In a career spanning over 35 years, Jaaved Jaaferi has worn several hats with equal élan — model, actor, voice artiste, dancer, choreographer and politician, to name a few. However, he hasn’t ticked off his wish to wear the director’s hat yet. He says, “I have directed a few ad films in the past. I could have forayed into film direction, if I had somebody who would have taught me time management. With direction you get to head a creative process. I would like to do that, hopefully soon.” In a chat with us, Jaaved speaks about the projects he missed out on, his son Meezaan Jafri and more. Excerpts:

Now that his son Meezaan has forayed into Bollywood, how does Jaaved guide him? He replies, “One thing that I learnt from my father (the late actor Jagdeep) is that you should treat your work as worship and not take it lightly. I’ve told Meezaan the same. I have explained to him not to keep material objectives because when you do that, you tend to take up any and every project to make it happen.” 

Jaaved adds, “I also tell him to not go by the number of social media followers; they don’t make your film work. If that was the case, then every Salman Khan movie would have been a superhit and would’ve crossed Rs. 500 crores. So, I tell him that kaam pe focus karo, aapka kaam bolega.”

However, there is one role that the actor would like to see his son in. “I would like Meezaan to play Anil Kapoor’s role if Meri Jung is ever remade. That’s a strong role and he’s got the personality to pull it off.”

Recalling the opportunities that he missed, the Dhamaal actor reveals, “After Boogie Woogie, I was approached for a talk show by the same channel. Things didn’t work out from my side and I missed the window. The channel eventually made Movers & Shakers. I regret not doing that.”

Another project that Jaaved had the opportunity to be a part of was Anurag Basu’s Life In A Metro, which didn’t materialise. He shares, “Irrfan had some other commitments and couldn’t take it up. So, the makers approached me. Things were almost finalised when Irrfan said he could do the film. I feel it wasn’t a film that was supposed to happen with me.”

But the actor doesn’t have regrets. “I can’t keep regretting or fretting over things that weren’t meant to be. I believe that what you have in hand is what you make the best of,” he says.

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Fondly remembering his late father, the legendary Jagdeep, who passed away last year, Jaaved says, “He had immense love for the country, its people and culture. His dedication towards his craft was inspirational. He would always say that it is an actor’s job to provide wholesome entertainment to a person who is spending a part of his hard earned money to watch you perform. There were things that I wanted to tell my father and there were things that I wanted to do for him.”

Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 11, 2020)

It was just a two-scene part, but neither filmmaker Ramesh Sippy nor late actor Jagdeep ever thought that Soorma Bhopali — from the 1975 hit Sholay — would become a legendary character. As Sippy puts it, “Honestly, it (the part) was only meant to be a comic diversion, something that used to be a norm in those days, in a Hindi film. But we had no inkling about the kind of impact the character would have on the audience. With his unmatched sense of timing and gestures, Jagdeep brought Soorma Bhopali to life, and made it one of the most loved characters ever.”

Though it was an extremely small role, late Jagdeep, who was a known face by then, readily agreed. Before Sholay, Sippy had worked with the comedian in Brahmachari (1968). “When we were casting for Sholay, I immediately thought of him as he was fantastic in Brahmachari. Plus, he was well versed with Bhopal, so, I knew he’d bring out the flavour of Soorma Bhopali,” he says.

For Sippy, what made the late actor “absolutely wonderful” was his range as an actor. “Comedy is a serious business, but the kind of flair and ease he’d bring shows the kind of great actor he was. Once he got hold of a character, you didn’t have to tell him too much on the sets. That’s wonderful about a really good actor,” says the filmmaker, adding that the veteran actor was “very unwell” for the past couple of years.

Interestingly, not many know that Soorma Bhopali was close to getting edited out of Sholay. Sippy tells us, “The film released during Emergency, and it was nearly three-and-a-half hours long. So the last show would end around midnight, which wasn’t ideal for that period. Also, Sholay was criticised on it’s initial release and declared a flop.”

