. “I’m not concerned if 2,500 or 25,000 people see my post. I’m happy even if two-and-a-half do.” This approach is linked to his belief that social media must educate indiscriminately across divides.

“Take thalassemia, for instance. It is such a deadly disease. Babies as little as six months are forced to undergo blood transfusion. Is this not a serious issue [to discuss]? How many would-be parents undergo testing for thalassemia? It’s this that I wish to use my Instagram account to discuss,” he says, just as he is interrupted by a Persian cat who has got into a scrap with a pigeon. Shroff tries to break the fight. “Iska naam JD hai,” he says, pointing to the feline. “Bole toh, Jaggu Dada.”

He won’t be long here. Come New Year’s Eve, and Shroff is set to take off to his Talegaon farmhouse where he plans to ring in 2024 with close friends. “Chal, darling, milte hain baad mein,” he signs off.