The Moment Jackie Shroff Realised He Was Famous: When Amitabh Bachchan's Kids Wanted His Autograph

New Delhi: Jackie Shroff was one of the most sought-after actors in the Nineties. Jackie Shroff, who initially resided in a Mumbai chawl during the struggling days of his career, featured in some superhit films of the decade like 100 Days and Rangeela. Now, speaking to PTI, Jackie Shroff revealed the moment when he realised he was "famous." Talking about one particular day when he was waiting to meet Amitabh Bachchan (who was a bigger star than Mr Shroff), the actor told PTI: "I asked the waiter what time does he come because I really wanted to meet him. But I find his kids coming to take my autograph. I said, 'Wow, here I am waiting to seeBachchan sir and his kids want my autograph!' I realised then that I had become famous," the actor told PTI. Mr Shroff said that he happened to share the same hotel as the Bachchans' while he was shooting in Chennai when the encounter took place.

Jackie Shroff and Amitabh Bachchan co-starred in films like Sarkar 3, Eklavya and Akalya. Jackie Shroff became an instant hit with his 1983 film Hero but there was a lean period, during which he made only a few hit films like Karma. His career was revived by 1989 movie Ram Lakhan, in which he famously co-starred with Anil Kapoor.

Coming from a chawl in Mumbai, the actor never believed that he could make it big in Bollywood. But it was his astrologer father who was confident that Jackie Shroff is destined to be a star. "My father said that I will be an actor but I scoffed at him. I wondered, 'How can a boy from Teen Batti (Mumbai) become an actor?' I went to a hotel to become a chef and then tried becoming a flight attendant but no one took me," the actor added.

The 63-year-old actor revealed that it was after an advert for Charminar that Dev Anand approached him with what turned out to be his first film - Swami Dada, following which he was offered Hero. "I worked in a travel agency and got into advertising and modelling after someone spotted me. So I started doing ads. I did Charminar ad, because of which I got two films. Dev Anand saab gave me my first film and then I got Hero."

Jackie Shroff will be next seen in Phamous, which also stars Jimmy Sheirgill, Kay Kay Menon and Pankaj Tripathi. The film will hit the screens on June 1.