Sippy recalls that he was requested by distributors to shorten the length of the film, and he took out the comedy scenes featuring Jagdeep and Asrani. “In those days, a film would usually release in B and C centres after having had a run in A centres. But when Sholay came out in B and C centres (minus the comedy scenes), people complained a lot, so we had to put the edited parts back,” he shares.

Dharmendra on Jagdeep, his co-star in Sholay, and a friend who will be missed
As told to Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 10, 2020)

Jagdeep saab was already a star when I entered the industry. We did several films together and became good friends. I was devastated to learn that he is gone. This pandemic is keeping us away from so many people we are close to. Once I am back in Mumbai, I will definitely meet his family.

I believe playing a comedian is a lot more difficult than a tragic hero because it’s not easy to make someone laugh. But Jagdeep saab could make even someone who was crying laugh. Few are blessed with such talent. And when you have a fine actor by your side, it just lifts the scene. That’s what happened in Sholay! Jagdeep saab, Amitabh (Bachchan) and I have wonderful comic timing, very different from each other, which combusted on screen. Till the film industry exists, Soorma Bhopali will be remembered.

When Jagdeep saab approached me to make a special appearance in his directorial, Soorma Bhopali, I immediately agreed. I played myself and we had a blast shooting for the film. During Pratiggya, we were in Nashik together for a month-and-a-half. That was fun too!

While following the director’s vision, he would infuse a scene with his own special charm. Jagdeep saab, Mehmood, Johnny (Walker) bhai and Keshto (Mukherjee), all of them had their own style and a passion for acting. He collected old coins, from 1 paisa to chavanni (25 paisa) and athanni (50 paisa). When he learnt that I did too, he just dropped by one day and gave me all his coins. Now, I will remember him by the coins he added to my collection.

BOMBAY TIMES (July 10, 2020)

Veteran comedian Jagdeep, 81, passed away on the night of July 8 from age-related issues. As a comedian, his role as Soorma Bhopali in Sholay (1975) cemented his place among the comedic greats of the Hindi film industry. His dialogues, ‘Magar hamara naam bhi Soorma Bhopali aise hi nahin hai’ and ‘Khambha ukhaad ke’ are still fondly remembered by movie buffs. Born Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri on March 29, 1939, Jagdeep, a barrister’s son, began selling soaps, combs and kites on the streets following his father’s death.

He started his journey in the movies as a child actor, went on to play a romantic hero in some films, and finally, emerged as an iconic comedian of Indian cinema. His first brush with comedy was in Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin (1953) where he played a bootpolish boy. He also directed a movie titled Soorma Bhopali (1988) with special appearances by actors Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Rekha.

During his long career, he was a part of many memorable films, including Aar Paar (1954), Khilona (1970), Gora Aur Kala (1972), Qurbani (1980) Shahenshah (1988), Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and China Gate (1998), among others.

The actor is survived by his wife and children, including actordancer Jaaved Jaaferi and TV producer, Naved Jafri. His grandson, Meezaan made his debut in Bollywood as an actor last year.

HE WAS A FINE ACTOR AND AN AFFECTIONATE PERSON: DHARMENDRA
Main sadme mein hoon. Before the lockdown, I used to call him up regularly to ask him about his well-being. He was a fine actor and an affectionate human being. Hamara milna julna hota tha. Ek doosre ke ghar aana jaana hota tha. Unko purane industry ke aur films ke kisse sunane mein bahut maza aata tha. I was just an actor when I met him for the first time, but he was a star. I had seen him perform as a child artiste on the big screen. On the sets of Sholay, we bonded well. Set pe khoob banti thi, badi achchi baatein hoti thi. Kaafi chhed-chhaad bhi hoti thi.

HIS PERFORMANCES BROUGHT SO MUCH JOY AND HAPPINESS ALL AROUND: AMITABH BACHCHAN
He had crafted a unique individual style of his own .. and I had the honour of working with him in several films.. the more prominent ones in the eyes of the audience being Sholay and Shahenshah.My duas and my prayers..Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri .. his real name, adopted Jagdeep as his film name and gave the film fraternity such memorable performances, that brought so much joy and happiness all around. Adopting Jagdeep as his film name was such a gracious factor that exhibited the unity in diversity of the country.

