Veteran superstar Jackie Shroff has stepped into the spotlight once again, but this time it’s not just for his latest film. The 69-year-old actor recently opened up about a deeply personal chapter in his life — the time when his family faced financial ruin after the 2003 film Boom bombed at the box office. In a candid conversation, Jackie revealed how he became a real-life superhero for his wife Ayesha and their kids, selling off assets and furniture to keep the home together.
Jackie’s new film The Great Grand Superhero, directed by Manish Saini, hit theatres on May 29. In it, he plays an elderly grandfather who transforms into a superhero for his grandson. But as Jackie explains, that role isn’t far from his real life. “The father is always the superhero,” he said. “There’s no pressure because superheroes don’t feel pressure. Even if they do, they don’t show it.”
The Boom That Broke the Bank
The financial crisis began when Jackie’s wife Ayesha produced Kaizad Gustad’s black comedy thriller Boom, which also marked the debut of Katrina Kaif. Despite boasting a stellar star cast including Amitabh Bachchan, the experimental film tanked at the box office. The fallout was brutal: severe marital strain, and the family was forced to liquidate core assets — even their home furniture.
Jackie, however, doesn’t shy away from those tough times. “I remember all my times. I’m not that old that I forget. My memory is good,” he said with a grin. Through inventive investment strategies and sheer will, he steered his family back from the brink. And while his children Tiger and Krishna are hugely successful today, Jackie insists he’ll never forget the days when the sun wasn’t shining on his household.
A Life of Gratitude (and Yoga) at 69
Playing a caped crusader at 69 comes with its own set of physical demands — especially when it comes to those heavy, stifling superhero suits. But Jackie isn’t the type to complain. “Of course, it’s hot but you don’t complain about it. Who asked you to be an actor? Mujhe kisi ne zabardasti toh nahi bola actor banne! So, be thankful,” he stated.
When asked about the notorious design flaw in superhero suits — the complete absence of zippers making bathroom breaks a nightmare — Jackie revealed his secret: “Control hai bhai. Yog aur saans pe dhyaan! Just sip your water a little bit. No complaints. Mehnat toh hai. It may look very ‘wow’ from the outside, but there’s a lot of grime behind the shine.”
Jackie credits his emotional endurance and gentle spirit to his late mother. “I have maa ka dil. There’s a lot of love in a mother’s heart. It rests within me,” he said. His famous environmental campaigns urging people to plant more trees? All her influence. “She used to love roses. I put those on her grave on her birthday recently.”
From Shiva Ka Insaaf to Flying Jatt Ka Baap
The Great Grand Superhero isn’t Jackie’s first time in a cape. Exactly 41 years ago, he played the lead in Shiva Ka Insaaf (1985), India’s first 3D superhero film. “It was really tedious. I’d even gone to the US with these gentlemen to test the camera, but it was good fun,” he recalled.
When the trailer for his latest film dropped, son Tiger Shroff shared it on his Instagram Stories, playfully calling his father “Flying Jatt ka baap” — a nod to Tiger’s own 2016 superhero venture A Flying Jatt. Hearing that, Jackie got emotional. “He was mad about it. He used to think, ‘My father is a superhero.’ I think that’s what every kid thinks of his father.”
According to Sacnilk, The Great Grand Superhero has netted ₹1.38 crore by Day 4. But for Jackie, the film is about something bigger than box office numbers. It’s a celebration of the superhero every father becomes when his family needs him most.