Jackie Shroff recently shared insights about his portrayal of the memorable character Chunnilal in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Devdas, mentioning that the role was offered to him after it had been declined by several other actors.

In a discussion with Republic Bharat, Jackie reminisced about his experiences during the filming of Devdas, sparked by a fan’s remark about having seen the movie five times. He responded, “Initially, many declined the role because Shah Rukh Khan was playing the title character Devdas. Those who were approached expressed concerns, stating, ‘My character’s name isn’t even mentioned… Devdas is the focus.’ Consequently, when the role was left vacant, it eventually came to me, and I agreed to take it. With Madhuri Dixit in the cast, I thought, ‘Why shouldn’t I seize this opportunity?’ I was enthusiastic and inquired about what else was in store for my character. The filmmakers informed me about a song and some dialogues. Upon reviewing the dialogues, I concluded that even if my character appeared only during the interval, it wouldn’t diminish my presence, as I would still be visually impactful. And indeed, I left an impression in Devdas.”

He jokingly asked the fan, “You noticed me, right?” Jackie continued, “When the role was shunned by others, it came to me, and I was more than willing to accept it.”

In the course of the conversation, Jackie Shroff acknowledged the contributions of actor and filmmaker Dev Anand, who first recognized his talent and cast him in a minor role in Swami Dada (1982), where he played one of Shakti Kapoor’s henchmen, alongside lead Mithun Chakraborty.

Furthermore, Shroff expressed his appreciation for filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who provided him with a major breakthrough in the film Hero (1983). He credited the film’s memorable flute melody for significantly aiding in his rise to stardom and thanked Lord Krishna for bestowing blessings upon him and his son, Tiger Shroff. The iconic tune was later reimagined for a new audience in Tiger’s debut film Heropanti (2014).

Jackie Shroff was most recently featured in The Great Grand Superhero and is looking forward to the release of his upcoming horror film Kaali Kheti, set to premiere on October 23, 2026.

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