JAGDEEP WAS VERSATILE, PROFESSIONAL AND DIDN’T HAVE ANY HANG-UPS: SALIM KHAN
The legendary screenwriter duo, Salim-Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar),who wrote Sholay, had created the character Soorma Bhopali for the film, which went on to become one of the most iconic characters essayed by Jagdeep. Salim Khan says, “You can have a good sense of humour, but that doesn’t mean you can do good comedy on screen. Sirf chillane se you can’t make people laugh. Comedy ke liye timing bahut zaroori hoti hai and Jagdeep had a great sense of that. He was versatile, professional and didn’t have any hang-ups. He loved playing different characters. He was familiar with the Bhopali dialect and his character in Sholay required that effortlessness, so we thought of him for the role. In fact, there was a film called Adhikar (1971), where Pran sahab had played a similar role (Banne Khan Bhopali). I had that in mind when we wrote Soorma Bhopali in Sholay.”

—With inputs from Renuka Vyavahare and Onkar Kulkarni

Over 400 films, and what we still remember best of Jagdeep are those four minutes from the 1975 movie! Amazing, isn't it?
Mayank Shekhar (MID-DAY; July 10, 2020)

Few years after Ramesh Sippy's Sholay (1975) — around the time the underworld held fair foothold in Bombay film industry — I'm told actor Jagdeep was mortally scared, noticing a stalker of sorts confronting him inside a studio. As he aimed to swiftly disappear or gently disengage, the man simply said, "You've played me, and now you're running away?"

The gentleman was a forest officer from Madhya Pradesh called Soorma Bhopali! Surely, Jagdeep owed a lifetime of fame to his name. Who, in turn, wished to take him to court for demoting him on screen, from a government/forest official, to a shady, second-rate wood-trader!

That Jagdeep hadn't met Soorma before, means he couldn't have modelled his iconic character on this particular Bhopali. Sholay's co-writer Javed Akhtar had grown up in Bhopal, which perhaps explains one of the last set-pieces added to the blockbuster's casting/script.

Either way, Jagdeep's Soorma Bhopali was Jagdeep first; and an adorable Bhopali only much later. Which is how audiences liked to see him: eyes wide open, face gesticulating in mock-shock and awe; looking slightly dunder-headed, seeming drunk. Film after film.

I'm guessing Jagdeep, in his own inimitable style, followed the tradition of comedians Johnny Walker, perhaps even Keshto Mukherjee before; and a baton that Johnny Lever carried along. Much like Mehmood reasoned about his profession, people basically expected them to make everyone laugh — even if they were returning from their father's funeral.

How did that instantly help with Bollywood screenwriting, filmmaking and viewing, as it were? The comic track, like the item number, had its purpose so well-defined that the very presence of Jagdeep on screen meant you needn't waste time explaining his character. He'll speak a certain way, and deliver a punch-line, that the film has conveniently segued into. There is comfort in the predictable. You laugh, because you're supposed to. Responding to cues is life itself. Why should cinema be any different.

This is what came to be known as the masala film as template entertainer, or labelled Bollywood, decades later. Who sort of set this template of the smashing hero, in colourful clothes, dancing, lip-syncing, along with the heroine; as the comedian, on occasion, walks into the space between fun songs, fine locations, and full-on drama? Strictly speaking, I suspect, Shammi Kapoor, in the '60s.

Unsurprisingly, Jagdeep properly forayed into the Bollywood comedy-slot, in a Shammi Kapoor film, Brahmachari (1968). And remained on-screen comedian practically for the rest of his life. His film's characters may have been different, only within their sameness — his own journey that was getting scripted alongside appears to me a solid documentary of its own.

In fact, the first time Jagdeep played a comic role was as the boot-polish boy in Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin (1953). Roy had seen rushes of Jagdeep as the child version of Kishore Kumar in Phani Majumdar's Dhobi Doctor (1952). Jagdeep asked Roy what had he noticed in a sombre role in that film, to cast him for a funny part in Do Bigha Zameen? Roy said, "Jo accha rula sakta hai, woh accha hasaa sakta hai (He who can make you cry, can make you laugh)!"

