We are talking about Jackie Shroff whose story is a powerful reminder that with determination and hardwork, one can overcome adversity and reach great heights.
Lived in chawl
Before rising to fame as a Bollywood superstar, Jackie Shroff lived with his family in a Mumbai chawl. In an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, he recalled his truggle days and said, "I remember those years when I would stand outside Chawl’s bathroom with my mug. There were seven small buildings and we had a total of three bathrooms for all the people of those buildings. There would be a line outside the toilet every morning because people would be in a hurry to go to work. This memory is still so fresh in my mind… that sometimes I still see myself standing in that line in my dreams."
He also talked about sleeping on the floor and being bitten by rat, he mentioned, "I used to sit on the floor and eat, which is the best way to eat I think. My mother would cook and I would sit on the ground and eat. Those memories haven’t left my mind. I used to sleep on the floor of this room. I saw a snake in the corner of that room. Once a rat bit me and my mom. I am talking about mid-60s that time around. I sometimes go there, it is the place where I grew up. I even told the landlord to give the space to me for rent but he said no. I told I would pay the same amount as others but he did not budge. I am still trying…”
Would have owned half of Andheri
In a recent interview with GQ, Jackie Shroff was asked who among them was more likely to splurge on things they enjoyed. He admitted that it used to be him, but that has changed. Jackie mentioned he could have owned half of Andheri with the money he could have spent on luxury cars. He encouraged his fans to invest in property instead. When he asked his daughter Krishna about her financial management skills, she confidently replied that she was quite good at it. Jackie humorously added, "Yeh kanjoos hai," referring to her as stingy.
