Jackie Shroff grew up in a chawl in the Teen Batti area of Mumbai and even after he became a successful actor, he continued to live there for a few years. In a recent interview, Jackie said that he spent 33 years living in that chawl, and so, he wants to rent out his room again but the landlord is not allowing him to do so. Jackie spoke fondly about that phase of his life and said that he loved the energy of that place. He still visits the chawl sometimes, walks around and spends some time there.
In a chat with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Jackie was asked if he is trying to get his room back in the chawl and the actor said, “I am trying, but they are not giving it back to me. He (The landlord) thinks that if he gives it to me then… I am like, ‘bro, I won’t run away with it’. This guy is not giving it to me. I told him that whatever money you are getting as rent of my old room… four people live there now, I told him that I will pay what those four people are paying. But he doesn’t want to.”
Jackie said that his mother gave up that room after his brother died, but he still has find memories of that place. “It is my room. My mother gave it up after my brother died. But I want to treasure that place, spend some time there, feel the energy of that place. I spent 33 years there. I love the vibe of that place. Even if he doesn’t give me that room, I sometimes go there, stand in the balcony in evening, have some paan,” he said.
In the same interview, Jackie was also asked about the financial crisis he faced after he became a producer with the 2003 film Boom. He said that once someone starts a business, they are bound to see many ups and downs. He said, “If you can’t handle it… it has to be there. That happened and we learnt. A lot of people who start new companies, they face ups and downs. I faced it too. Things happen in life, its up to you how you deal with it.” When asked if he ever asked his friends in the film industry for help, he said, “I didn’t want to ask anybody. I didn’t want to put my burden on somebody. How can you do that? You have to focus on yourself.”