Assuming both emotions come from the same space. Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri, screen-named Jagdeep, came from a hut near JJ Hospital. And to Bombay, with his mother, after his family had lost everything during Partition. He was literally picked off the street for his first role in B R Chopra's Afsana (1951). He was expected to be in a crowd of kids — watching a play. This got turned into a speaking part in that play, within the film.

From that moment onwards, you could observe Jagdeep's screenplay as a little Forrest Gump, simply finding himself in the midst of the all-time greats of Bombay films, and joining them as any other actor at work — with Guru Dutt (Aar Paar; 1954), Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (Munna; 1954), besides Roy (for whom he played a shoe-shine boy again, in Naukri, 1954).

Reportedly for a role in the film Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke (1957), he was personally felicitated by Prime Minister Nehru. Who was the assistant director, who got him from the audience, on to the stage in Afsana — his break, so to say? Yash Chopra! Over a six-decade career, he went from little Dilip Kumar (in an unreleased film, Shikwa), to playing Salman Khan's father in the iconic Andaz Apna Apna (1994).

More significantly, for him, for his art's sake, Jagdeep graduated from a hut to a kholi in Mahim, and a bungalow in Bandra, after a big house in Madras. The latter, because the South-based AVM, arguably the longest surviving Indian studio, eventually cast him in his first major/lead role in Bhabhi (1957), and a few other films followed. Residential address is the story dreams in Bombay are made of.

Does it matter then than Jagdeep was largely stereotyped as a comedian? Who's not been typecast in Bollywood? Or as Jagdeep's almost namesake, the super-talented Saeed Jaffrey used to say, reduced to "rich daddy and naughty uncle," as in his case, for the cheese? If Jagdeep's genes are anything to go by, frankly, there's nothing that his son Javed Jaffrey can't do like a dream, either — dance, act with phenomenal range, ad-lib on stage/shows, write…

Jagdeep himself was a closeted Urdu poet. And with his death, as is the tragedy with posthumous tributes, you keep reading/hearing about some of his underrated/under-seen performances. Whether in Priyadarshan's Muskurahat (1992).

Or as cult-material in a grind-house sort of way — with the Ramsay Brothers' Purana Mandir (1984). Or going deeper still, him reprising Michael Jackon's Thriller video, with the song Bacha le in 3D Saamri (1985)! My favourite clip, scrolling so far, is an old one (film unknown), where they ask Jagdeep, you're so educated, "Itni vidya kahan se seekhi?" "Chinchpokli Dadar Lower Parel University se!"

And that's also the thing with treating comedy portions in films as item tracks. You can slice them out completely, without any context, and enjoy the scenes for their own worth. That's my earliest memory of Jagdeep. He featured regularly in the Chitrahaar of (mostly funny) film scenes — a popular show called Wah Kya Scene Hai that Archana Puran Singh used to host in the mid '90s.

That's also how Jagdeep's career of around 400 films boiled down to around four minutes, 35 seconds of screen-time as Soorma Bhopali in Sholay —arguably the most re-watched film in history. And therefore an adorable curse of sorts —for actors with minor roles in it. Because those scenes have been re-watched as separate films. Hence, total-recall for everyone, from Kaalia (Viju Khote), Jailor (Asrani), Sambha (Mac Mohan), Imam Sahab (A K Hangal), Ramlal (Satyen Kappu)…

For one, Jagdeep gave Bhopal its most popular public figure, although the fellow is a complete feku (teller of tall tales!). Unsure, if I've met someone like Soorma in Bhopal (that twang does faintly still exist in the city's old-town).

