'Subhash Ghai Made Me'

'Being signed on as the leading man of Hero came to me like a bolt out of the blue.'

IMAGE: Jackie Shroff in Hero.

Jackie Shroff's association with Subhash Ghai has flourished over an incredible 40 years.

Ever since the filmmaker gave Jackie his first big break in Hero in 1983, the actor has scored some of his best performances under Ghai's direction.

"Subhashji knew my bad points. He knew my good points. He always saw to it that my good points are highlighted," Jackie Shroff tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Dinesh Raheja in the first of a two-part interview.

Subhash Ghai rang in his 80th birthday on January 24... what is your wish for the filmmaker who put you on the road to stardom?

Centurion ... that's what I wish for him to be in cricketing terms. May he live to be a 100!

It's unusual for an actor-director combination to survive over multiple decades. Jackie, why do you think your association with Subhash Ghai has continued?

Whatever I am today, he kind of made me through his talents as a director, writer, editor. He has been my mentor. But ours is more than an actor-director relationship; he is more like a family member. He is like my elder brother.

It was easy for us to go through eight films together. because there was no conflict, just affection, respect and love for each other. There was never any question of our association not lasting for a long time.

IMAGE: Director Subhash Ghai, Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia and Anil Kapoor on the sets of Ram Lakhan. Photograph: Kind courtesy Jackie Shroff/Instagram

How did your relationship evolve from Hero to Karma to Ram Lakhan to Khalnayak to Yaadein and beyond?

Nothing changed. I used to go on his sets like a student and learn the craft from the master, simple.

I didn't try and behave like some learned actor or a teacher.

I just kept my ears open and followed my director to the T.

We had a tuning, we had an understanding.

He knew my bad points. He knew my good points. He always saw to it that my good points are highlighted.

Do you remember the turn of events which led to Subhash Ghai signing you for Hero (1983)?

Being signed on as the leading man of Hero came to me like a bolt out of the blue.

I think Subhashji would be a better person to answer why he signed me because I have no idea.

IMAGE: Jackie Shroff in Hero.

Did he ask you to train as an actor before commencing the shooting? How did he explain the art of performance to you?

There was no specific training as an actor. On the sets, it was like teaching ABCD to a kindergarten kid... he made performing so simple.

But I was definitely taught how to do action sequences.

I used to go to a ground at Amboli in Andheri (north west Mumbai) and learn action out there, especially how not to get hit!

I've been a guy who has been hit on the road, but while shooting it is a different scenario.

In Hero, flute music became identified with your character. Did you learn to play the flute or how did you make it so convincing?

Of course, I played the flute. I'm going to break people's imagination and my image of not being able to play the flute.

I watched Hariprasadji (Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia), I felt the rhythm in me and I played it.

I just played with my head. When I played, maybe the sound wasn't what was heard, but the rest of the aspects was right ... my fingers were rightly placed on the musical instrument.