Jaikishan Kakubhai Saraf (born 1 February 1957), known by his screen name Jackie Shroff, is an Indian actor and former model from Mumbai, Maharashtra; who primarily works in Hindi film industry. In a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared in over 220 films in 13 languages. He has received several accolades including four Filmfare Awards. Shroff established himself as one of the leading actors of Indian cinema of the 1980s and the 1990s.
After an uncredited small appearance in Swami Dada (1982), Shroff made his lead debut with Subhash Ghai’s action romance Hero (1983), which made him an overnight star. He went onto establish himself with hit films such as Teri Meherbaniyan (1985), Karma (1986), Kudrat Ka Kanoon (1987), Jawab Hum Denge (1987), Ram Lakhan (1989) and Parinda (1989), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the lattermost. His other critical and commercial successes include Tridev (1989), Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990), Saudagar (1991), Khalnayak (1993), Gardish (1993), Rangeela (1995), Agni Sakshi (1996), Border (1997) and Bandhan (1998).
In the 2000s, Shroff took on more supporting and negative roles in notable ventures such as Mission Kashmir (2000), Devdas (2002), Hulchul (2004), Bhagam Bhag (2006), Apna Sapna Money Money (2006), Raaz: The Mystery Continues (2009), Dhoom 3 (2013), Happy New Year (2014), Housefull 3 (2016), Bharat (2019) and Sooryavanshi (2021). Shroff’s work in other languages include – Punjabi film Sardar Saab (2017), Konkani film Soul Curry (2017), Tamil film Bigil (2019),Jailer (2023) and Telugu film Saaho (2019).
In addition to his acting career, Shroff is an environmentalist. He is married to model and producer Ayesha Dutt, with whom he has two children including actor Tiger Shroff.
Early life and initial work
Shroff was born as Jaikishan Kakubhai Shroff or Saraf on 1 February 1957 in Bombay (present Mumbai), Bombay State, India. His father, Kakubhai Haribhai Shroff, was a Gujarati, while his mother was a Turkmen who fled from Kazakhstan (then the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic part of the Soviet Union) during a coup according to Shroff. His maternal grandmother escaped to Ladakh along with her seven daughters when there was a coup in Kazakhstan. They migrated to Delhi, and finally to Mumbai.
His father came from a Gujarati family of merchants and traders. However, they lost all of their money in the stock market and his father had to leave home at the age of 17. His father met his mother when both were teenagers and got married.
Jackie Shroff dropped out from junior college after finishing his 11th class. He was raised in a neighbourhood in “Teen batti” area of Mumbai. In childhood, he fought many street fights for his friends and often got beat up. His father Kakubhai was an astrologer. After 11th grade, he did nothing for two years and roamed here and there, later he tried to get a job in Navy and later in Air India as a Purser but did not succeed. He then received a diploma about travel and tourism and landed a job in a travel agency, when an accountant from an ad agency asked him to model. He met the photographer of the agency and began doing modelling and left the travel agency job. Aasha K Chandra, who was running an acting school, asked Shroff to join her class. Initially Shroff refused her but after she said that Dev Anand’s son Suneil Anand is also attending her class, Shroff enrolled there. Sunil Anand took Shroff to his father, and he (Dev Anand) gave him a minor role as Shakti Kapoor’s gang member in Swami Dada (1982). Initially, Dev Anand selected him as a second lead, but after a week changed his mind and gave that role to Mithun Chakraborty. Subhash Ghai was hunting a new guy for his upcoming movie, he asked Ashok Khanna about it. Khanna took Shroff to Ghai, who signed Shroff as lead in Hero (1983), which upon release emerged as a hit.
As a youngster, he modelled in a few advertisements including Savage perfumes. It was one of his classmates in school who gave Shroff his name “Jackie” and then filmmaker Subhash Ghai stuck to this name when he launched him in the film Hero. Shroff regularly revisits his childhood home in Teen Batti.
Career
Films
Jackie Shroff dropped out of school after his 11th standard as his family did not have much money. He tried his hand working as an apprentice chef at Taj Hotels and as a flight attendant at Air India, but he was rejected from both places because of his lack of qualifications. He then started working as a travel agent in a local company called “Trade Wings” near Jehangir Art Gallery. An advertising agency accountant spotted him at the bus stand and asked him if he would be interested in modelling. The next day, Shroff went to the advertising agency (National advertising agency) located in the same building as Davar’s college near Flora Fountain for the photo shoot during his lunch time. This photo shoot for a suit shirt launched Shroff on his modelling path. In 1982, Shroff made his acting debut in Dev Anand’s film Swami Dada, in his first meeting with Anand, he offered him second lead role but after 15 days Anand called and informed him that his role is now given to Mithun Chakraborty and cast Shroff as one of henchmen of Shakti Kapoor, it was an uncredited role.