It's how the nation knew Jagdeep for 45 years, until his death, at 81. He directed a full-fledged feature called Soorma Bhopali (1988). Even his character in Andaz Apna Apna, that has multiple Sholay tributes, was called Bankelal Bhopali. Clearly, he didn't mind this life-long association. Saying it one last time, on behalf of everyone, goodbye, Soorma Bhopali. And we agree — aapka naam aise hi nahin hua!
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He Imbibed Character Beautifully: Ramesh Sippy
Jagdeep’s character as Soorma Bhopali remains unforgettable. Bhopal has a culture of its own. In the early ’70s, you’d see these charming characters, especially in the hinterlands of India. Jagdeep witnessed that, imbibed the character, and blended it beautifully into our script. Jagdeep’s sense of timing was immaculate. A film like Sholay is made by many people, including writers Salim-Javed. One discusses many possibilities, and finally arrives at characters befitting sequences. Who other than Jagdeep could have played this part [better]?

Used Character Previously Too: Salim Khan
We come across characters like Soorma Bhopali in real life, and remember them when writing stories. Javed [Akhtar, co-writer] had studied in Bhopal. I have lived there too. We had used the character of Bhopali in Adhikar (1971) too, where Pran saab (Shikari Banne Khan Bhopali) played it successfully. [In Sholay] though, it was crafted differently.

As told to Upala KBR


Jagdeep played Salman Khan's father in Andaz Apna Apna

Bella Jaisinghani (THE TIMES OF INDIA; July 9, 2020)

Mumbai: Veteran film comedian Jagdeep, best remembered as Soorma Bhopali of ‘Sholay’, passed away aged 81 on Wednesday.

The signature style of rolling his eyes, and speaking Hindi with a Bhopali dialect was his hallmark. Jagdeep featured in nearly 400 films over six decades, beginning with B R Chopra’s ‘Afsana’ (1951).

Born Syed Ishtiyaq Ahmed Jafri, the tenacious struggler made an early appearance as a streetsmart vagrant. From a child actor in Bimal Roy’s ‘Do Bigha Zamin’ and Guru Dutt’s ‘Aar Paar’, he became a teen artist and achieved success with ‘Bhabhi’ and ‘Patang’. Occasionally between the torn, patched trousers in Kabhi aar kabhi paar, and the lighthearted 'Chali chali re patang', there was the odd romantic song 'Paas baitho tabiyat behel jayegi' (Punar Milan).

He named his directorial venture ‘Soorma Bhopali’ after his famous act as the braggart coward. He is survived by sons Jaaved Jaaferi and Naved Jafri among other children.

Condolences poured in on Twitter. “We will miss you,” tweeted actor Johny Lever. The last rites will be on Thursday at Mazgaon Nariyalwadi Qabrastan where his mother was laid to rest.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s protégé Meezaan Jafri is ‘blindly following’ Priyadarshan for his next
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 11, 2020)

Last year, Meezaan Jafri debuted in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Malaal, a film about young love, and now is all set to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Jagdeep and dad Jaaved Jaaferi and experiment with comedy genre in Hungama 2. The film, which marks Priyadarshan’s comeback to Bollywood after seven years, also features Paresh Rawal, Shilpa Shetty and Pranitha Subhash.

“Comedy is one of the most difficult genres and Priyan sir shoots in a unique way. You are given the dialogues just before the shot. He shows you how to play it out on camera and you just have to follow his cues. Nobody knows what is happening on the set except him. I spoke with Akshay (Kumar) sir on the sets of Sooryavanshi about this and he told me to blindly follow Priyan sir; it will turn out great. He confessed that whatever he has learnt about comedy is from the filmmaker,” shares the young actor who gave his nod to the film after hearing that Priyadarshan would be helming it without even hearing the script. “I have a special connect with Priyan sir. My grandfather acted in his first Hindi film, Muskurahat.”

The actor admits that working with a strong ensemble cast was a bit unnerving initially. “During the first few days, I was dying, literally,” he laughs, admitting that he was petrified to be standing beside actors he had idolised all his life. “The rest of the cast share a great camaraderie with Priyan sir, having worked with him earlier. It was like home ground for them and they were completely chilled out,” he reminisces.

