Jackie Shroff speaks on <i>Eklavya</i>
Jackie Shroff needs no introduction. He has a dozen films under making and also confesses that he has done half of them only for his friends in the industry. No wonder he has shifted to character roles in many of them. But from all his upcoming films, Eklavya appears most promising and undoubtedly so since he has given some of his career-best performances in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's films from Parinda, 1942 - A Love Story to Mission Kashmir.
You
are
doing
a
lot
of
films
now
but
don't
you
think
Eklavya
is
special
to
you?
Vidhu
Vinod
Chopra's
all
films
are
special
to
me.
I
received
my
first
award
for
Vinod
Chopra's
Parinda.
My
second
award
was
for
1942
A
Love
Story.
I
feel
if
there
is
any
good
villain
after
Gabbar
Singh
then
it
was
my
character
in
Mission
Kashmir.
Vinod
has
always
been
a
fantastic
director
for
me.
All
my
best
performances
are
with
Vinod
Chopra,
so
you
are
absolutely
right
when
you
say
that
Eklavya
is
special
for
me.
Right
from
Parinda,
1942
-
A
Love
Story
to
Mission
Kashmir,
you
have
always
given
some
of
the
best
performances
of
your
career
with
Vidhu
Vinod
Chopra.
What
is
it
about
him
that
makes
you
give
your
best
in
his
films?
He
knows
his
actor's
strength.
He
knows
what
he
wants
from
them.
He
does
a
lot
of
homework
and
for
this
film
as
well
he
worked
at
least
a
year
on
the
script.
And
when
he
was
absolutely
receptive,
he
rehearsed
with
me,
indulged
in
discussions
and
took
my
suggestions.
He
is
always
open
through
mind
and
heart
and
the
rest
is
history.
So
considering
your
track
record
with
Vidhu,
can
we
expect
another
superlative
act
from
you
in
Eklavya?
Absolutely!
In
this
film
you
will
be
witnessing
a
role
that
you
will
definitely
remember
for
a
very
long
time.
Working
with
him,
it
looks
like
I
have
done
a
hundred
shoots.
Just
for
example,
in
Mission
Kashmir
I
had
only
seven
or
eight
scenes
but
if
you
take
me
out
of
that
movie,
there
is
no
mission
in
Mission
Kashmir.
You
are
playing
a
negative
role
in
Eklavya.
Isn't
Vidhu
responsible
for
turning
you
an
onscreen
villain
with
one
of
your
first
negative
roles
in
Mission
Kashmir?
He
always
makes
a
point
that
I
play
a
very
progressive
role.
He
has
always
given
me
a
role
that
moves
the
story
forward.
There
is
a
special
bonding
between
me
and
him.
The
film
has
a
royal
look
and
so
does
your
character.
I
play
the
role
of
a
Prince.
Boman
Irani
plays
the
king
of
a
palace
and
I
play
his
younger
brother.
My
character
is
always
unsatisfied
with
what
he
has.
His
needs
are
higher.
Though
he
respects
his
elder
brother,
his
heart
wants
to
kill
him.
It's
an
absolutely
dark
shaded
character
that
I
play
in
the
film.
Eklavya
is
a
multi-starrer
with
Amitabh,
Sanjay
Dutt
and
Saif
Ali
Khan
sharing
screen
space
with
you.
Was
there
anytime
a
fear
of
being
overshadowed
by
the
other
stars?
I
was
never
apprehensive
about
anything.
For
me
actors
are
actors.
We
all
are
actors
and
I
respect
them
as
a
person
and
for
their
performances.
But
when
they
are
performing
they
are
just
characters
to
me.
I
don't
look
at
them
as
big
stars.
I
have
done
180
films
so
far
so
they
should
be
apprehensive,
not
me.
Reportedly
you
have
also
performed
your
own
stunts
in
Eklavya.
Is
that
true?
Yes,
I
gave
two
shots
which
were
very
difficult
ones.
In
one
of
the
scenes
the
train
passes
just
six
inches
away
from
my
face
at
the
speed
of
100.
I
judged
the
distance
of
the
train
during
rehearsals
that
helped
me
while
performing
the
scene.
It
was
difficult
and
unsafe
but
I
managed
to
do
it
safely.
Any
memory
of
shooting
in
Rajasthan
I
remember
the
hospitality
given
by
everybody
out
there.
We
received
so
much
love
and
affection
by
everyone
who
lives
there.
I
used
to
feel
that
I
am
in
my
home
with
my
people.
From
all
the
other
films
that
you
are
doing,
which
role
are
you
looking
forward
to
the
most
post
Eklavya?
There
is
one
film
called
First
Fear.
It's
an
American
film.
It's
not
a
crossover
film;
it's
a
crossed-over
film.
I
am
playing
devil's
worshipper
in
that
film.
I
have
five
roles
in
the
film.
It's
a
magical
film.
It
has
some
shades
of
The
Lord
of
the
Rings.
Anything
that
is
magical
excites
me.
The
remake
of
Qurbani
by
Feroz
Khan
looks
another
interesting
project.
When
is
the
film
going
on
floors?
I
have
no
idea.
Feroz
Khan
has
signed
me
but
nothing
has
been
finalized
yet.
He
may
start
the
film
sometime
next
year.
Tell
us
about
your
role
in
Fool
and
Final.
Is
it
another
Apna
Sapna
Money
Money
kind
of
comedy
in
the
making?
I
am
playing
a
cameo
in
Fool
and
Final.
It
is
just
a
guest
appearance.
I
did
it
because
Firoz
Nadiadwala
is
my
friend.
I
am
doing
at
least
six
movies
just
for
my
friends.
Besides
that
in
films
like
First
Fear,
Eklavya
and
Thodi
Si
Life
Thoda
Sa
Magic
I
am
playing
prominent
roles.
Aren't
you
also
playing
Sai
Baba
in
a
film?
When
is
that
film
coming
out?
The
film
is
yet
to
start.
It
will
take
two
more
months
to
start
because
they
are
still
working
on
its
script.
This
is
for
the
first
time
that
I
am
playing
a
saint
and
that
is
what
makes
it
different.
Are
you
also
doing
a
science
fiction
called
'The
Channel
X'?
It's
not
a
science
fiction.
The
Channel
X
is
about
sting
operations.
I
play
CEO
of
the
Channel
X.
The
film
is
about
how
all
those
things
land
me
in
trouble
with
the
underworld
and
how
I
tackle
it.
Himanshu
Brahmbhatt
is
directing
the
film.
He
was
an
assistant
to
Mahesh
Bhatt.
Any
plans
to
revive
your
production
house?
May
be
next
year
I
might
do
it.
I
have
a
very
good
subject
on
senior
citizens.
I
am
working
on
it.
I
am
very
busy
with
all
my
films.
I'll
finish
these
films
first
and
then
I
will
go
on
holiday.
Maybe
after
that
I'll
think
about
my
production
plans.