In 1983, Subhash Ghai cast him in the lead role for the action romance Hero, paired with Meenakshi Sheshadri. The film was a major critical and commercial success, and one of the highest grossers of 1983. The film made Shroff and Seshadri into overnight stars. He continued to work in Subhash Ghai films, irrespective of any role that was offered. After Hero, he did several other films, such as Andar Baahar (1984), Jaanoo and Yudh both released in 1985 were successful. In 1986 he did Karma which became the highest-grossing film of the year. His next film to be released was Kaash (1987). Later films, such as Dahleez (1986) and Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá (1989) were critically acclaimed, but failed at the box office, but he came back to success through films such as Ram Lakhan, Tridev and Parinda (all 1989). His performance in Parinda earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
In the 1990s, he starred in successful films such as Saudagar (1991), Angaar (1992), Gardish (1993), Khalnayak (1993), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Rangeela (1995) Agni Sakshi (1996), Border (1997) and Shapath (1997). During this period, he received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Gardish, and nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Khalnayak, 1942: A Love Story, Rangeela and Agni Sakshi, winning for 1942: A Love Story and Rangeela.
During the 2000s, he appeared in supporting roles in Mission Kashmir (2000), which earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Villain, Yaadein (2001), Devdas (2002) and Hulchul (2004), earning two nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Yaadein and Devdas. In 2006, Shroff acted in the children’s film Bhoot Ukle. He played a minor role in Priyadarshan’s Bhagam Bhag (2006) and Housefull 3 (2016). During this period, he also appeared in two Marathi films.
In 2010, he appeared in the film Bhoot and Friends. In 2011, he appeared in a cameo role in the film Shraddha In The Name Of God directed by Gurubhai Thakkar.
In 2017, Shroff made his debut in Konkani, acting in the film Soul Curry, which earned him the Goa State Award for Best Actor. Subsequently, he acted in another Konkani film released in 2019, titled Kantaar.
In October 2018, he acted in a short film, The Playboy Mr. Sawhney. He was also seen in Paltan (2018). He is set to feature in many films in 2019 like Firrkie, Bharat, Saaho, and Romeo Akbar Walter. He is also going to star in Prasthanam, which Hindi remake of Telugu film with same name alongside Ali Fazal and Sanjay Dutt.
Television
Shroff has hosted many television shows like Lehrein, Chirtrahar and Missing. Dealing with stories of missing people who were never found, Missing was popular for its creative narration by Shroff. The show was broadcast on Sony TV, of which he owned some shares. Shroff was also a judge on the magic show India’s Magic Star, broadcast on Indian channel STAR One. The show began on 3 July 2010 and ended on 5 September 2010. In 2014, Shroff and his son Tiger Shroff made an appearance on Comedy Nights with Kapil. In 2019, Shroff made his digital debut with the series Criminal Justice.
Dubbing Career
He had also dubbed Chiranjeevi in the 2023 Telugu remake Vedalam.
| Film title | Actor | Character | Dub Language | Original Language | Original Year Release | Dub Year Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhola Shankar | Chiranjeevi | Bhola Shankar aka Shankar | Hindi | Telugu | 2023 | 2023 |
Personal life
Shroff married his longtime girlfriend Ayesha Dutt, a model who later became a film producer, on 5 June 1987, her birthday. The couple runs a media company Jackie Shroff Entertainment Limited. They jointly owned 10% shares in Sony TV from its launch until 2012, when they sold their stake and ended their 15-year-long association with Sony TV. They have two children – Son, actor Tiger Shroff (born 1990) and a daughter, entrepreneur Krishna Shroff (born 1993).
Other ventures
Social activism
He has an organic farm, where he grows organic plants, trees and herbs. He is also the brand ambassador of Thalassemia India and over the years has supported many causes like HIV/AIDS awareness and abolishment of female foeticide. He has also funded the treatment and education of many underprivileged children. On 5 March 2021, Shroff donated an ambulance to a Lonavala-based animal shelter in the memory of his late pet dog Rocky.
Filmography
Awards and accolades
- 1990: Won: Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Parinda
- 1994: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Gardish
- 1994: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Khalnayak
- 1995: Won: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – 1942: A Love Story
- 1996: Won: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Rangeela
- 1997: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Agni Sakshi
- 2002: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Yaadein
- 2001: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role – Mission Kashmir
- 2003: Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Devdas
- 2007: Special Honour Jury Award for outstanding contribution to Indian cinema
- 2011: Won: Vikatan Awards for Best Villain – Aaranya Kaandam
- 2014: Won: The Original Rockstar GQ
- 2016: Won: HT Most Stylish Living Legend Award.
- 2017: Won: Raj Kapoor Award – Received by actress Raakhee: 30 April 2017.
- 2017: Won: Received the 20th anniversary of JP Dutta’s Border movie Award: 12 June 2017.
- 2017: Won: Recipient of National Award-Hindi Cinema Gaurav Samman at Vigyan Bhawan
- 2018: Won: Filmfare Short Film Award for Best Actor — Khujli
- 2018: Won: Best Actor Award for the Konkani film Soul Curry at Goa State Awards ceremony
He has received a Doctor of Arts for his valuable contribution in the field of Cinema from the Invertis University.