Did he take any tips from his father or grandfather? “No, I was too scared that once I start a conversation, it would never end,” he guffaws, reasoning that living up to their expectations would have been difficult as they excel in their craft.

In the Hungama sequel, Jafri Jr sports a completely different look from his first film and admits that many from the frat failed to recognise him. “Once I was chatting with Salman (Khan) sir... midway through the conversation it dawned on him who I was. A similar thing happened with Amit (Amitabh Bachchan) sir at his Diwali bash,” he chuckles.

Given how happy Meezaan looks, you hate asking if the failure of his first film took a toll. “You do get attached to a project when you are a part of it, but at the end, you can’t pinpoint a single thing that didn’t work. And the good thing was that people appreciated me, which is why I am getting so much work now,” he says.

In an era of remakes, is there a role of his father’s that he’d like to recreate. Pat comes the reply, “His character from Meri Jung—a sexy, cool villain, who also dances.” However, for the moment, he would like to step into the action genre next.
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Horsing around with Shilpa...

Meezaan will recreate the popular Main Khiladi Tu Anari chartbuster, “Chura Ke Dil Mera”, with Shilpa Shetty in Hungama 2. He is really kicked about it as he loves dancing. “I have grown up watching Shilpa’s movies, idolising her and hoping I’d meet her one day and get to take a picture with her. So, doing a movie with her is sublime. It feels like I am in the movie that I’m watching,” the actor says dreamily.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 10, 2019)

He was initially inclined towards music, having played the piano and the guitar. He’s also played basketball at the state level and was studying business in New York when a chance meeting with Sanjay Leela Bhansali changed the course of his life. Meet Meezaan, veteran actor-comedian Jagdeep’s grandson and Jaaved Jaaferi’s son…

A film debut backed by SLB must be a dream come true. How did you land the part of Shiva in the Mangesh Hadawale directorial, Malaal?
I had met my co-star Sharmin back in 2011 and since then we have been best friends. She was working as a costume assistant on Sanjay sir’s Bajirao Mastani. One day Ranveer sir (Singh, leading man of the film) wasn’t available, so when she asked me, I tried out his costumes for the team. That’s when I met Sanjay sir for the first time. At the time he had no idea who my father was, yet told me that he wanted to launch me.

I was studying business in New York and had some interest in direction. But his faith in me made me take up acting. I still remember after the meeting, I went back to my car and just sat in it for 15-20 minutes trying to process what had just happened. It was unbelievable!

You went on to assist him on Padmaavat. He’s been known to mould his proteges in a certain way, share the process with us…
Initially, it’s just a basic understanding of Sanjay sir’s school of filmmaking, his vision for the film and the actors. I learnt from him both as an assistant director and an actor. We’d watch recorded performances of other actors and sir would guide us on the correct approach and technique. For my character in Malaal, Mangesh sir and Sanjay sir ensured I got under the skin of Shiva.

Go on…
Shiva is the complete opposite of Meezaan. He’s a Maharashtrian boy so I had to start with understanding his culture and learning his language. Thankfully, Mangesh sir is a Maharashtrian himself and helped me a lot. Since Shiva lives in a chawl, I visited a few and dressed like the residents, travelled in local trains, would sip chai at tapris, chatting with other customers in Marathi. It was a year-and-half of prep, including several workshops and readings.

Your hair reminds one of Ranveer Singh in Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela. Was it the requirement of the character or SLB’s fixation with Lochinvar locks?
My hair is actually quite straight, but for Shiva we curled it a bit. It would take me an hour every day to style it before the shoot. I guess, because of my hair and beard, all these comparisons with Ranveer Sir, even Ranbir Kapoor sir are coming up. But we’re all completely different. Ranveer sir is one of the biggest stars, so being compared to him is a compliment.

Shiva goes through a tumultuous relationship in the film. Have you been through one?
Not like Shiva who is loud and extreme. I am more practical. I never had a relationship like his but I have friends grappling with problems and heard things from both the girl and and boy’s perspective.

Buzz is, you’re dating Navya Naveli Nanda...
(Laughs) We’re from the same friends’ circle, she’s my sister’s bestie and a really good friend. I’m not in a relationship with anyone.

How did your father Jaaved Jaaferi react to SLB’s offer?
(Laughs) Mom started crying while dad was really happy and proud. My mother told me this, as my family doesn’t believe in praising me much as they are afraid it will go to my head. Dad keeps telling me to stay humble, true to my roots and treat everyone equally.

I discuss the craft more with my grandfather (veteran actor Jagdeep) who, having worked with Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy and Mehboob Khan, among others, tells me how these filmmakers thought an actor and a director should behave. That helps me understand how I should conduct myself.

You may have bagged the film on your own merit but you won’t be spared the nepotism debate.
At the end of the day people know that my dad is Jaaved Jaaferi and I cannot deny that I am a celebrity’s son. So yes, maybe I was one step ahead of another guy but eventually, we all have to go through the same grind and look to the audience for acceptance. Nepotism exists in every field.

Any chance of the dance reality show Boogie Woogie making a comeback and you collaborating with your dad and uncle Naved?
Like other kids, I grew up watching Boogie Woogie and I am trying to push my dad to bring it back. With the digital boom, there are many big platforms available. I think they will kick it off soon.


Meezaan with Navya Naveli Nanda

Three generations of the Jaaferis on what it takes to keep audiences entertained
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 9, 2019)

All of 80 years, veteran comedian Jagdeep has an elephant’s memory. Precisely half-a-century ago, he escorted his son to the premiere of his film Anmol Moti (1969) — the first Indian film to feature an underwater fight sequence —in which his character wrestles with an octopus. When the creature eliminates his character in the scene, his son Jaaved Jaaferi, barely six then, was reduced to a howling mess. “He felt his father was no more,” says Jagdeep, whose film career spans over 70 years. Ahead of his grandson, Meezaan’s debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Malaal, three generations of the Jaaferi clan collect at the patriarch’s Versova home to mull over their shared legacy.

Most know Jaaved as an accomplished actor, host and voiceover talent, the one who introduced Indian audiences to freestyle dance. But ask Jagdeep about his son’s earliest achievements and he returns to the filming of Wardat (starring Mithun Chakraborty) in Kashmir. At an after-shoot party, Javed, then just 15, beat the film’s baddie Shakti Kapoor in a dance battle. “Woh bola ‘kiske saath mukabla kara rahe ho?’” the veteran actor recalls. Looking back at the incident that occurred four decades ago, Jaaved, credits his youthful exuberance for the win. “I was in Class 10 then, and could dance for an hour non-stop.” He remembers being introduced to freestyle dancing on the streets of New York in 1983, while on a family vacation. “We came across street performers ‘body popping’ and ‘moon-walking’, and we were so mesmerised by their moves, we watched them for a whole hour, I remember.” On his return, Jaaved worked on mastering those moves, and, it proved a game changer at college fests — he topped the All India Dance Competition the following year.

Jaaved remembers accompanying brother Naved Jafri to nightclubs — “only during the day” — to put his skills to test. “We would brave muggy Mumbai afternoons to frequent a place near the airport called Take Off (later dubbed Go Bananas) every Sunday, dressed in shimmery outfits,” says Jaaved, who also remembers that his parents didn’t entirely approve of those ‘nightclub visits’. “Before disco became a thing, nightclubs had a negative connotation, because films depicted them as dens for sharab, jua and cabaret,” says Jaaved.

On becoming a parent, Jaaved says, he allowed Meezaan more room to keep up with his social calendar. “By my time, no one went out dancing though. Most of my friends would just go out for a drink,” says Meezaan, who played basketball for Maharashtra. He also attended New York Film School before dropping out to assist Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Padmaavat, an experience he describes as “a learning experience that no film school can possibly deliver”.

“I was well-versed with the industry and my parents prepared me for every job that comes being on the sets. I was told, ‘Even if someone says ‘chai laao’, you have to do it,’” says Meezaan, who will be making his debut in Bhansali’s forthcoming production. Javed was delighted and apprehensive about Meezaan’s decision. “I wanted him to complete the course. But then, Sanjay [Bhansali] convinced me that he would groom him,” says the concerned father.

While Meezaan’s entry into Bollywood seems meticulously planned, Jaaved’s was left more to chance. In his final year at RD National College, when he was the secretary of the drama club — and would hold a crowd with his immaculate impressions — he learnt about a casting call. “Subhash Ghai’s wife had seen me dance at college fests. So when he [Ghai] was looking for someone to play a suave villain, who could dance — something that was unheard of then — I decided to give it a shot,” he says about his debut film Meri Jung (1985), when he created quite a stir with his slick moves in the number Bol Baby Bol.

“Jaaved ke dance ne disco ko maar diya,” says Jagdeep proudly, who, for his part, got a head start as a child actor in films such as Afsana (1951) and Do Bigha Zamin (1953). His modest beginnings carved his socialist outlook — something he shared with filmmakers who he worked with at the time — K Asif, Guru Dutt, V Shantaram and Bimal Roy. “When Aar Paar became a hit, people asked Guru Dutt to throw a party at Taj Mahal hotel, but he refused. He said ‘I won’t host a party at a place where my workers will feel uncomfortable’. Eventually, the celebrations took place at a film studio,” he says, remembering the stupendous success of the 1954 noir comedy.

Jagdeep, who played a minor in that film, remembers how resourceful Dutt could be when it came to ironing out production niggles. “A mob of 500 had assembled in the garage where the song Sun Sun Sun Sun Zaalima was being shot,” Jagdeep recalls. “The crowd was making it impossible to get the desired shot. The ruckus even ticked off the garage owner who demanded that the shoot be wrapped up soon,” says Jagdeep. It didn’t help that the film’s female lead Shyama, a huge star then, was willing to shoot for only three hours. “So, Dutt asked cinematographer V K Murthy to set up his camera inside the car and experiment with angles and close-shots to ensure the crowd didn’t spill into the frame,” says Jagdeep. The end result was a number that was lauded for its avant-garde picturisation. “Necessity is truly the master of invention,” says Jaaved.

An enterprising maverick himself, Jaaved reinvented his career in TV after his son Meezaan was born in 1995. “When I moved to TV, people said only flop film actors turn to the small screen, but I was confident that I was connecting with the youth,” says the actor-turned-VJ, who engineered a new coolth with his ‘Hinglish’ speak. “They were saying ‘Yo’, but I flipped it, and started ‘Oye’.” Straddling music and film-based shows, Jaaved soon became the highest-paid actor on TV. “I was making a lakh per episode then,” says the actor known for his exceptional impersonations of virtually every Hindi film actor, as well as his original avatars, such as ‘Abdul Cutpiece’ and ‘Irani Boxer’. Like his son, Jagdeep, too, was known for his masterful impressions. “I would encounter these colourful characters while travelling by train and bus, and at Irani hotels, and adapt them in my onscreen avatars,” says the Jagdeep, whose iconic turn as Soorma Bhopali in the 1975 blockbuster Sholay turned him into an overnight sensation.

But Jagdeep modestly shifts the praise to Salim-Javed’s writing. “Javed would actually demonstrate the Bhopali twang, I only had to copy it,” says Jagdeep, crediting the writers for detailing the nuances of the quirky character. The character itself, he says, was borrowed from a theatre production the writer duo worked on 15 years prior to Sholay.

Today, as Meezaan enters the industry his father and grandpa have made a mark in, Javed feels his journey will be different. “When I got into films, the hero had a mould — he flaunted the same hairstyle for 10 years, and was different from the character actors. But today, the hero alters himself based on the character.”

He trusts his son will wear the Jaaferi name like a badge of honour. “When I came into the industry, I was known as Jagdeep’s son, and I am still proud of that tag. My father was a comedian, and I was introduced as a stylish actor who could dance. But then, you have to make it on your own.”

The Jaaferis will, no doubt, be keenly watching, like the rest of us, to see how Meezaan shapes his own identity.